Natural Forest Areas Research Articles

Assessing Accuracy of Land Cover Change Maps Derived from Automated Digital Processing and Visual Interpretation in Tropical Forests in Indonesia

This study assessed the accuracy of land cover change (2000–2018) maps compiled from Landsat images with either automated digital processing or with visual interpretation for a tropical forest area in Indonesia. The accuracy assessment used a two-stage stratified random sampling involving a confusion matrix for assessing map accuracy and by estimating areas of land cover change classes and associated uncertainty. The reference data were high-resolution images from SPOT 6/7 and high-resolution images finer than 5 m obtained from Open Foris Collect Earth. Results showed that the map derived from automated digital processing had lower accuracy (overall accuracy 73–77%) compared to the map based on visual interpretation (overall accuracy 80–84%). The automated digital processing map error was in differentiating between native forest and plantation areas. While the visual interpretation map had a higher accuracy, it did not consistently differentiate between native forest and shrub areas. Future improvement of the digital map requires more accurate differentiation between forest and plantation to better support national forest monitoring systems for sustainable forest management.

The relationship between dung beetle diversity and manure removal in forest and sheep grazed grasslands

The relationships and linkages between biodiversity and ecosystem processes are critical issues in ecology. Manure removal is an ecosystem process related to several ecological functions performed by dung beetles. However, there is little information on manure removal by beetles in temperate ecosystems of Mexico. Using a linear model based on species biomass, here we estimated the amount of manure that can be potentially removed by dung beetle species in temperate forests and grasslands with sheep herding. Then, we related the estimated amount of manure removed with attributes of dung beetle communities: species richness, diversity, evenness and functional diversity in forest and grasslands sites. We compared the amount of manure potentially removed at each habitat by all species of dung beetles and by beetle’s food relocation strategies. Also, we used Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to test the relationships between manure removal and community attributes. Our model estimated that five species remove most of the manure, and tunneler beetles remove higher amounts of manure in grasslands than in forest sites. GAMs revealed that manure removal is related to dung beetle species richness and evenness, but not to functional diversity. Therefore, it is relevant to promote rich dung beetle communities to maintain optimal ecosystem functions, both in native forest and livestock areas.

The role of bracket fungi in creating alpha diversity of invertebrates in the Białowieża National Park, Poland.

Bracket fungi are seen mainly as the cause of economic losses in forestry, and their role as creators of biodiversity is relatively poorly understood. The aim of the study was defining the manner in which the degree of decay (DD) of the fruiting bodies determines the character of the invertebrate assemblages colonising them. The effect of this group of fungi on the modification of biodiversity of invertebrates (Aranae, Opiliones, Pseudoscorpionida, two groups of mites—Mesostigmata and Oribatida, and Collembola and Insecta) was investigated by analyzing 100 fruiting bodies of 10 species of bracket fungi divided into four DD classes. The material was collected at Białowieża National Park, which is considered to be the largest area of natural forests in the North European Plain. 16 068 invertebrate individuals classified into 224 species were obtained. Oribatid mites (12 543 individuals) constituted the largest group of individuals, which were classified into 115 species with the most numerous Carabodes femoralis (8,811 individuals). Representatives of this group of mites have been reported previously in the publications on bracket fungi; however, the contributions of Oribatida and other groups of invertebrates were not broadly compared. Moreover, the species such as Hoploseius mariae and H. oblongus, which were predominantly found in fruiting bodies of bracket fungi, have also been discerned. The invertebrate fauna differs depending on DD of the samples: In the more decayed samples, a higher number of both individuals and species were recorded compared to the samples with lower DDs; however, this trend proved to be nonlinear. The DCA and cluster analysis revealed a similarity of the invertebrate assemblages from the 2 DD and 4 DD samples. They also indicated that the group 3 DD differed the most from all the other samples. The indicator species analysis identified species characteristic to individual DDs: For group 1 DD, it was, for example, Hoploseius oblongus; for 2 DD—Orchesella bifasciata; and for 3 DD—Chernes cimicoides, while for 4 DD—Dinychus perforatus.

