Forest Landscape Management Research Articles

Principle, structure and application progress of the forest landscape model FireBGCv2.

Forest landscape model can quantitatively simulate the spatiotemporal variations in forest structure and function at the landscape scale based on traditional field survey data and mathematical models, providing a reference for the formulation of scientific forest management strategies. FireBGCv2 is one of the representative models currently used in the research area of forest landscape changes. It can simulate ecological processes at various scales, including trees scale (tree growth, establishment, and mortality), stand scale (carbon and nitrogen pools, fuel treatment, decomposition), site scale (resource competition and species phenology), and landscape scale (seed dispersal and wildfire disturbances), and the effects of those processes on forest landscape structure and function. The advantage of this model lies in its ability to simulate multiple ecological processes while considering the diversity and complexity of ecosystems. However, it also has drawbacks, such as high computational demands and complexity of use. We summarized the basic principles and structure of FireBGCv2 and introduced its application progress in forest landscape research and management. Currently, the application of the FireBGCv2 model, both domestically and internationally, mainly focused on exploring the interactions between fire, climate, and vegetation, quantifying the spatial and temporal dynamics of fires, and describing potential fire dynamics under future climate scenarios and land management strategies. With the in-depth development of forest landscape model theories and applications, the future prospects of FireBGCv2 include improving and updating the model's algorithms, adding new functional modules to explore fire management issues, and meeting the needs of different users.

Evaluating forest landscape management for ecosystem integrity

Protecting forest ecosystems is a critical action for addressing both the climate and biodiversity crises. Effective long-term management of forests requires landscape approaches, but evaluating the management actions is a key challenge. Previous research has suggested evaluation should focus on three interrelated pillars: ecosystem integrity, effective planning, and strong governance. This paper presents a framework for evaluating ecosystem integrity based on the ‘Principle, Criteria, Indicator and Verifier’ (PCIV) method. The key principle used is ecosystem autopoiesis – the ability of a system for self-generation and maintenance by creating its own parts. Four key criteria are applied, accompanied by a set of nine indicators. Verifiers for each indicator are suggested for which feasible data sources are likely available. The use of the three-pillar framework, including ecosystem integrity, is illustrated using three hypothetical cases representing different forest landscape contexts. Such evaluation can provide practical, consistent, repeatable, and comparable information for stakeholders and decision makers.

Effects of forest spatial types, element compositions and forest stands on restorative potential and aesthetic preference

IntroductionAs global urbanization intensifies, the physical and mental stressors of modern life have led to the growing prevalence of suboptimal health conditions. Spending time in a forest benefits human health and well-being. In this context, based on the forest spatial types (forest interior and forest edge spaces), landscape elements (architecture, water and roads) and forest stands (coniferous, broadleaf and bamboo forests), this study investigated the effects of different forest spatial landscape characteristics on the restorative potential for college students, aesthetic preference and eye movement behavior (total fixation duration and fixation count).MethodsIn this study, a total of 60 subjects were exposed to 42 photographs depicting typical forest landscapes acquired through field studies. The Short-version Revised Restoration and Preference Scale and eye-tracking technology, were employed to study the recovery efficiency and visual attraction of forest spatial of different forest spatial types, element compositions and forest stands.Results(1) The restorative potential and aesthetic preference score of forest edge spaces were significantly higher than those of forest interior spaces. (2) The restorative potential of bamboo forests was significantly higher than those of coniferous and broadleaf forests. (3) In terms of forest interior space, the restorative potential of “forest + 1 element” composition and “forest + 2 elements” composition was significantly higher than that of pure forest, and the restorative potential of interior space of bamboo forest was significantly higher than those of coniferous and broadleaf forests. (4) In terms of forest edge space, the restorative potential of “forest + 2 elements” composition was significantly higher than that of pure forest, and the restorative potential of pure forests was significantly higher than that of the “forest + 1 element” composition. (5) The restorative potential of forest spatial landscape characteristics positively correlated with aesthetic preference and negatively correlated with total fixation duration and fixation count. These results can provide a reference for future forest landscape research, construction and management.

Using payment for ecosystem services to meet national reforestation commitments: impacts of 20+ years of forestry incentives in Guatemala

International environmental initiatives, such as the Bonn Challenge and the UN Decade on Restoration, have prompted countries to put the management and restoration of forest landscapes at the center of their land use and climate policies. To support these goals, many governments are promoting forest landscape restoration and management through financial forestry incentives, a form of payment for ecosystem services. Since 1996, Guatemala has implemented a series of forestry incentives that promote active forest landscape restoration and management on private and communal lands. These programs have been widely hailed as a success with nearly 600 000 ha enrolled since 1998. However, there has been no systematic assessment of the effectiveness of these programs on preserving and restoring Guatemalan forests. This study evaluates the impacts of over 16 000 individual PES projects funded through two incentive programs using a synthetic control counterfactual. Overall, a program for smallholders resulted in lower rates of forest loss, while a program for industrial timber owners led to greater gains in forest cover. Across policies, we found dramatically higher forest cover increases from restoration projects (15% forest cover increase) compared to plantation and agroforestry projects (3%–6% increase in forest cover). Projects that protected natural forest also showed a 6% reduction in forest loss. We found forest cover increases to be under 10% of total enrolled area, although positive local spillovers suggest this is an underestimate. Restoration projects show the most promise at promoting forest landscape restoration, but these benefits need to be weighed against priorities like resilience and rural development, which may be better served by other projects.

What on-site landscape experiences attract potential visitors to a site? A Japan–Korea cross-cultural comparison

ABSTRACT In the age of big data, social media’s influence on on-site landscape experiences is growing, and the relationship between on- and off-site landscape planning and management is becoming more important. The study’s objectives were: 1) to identify scenic hotspots based on on-site visitor experiences, 2) clarify landscape preferences and attractiveness based on photographs taken at scenic hotspots, and 3) examine similarities and differences between Japanese and Korean visitors in terms of landscape preferences and attractiveness. The data were collected using geotagged visitor employed photography from 153 visitors to the Takao Quasi-National Park in Japan were used to understand off-site appreciation, and compare Japanese and Korean visitors’ experiences. Photo-based questionnaires were completed by 42 Japanese and 40 Korean respondents. We collected 1,645 geotagged photographs, and performed a GIS analysis with network-based kernel density estimation to identify scenic hotspots. The data extracted from the photo-based questionnaire were used to analyze the relationship between on-site and off-site experiences, as well as similarities and differences between the Japanese and Korean participants. The data were analyzed using means, Welch’s t-test, Wilcoxon sum-rank test, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and Kendall’s correlation analysis. The results identified nine scenic hotspots, and revealed that the photographs that the Japanese visitors preferred to take would not necessarily attract tourists, nor were they the same as the scenic spots and objects the Korean visitors found attractive. As international tourism expands, cross-cultural research on on- and off-site experiences and preferences has become increasingly important for forest landscape management and sustainable tourism.

Epigeic Carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae) as Bioindicators in Different Variants of Scots Pine Regeneration: Implication for Forest Landscape Management

Maintaining biodiversity is one of the factors determining the proper functioning of ecosystems, especially those with high human impact. Ground beetles, as bioindicators, are particularly valuable in understanding ecosystem responses and sustainability in forest and landscape management. Focusing on the regeneration of pine forests, this study aimed to describe ground beetle assemblages on Scots pine natural and artificial regeneration in northeastern Poland. This study was conducted between 2016 and 2018. Pitfall traps were set up for catching epigeic carabids on previously prepared research plots designated for natural and artificial pine regeneration. The research areas included three variants: N—natural pine regeneration, plots without soil preparation; NP—natural pine regeneration with traditional soil preparation by ploughing; and A—artificial pine regeneration with ploughing. Four plots as replicants were selected in each experimental variant, with six pitfall traps in the transects running through the centre of each study plot. In each year of the study, 11 samples were collected from each plot; overall, 33 samples per plot were collected during the three years. As a result of this study, 26,654 ground beetle individuals belonging to 89 species were caught during the three-year observation. Natural regeneration without soil preparation (N) was the most favourable in terms of the occurrence of stabilised assemblages of ground beetles. However, the remaining methods of pine regeneration, on a multi-annual scale (2016–2018), contributed to the increase in the number of ground beetles but also provided high variability in assemblage composition, diversity indices, and life-history traits. Thus, in the early stage of pine regeneration, each of the examined variants of pine regeneration can be used without fear of causing damage to carabid populations. However, further studies are required to investigate the effect of different pine regeneration types on carabid beetle assemblages over a longer period.

Floristic composition, life history traits and phytogeographic distribution of forest vegetation in the Western Himalaya

IntroductionScientific documentation of the qualitative forest vegetation parameters of a biogeographical area provides baseline information to guide conservation strategies and design policies for biodiversity management regulations.MethodsWe present one of the most comprehensive qualitative vegetation analyses to evaluate the entire structure and function of an ecosystem in the remote northern part of the Kashmir Himalaya, India. Several multivariate ecological community analyses were conducted after determining the presence of plant species in the various habitats using a random sampling technique.ResultsIn total, 155 plant species belonging to 120 genera and 49 families occurred in the area. Asteraceae was the largest family (12% of plant species) followed by Rosaceae (11%). The patterns of species distribution across families were uneven, with 50% of the species belonging to only 7 families, and 23 families being monotypic. In terms of functional groups, the herbaceous growth form dominated. Therophytes were the dominant life form, indicating that the vegetation was disturbed. According to the phytogeographical research, 65% of the species documented in the study area were native, 15% were invasive, 14% naturalized, and 5% being casual. The majority (30%) of exotic species were reported along roadsides. Of all the species found, 39% grew in their natural habitats, such as forests, and 11% were scattered along roadsides. Plant species were grouped in five different clusters based on their floristic similarity. According to the estimated diversity indices, natural forest has the greatest values for Shannon’s and Simpson’s index. We found that the study area serves as the natural habitat for several significant, endangered medicinal plants, including Arnebia benthamii, Bergenia ciliata, Delphinium roylei, Gentiana kurroo, Phytolacca acinosa, Saussurea costus, and Trillium govanianum. Therefore, we recommend that human intervention in natural regeneration efforts be prioritized in these habitats to increase the population of these species.ConclusionExamining species features from the perspective of functional groups contributes to our understanding of the ecological aspects of the flora. It may also be useful in developing management plans to ensure long-term management of forest landscapes in this remote Himalayan region.

A LANDIS-II extension for simulating forest road networks

Forest roads are an important part of forest management, both in terms of cost and impact on surrounding ecosystems. Existing tools to simulate the construction of forest roads have been designed for tactical or operational planning purposes, for relatively small areas (<10 000 ha) and small-scale topographic information. Hence, no forest road simulation tool properly exists to assist forest landscape ecology and management research. Here, we present the Forest Roads Simulation (FRS) extension for the LANDIS-II model—a spatially explicit landscape simulation model of forest succession and disturbances. The FRS extension simulates forest road networks via a least-cost path algorithm accounting for landscape structure, decision inputs, and forest road types. We demonstrate the accuracy with which the FRS extension reproduces several key characteristics of existing road networks in two managed regions in Quebec, Canada: road density, road position, and fragmentation of the landscape. The FRS extension is easy to parameterize, proposing many options for researchers to simulate forest road networks at a strategic level in managed landscapes. It can tackle new research questions investigating the effects of forest roads within management strategies, such as the cost of road construction and habitat fragmentation, across large management units and long planning horizons.

The Winding Road towards Sustainable Forest Management in Romania, 1989–2022: A Case Study of Post-Communist Social–Ecological Transition

Forest ecosystems are a prime example of the heated debates that have arisen around how forests should be managed, and what services and benefits they should deliver. The European transitions in governance to and from communist regimes have had significant impacts on forests and their management. Unstable legislative and institutional changes prior to, during, and after a communist regime, combined with unique remnant areas of high-conservation-value forests, make Romania an ideal case study to explore the social–ecological transitions of forest landscapes. The aim of this paper is two-fold. First, we present the origins of, the evolution of, and the current state of forest management and ownership in Romania during transitions between the pre-communist (–1945), communist (1945–1989), and EU periods (2007–). Second, we focus on the enablers and barriers in Romania towards sustainable forest management as defined by pan-European forest policies. We used a semi-systematic, five-step scientific literature review on forest ownership, governance, and management in Romania. The analysis shows that both enablers (e.g., forest certification) and barriers (e.g., redundancy and the questionable effectiveness of the network of protected areas; illegal, unsustainable, and unreported logging; loopholes in the legislative framework) have contributed to the current approaches to interpreting forests, forestry, and forest management. The installation of the communist regime translated into sustained wood yield forest management under singular forest ownership, which opposed the previous system and forest ownership pluralism. In the post-communist period, forestland restitution led to significant legislative changes, but forest management must still confront remnant elements of the communist approach. Both communist and post-communist policies related to forests have shaped the evolution of forest landscape management in Romania, thus stressing the need to learn from the past towards securing sustainable forest management into the future. These lessons provide insights on both positive and negative drivers of forest management, which can contribute to smooth future transition towards more sustainable forest management practices.

Local perception of ecosystem services provided by symbolic wild cherry blossoms: toward community-based management of traditional forest landscapes in Japan

ABSTRACT Charismatic organisms are often used as symbols of nature-based community development. Understanding value perceptions of ecosystems services provided by symbolic species is important because such perceptions often influence land management and cultural associations between people and nature. Here, we aimed to characterize local perceptions of social values for ecosystem services of wild cherries in Sakuragawa city, Japan. The city has long been renowned for the beautiful traditional landscape of its flowering wild cherries and is involved in various conservation activities as a part of regional planning. We administered a questionnaire survey to three socio-cultural groups: local residents, tourists, and high school students; their responses were analyzed by using SolVES. Value perceptions of ecosystem services provided by wild cherries differed considerably among these groups. The residents and tourists ranked the value ‘aesthetic in spring’ as highest, whereas high school students ranked many values equally. In addition, most of the students confused wild cherry trees with the popular cultivar ‘Somei-yoshino’. The students’ more limited knowledge of wild cherries may have affected their value perceptions. Looking at the spatial distribution of perceived values, local residents and tourists highly valued the specific sites famous for their wild cherry scenery. In contrast, students did not value such sites and perceived more value in urbanized areas. Although symbolic species help to develop the perceived value of nature, filling a knowledge gap and sharing a variety of values within local communities is important for promoting community-based management of traditional forest landscapes characterized by wild cherries.

Integrated geographical environment factors explaining forest landscape changes in Luoning County in the middle reaches of the Yiluo River watershed, China

Analysis of forest landscape changes and its driving factors is vital to forest ecosystem management and sustainable development. However, it is difficult to integrate various environment factors and explain the change of forest landscape. Research on the impact of integrate geographical environment factors on forest landscape changes is still lacking. In this study, we quantified forest area and mapped forest landscape distribution in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2000, 2010, and 2015 in Luoning County in the middle of the Yiluo River watershed by using multi-temporal land use data, and detected spatio-temporal changes of the forest landscape. Three types of forest landscape changes (unconverted, reforestation, and deforestation) and ten geographical environment factors (elevation, slope, proximity to previous forest edge, distance to rivers, mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, distance to roads, distance to residential centers, population density, Gross Domestic Product) were identified. Pearson correlation analysis and line regression analysis were applied to examine the relationships between forest landscape changes and geographical environment factors. Based on the relationships, correlation coefficient and adjusted R2, these environment factors were formed into an integrated geographical environment factors index (IGEF), and an approach for analyzing forest landscape changes along the geographical environment factors gradient was proposed. The results showed that: (1) the total area of forest landscape decreased from 1990 to 2000 and continued to increase from 2000 to 2015; (2) reforestation and deforestation were closely related to individual geographical environment factors and IGEF index; (3) reforestation and deforestation mainly occurred in the areas with low and medium IGEF index values, while forest landscape unconverted was mainly distributed in the areas with high and medium IGEF index values. The observed forest landscape changes could be explained by a set of given geographical environmental factors. Our findings are expected to enhance the understanding of integrated analysis method of geographical environmental factors and contribute to the targeted forest landscape management in mountain areas.

Diversifying Forest Landscape Management—A Case Study of a Shift from Native Forest Logging to Plantations in Australian Wet Forests

Natural forests have many ecological, economic and other values, and sustaining them is a challenge for policy makers and forest managers. Conventional approaches to forest management such as those based on maximum sustained yield principles disregard fundamental tenets of ecological sustainability and often fail. Here we describe the failure of a highly regulated approach to forest management focused on intensive wood production in the mountain ash forests of Victoria, Australia. Poor past management led to overcutting with timber yields too high to be sustainable and failing to account for uncertainties. Ongoing logging will have negative impacts on biodiversity and water production, alter fire regimes, and generate economic losses. This means there are few options to diversify forest management. The only ecologically and economically viable option is to cease logging mountain ash forests altogether and transition wood production to plantations located elsewhere in the state of Victoria. We outline general lessons for diversifying land management from our case study.

Identifying and addressing ‘wicked’ social problems in community forestry in Papua New Guinea

We explore the link between the social and biophysical aspects of a community forestry project in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Despite widespread acknowledgement in the literature of the importance of social aspects, less attention has been paid to how severely they can affect project outcomes. We use the heuristic of ‘tame’, ‘complex’ and ‘wicked’ problems', adapted from the urban policy and planning literature, to illustrate the compromises and trade-offs in project objectives which may be required to accommodate the social context of traditional governance and land tenure. In a case study of three communities, we show how the criteria by which problems can be judged to be wicked or incapable of an objective solution, provide a framework for devising solutions to the problems which inevitably arise during project planning and implementation. In our cases, clan power structures and traditional customs reduced our ability to either progress extension activities, restricted our access a wide community clientele or diverted project activities away from agroforestry towards cash crops. Our solutions ranged from a reluctant withdrawal of support to compromises which required trade-offs in project objectives. As a qualitative and subjective approach to addressing social aspects of community forestry or forest landscape management, we suggest that the concept of wicked problems provides a valuable qualitative framework which complements objective or biophysical aspects of project planning and implementation.

Sensory ecologies, plant-persons, and multinatural landscapes in Amazonia

Seeking to generate a deeper methodological and theoretical dialogue between botanical science and anthropology, this paper summarizes interdisciplinary approaches to human–plant interactions we have described as “sensory ecology” and “phytoethnography”, applying these concepts to vital questions about human–plant relations in Amazonia. Building on this work, we broaden the scope of our investigations by considering their relevance to the field of historical ecology. In particular, we discuss Eduardo Viveiros de Castro’s concept of “multinaturalism” and explore how it can be applied to understanding management and domestication of forest landscapes in Amazonia by Indigenous Peoples.

Site form classification—a practical tool for guiding site-specific tropical forest landscape restoration and management

AbstractReliable estimates of forest productivity at the site scale can guide site-specific forest management. However, the best methods to evaluate productivity of natural forest sites, and in particular secondary natural forests, remain undefined. In this study we: (1) applied an indirect method for estimation of the potential productivity of a forest site (‘site form’) in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve. In addition, we: (2a) investigated the influence of a range of environmental conditions on site form, (2b) built models to estimate site form from the corresponding environmental variables and (3) generated site form maps for the region. We found that Michaelis–Menten models provided the most consistent representation of tree height–diameter relationships, with reliable anamorphic curves at both plot-scale (50 m × 20 m) and multiplot-scales. Predicted tree height at 25-cm diameter (H25) was selected as the best indicator for site form as 25 cm was both a tree size, which was common in the forests, and for which height could be accurately predicted. H25 was significantly correlated with site environmental conditions, with the dominant influences being factors related to water availability. We generated site form maps for Dong Nai province based on the relationship between known environmental variables and H25. We conclude that maps such as these could have broad application in guiding tropical forest restoration measures elsewhere, particularly where there is limited knowledge of tree ages and species.

Roads and forest edges facilitate yellow fever virus dispersion

Abstract Landscape connectivity is important for a wide range of ecological processes, including to disease spread, once it describes the degree to which landscapes facilitate or impede vector and hosts dispersion. Understanding connectivity is extremely important to identify where pathogens can move, and at what speed, allowing the organization of vaccination campaigns or other preventive measures. To better understand the effects of landscape connectivity on yellow fever virus (YFV) dispersion in Brazil, we used a network approach and modelled the movement of non‐human primates' cases, the so‐called epizootic events, over time. The networks consider each epizootic event as a node and the dispersion between nodes as links. Those links were established considering, respectively, the date of each epizootic event, the distance among the nodes and the permeability of the landscape between each pair of nodes. Our results demonstrated that on average YFV dispersed 1.42 km/day, with the largest movement being 6.9 km/day. Dispersions were longer in summer (1.2 km/day) than in winter (0.22 km/day). Most dispersal movements occurred up to 1 km/day (71%) and within a week after the arrival of the virus in the source node (73%), except in winter, where dispersions occurred within a period of up to 20 days. The best model indicates that YFV disperses mainly through roads adjacent to forest areas, and along forest edges (within a range of 100 m) in interface with agricultural areas, water and forestry areas. Core areas of urban, agricultural and forest regions were important barriers for virus movement. Synthesis and applications. Through landscape connectivity analyses, we provided here the first evidence that highly fragmented landscapes with a wide road network and large densities of forest edges facilitate yellow fever virus propagation, and that the maintenance of large blocks of forest can help to inhibit this spread. These results can contribute to guide forest restoration and landscape management actions in order to amplify health benefits related to restoration projects, in addition to their benefits for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.

Assessing synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services in forest landscape management

Human induced land use changes affect the provisioning of ecosystem services and may follow some economic rationale. Allocation of limited natural resources to different land utilization forms is the ultimate management problem for sustainable development. This study attempts to analyses the current land-use allocation systems in the Zagros area of western Iran suffering from soil erosion and water yielding problems and providing crucial economic benefits for local communities. Therefore, a comprehensive study using multiple advanced methods is needed to examine the ways land-use allocation can be enhanced with respect to multiple ecosystem services. For this, we have considered four ecosystem services, namely water yield, prevention of soil erosion, carbon sequestration and marketable products (wood, food). The economic efficiency (marketable production) of four different and competing land-uses, i.e. forest, pasture, orchard, and agriculture, were calculated applying a direct market valuation. To estimate the provision of ecosystem services, natural capital project tools InVEST and MPSIAC were used to model water production and total carbon budget (aerial biomass, underground, litter and soil), respectively. A Land-Use Conflict Identification Strategy model was used to classify Synergies and Trade-offs between the ecosystem services. A map was then developed to illustrate the spatial distribution of services, their provision levels, and to better understand trade-offs and synergies among a bundle of ecosystem services. To select sample points, a systematic random network was implemented on the map of the region and 533 sample points were selected. We used these sample points to assess the provision of ecosystem services and their synergies and trade-offs. To account for decision-makers’ preferences about the ecosystem services, a non-linear programming method was used to optimize multi-objective land-use allocation by weighing multi-objective benefits from ecosystem services at the landscape level. The results showed that 75% of the studied sample points had synergies, at least between two services, and 25% of the sample points showed trade-offs between the ES. The highest synergies were achieved between water production and prevention of soil erosion. The highest maximum target function was found for a diversity of scenarios aiming for 0–100% provision of the four services. In superior options, forest area level has increased by 75% and the level of orchards has increased by 258% (Relative to the initial area before optimization). The pasture area decreased by 45% and the agricultural land-use area was 65% lower than the pre-optimal level. The erosion rate of the region was reduced about 3736 tons/ha/year relative to pre-optimized conditions (100,514 tones/ha/year) and the water yield capacity increased by 663,100 cubic meters in the whole area, which is of great value due to the importance of water availability in the region. In addition, 76,905 tons /whole area have been added to the carbon storage function. Finally, 172,597 million Rials revenue generation (80%) could be realized for the entire region of 13484 ha.

Analysis of Forest Landscape Restoration Based on Landscape Connectivity: A Case Study in the Yi River Basin, China, during 2015–2020

Landscape connectivity has widely been recognized as one of the key objectives in studies of forest landscape management, ecological conservation and construction. Protecting virgin forests and afforesting marginal cropland are two long-term ecological projects in China. However, along with rapid urbanization and industrialization in China, the relationship between landscape connectivity and forest landscape restoration (FLR) has not been fully explored. The emergent question concerns whether the connectivity of a restored forest landscape could benefit the local flora and fauna. We evaluated the status of FLR in the Yi River watershed based on remote sensing images during 2015–2020. The forest landscape connectivity (FLC) was investigated using landscape connectivity indicators, applying the theory of landscape connectivity. We also examined the variations of FLC under different landform types (hills and low mountains) according to distance threshold values ranging from 100 m to 20,000 m. The most appropriate distance thresholds for analyzing FLC in hills and low mountains are 500 m and 100 m, respectively. The results showed that in this period, the FLC in low mountains was increased, whereas that of hills was decreased. The contributions for reforested patches on the improvement of the FLC were evaluated. In hills, patches that made “very high” and “high” contributions to improve the FLC occupied 15.6% of the total reforested area, whereas the proportion in low mountains was 25.5%. The results indicated that although rainfed cropland patches have been converted to forest patches, some of them have made small contributions to the FLC. Through this case study, we hope to have confirmed that landscape connectivity analysis could be used as a criterion for selecting important patches in the planning of FLR. Moreover, we have introduced this implementable method for future ecological restoration management programs.

Responses of Visual Forms to Neighboring Competition: A Structural Equation Model for Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea Engl.

Background: The visual forms of individual trees in peri-urban forests are driven by a complex array of simultaneous cause-and-effect relationships. Materials and Methods: Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), as a specialized analytical technique, was used to model and understand the complex interactions. It was applied to find out responses of visual forms to neighboring competition in a peri-urban forest dominated by Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea Engl. in Beijing, China. Research Highlights: Light interception and space extrusion have substantial effects on visual forms, expressed as crown forms and foliage forms. The structural model in SEM tested hypothetical correlations among latent variables, namely neighboring competition, crown forms, and foliage forms. Results: The fitted model suggested a direct negative effect of neighboring competition on crown forms and an insignificant negative direct effect on foliage forms. Moreover, an indirect positive effect on foliage forms mediated by crown forms was revealed. Conclusions: The fitted SEM and associated findings should facilitate peri-urban forest landscape management by providing insight into causal mechanisms of visual forms of individual trees and thereby assisting in the visual quality promotion.

Effects of stand edges on the structure, functioning, and diversity of a temperate mountain forest landscape

AbstractHuman land use is fragmenting forests around the globe, increasing the edge density in forest landscapes. More frequent natural disturbances also increase the presence of edges in forest ecosystems. Studying a mountain landscape in the Eastern Alps, we contrasted 661 plots situated at varying distances from a stand edge with 615 plots sampled in forest interiors. Our objectives were (1) to analyze the strength of edge effects on forest structure, functioning, and diversity; (2) to determine the penetration depth of edge effects into the forest interior; and (3) to quantify the difference between permanent edges (i.e., to a different land cover type) and transient edges (as created e.g., by natural disturbances). Edges affected forest biomass accumulation negatively (basal area, litter depth, live tree carbon), but had positive effects on diversity (variation in tree diameter, effective plant species number, plant species richness, number of red‐listed plant species). Biodiversity indicators responded most strongly to the presence of edges. The maximum distance of a significant edge effect was <50 m across all indicators. Effects on forest structure and functioning were generally stronger at transient edges compared to permanent edges. Our findings highlight that both permanent and transient edges have a considerable influence on forest ecosystems and should be considered more explicitly in the analysis and management of forest landscapes.