Mammal species composition and habitat associations in a commercial forest and mixed-plantation landscape

Commercial forest plantations of fast-growing species have been established globally to meet increasing demands for timber, pulpwood, and other wood products. Industrial plantations may contribute to tropical forest conservation by reducing exploitation of primary and secondary natural forests. Whether such plantations can support critical elements of biodiversity, including provision of habitat and movement corridors for species of conservation concern, is an important question in Southeast Asia. Our objectives were to investigate relationships between habitat gradients and community attributes of medium-sized to large mammals in a mixed plantation mosaic in Bengkoka Peninsula, Sabah, East Malaysia. Data on mammals were collected using 59 remote camera stations deployed for a minimum of 21 days (24-hour sampling occasions) in three major land-use types: natural forest, Acacia plantations, and non-Acacia plantations (oil palm, rubber, young Eucalyptus pellita). We used sample-based rarefaction to evaluate variation in species richness with land use. We used generalized linear models and ordination analyses to evaluate whether variation in mammal detections and species composition was associated with habitat gradients. We recorded >22 mammal species over 1572 sampling occasions. Natural forest area was positively associated with mammal species richness and detections of threatened mammals. Overall detections of mammals increased with decreasing elevation, but decreased within, and close to, Acacia plantations. Detections of threatened mammals increased with greater proportions of natural forest and Acacia and increasing proximity to roads. Sample-based rarefaction indicated that species richness of mammals in Acacia and natural forest was considerably higher than observed. Both natural forest and Acacia plantations shared similar values for species richness and diversity, but non-Acacia plantations scored lower in both metrics. Mammal species composition differed among different types of land use. Smaller generalists used non-Acacia plantation forests. A variety of other mammals including some threatened species used natural forest, Acacia, or a combination of the two. Acacia plantations possess attributes supporting a diversity of mammal species, including those we defined as threatened based on IUCN criteria. However, this is likely a function of the habitat mosaic with natural forest in the study area and the mangrove forests on the fringes of the peninsula serving as refuges of mammal diversity. Retention and restoration of natural and mangrove forests may therefore enhance the conservation potential of industrial Acacia plantations. Additionally, controlled road access in conjunction with anti-poaching operations and strengthening public awareness are essential to reduce the threat of overexploitation.

Gaps and perspectives for the improvement of the sweet chestnut forest-wood chain in Italy

The paper provides a summary regarding the current state of silviculture and the use of sweet chestnut wood ( Castanea sativa Mill.) in Italy. Existing opportunities for chestnut silviculture are very promising because sweet chestnut covers nearly 800,000 hectares in Italy, representing almost 2.6% of the total area of the country, including 7.5% of national forest areas. In some geographic areas, especially in central-southern Italy, sweet chestnut is the only driver of the sawmill economy. In Italy, this species is typically harvested to produce solid beams and poles. In the field of load-bearing structures, research and innovation in silviculture have provided solutions to the growing use of industrial technologies, and sweet chestnut has become integrated into European standards with the same relevanceas the most commonly most used wood species, such as Norway spruce. However, diversification in wood products is lacking in regions that produce sweet chestnut, as the sawmills tend to be very chestnut-centric, and in terms of the types of final products sweet chestnut is applied to. The typical end uses for sweet chestnut represents a major weakness associated with the massive exploitation of chestnut wood. In addition, the production of sawmills in Italy has decreased recently due to the crisis-driven reductions inactivity. This transition has affected the traditional building sector. The most common wood quality defects associated with sweet chestnut, which limit the use of this species for other wood products, are well known by producers. To boost the demand for this wood, efforts must be made to identify more versatile uses for this wood, promoting differential forest management systems to obtain stems that can be utilised in other types of final products. A list of possible actions is considered to increase the applications for this species, which represents one of the best opportunities to develop a short supply chain.

LOCATION OF PLANTED FOREST INFLUENCING THE WOOD COMMERCIALIZATION IN THE STATE OF GOIAS, BRAZIL

Planted forests have grown substantially in Brazil, especially in states such as Goias. While they may compete with native forest areas, planted forests also present themselves as economically viable solutions for the recovery of degraded areas. This study presents the market of wood in the Brazilian state of Goias analyzing the interaction between supply and demand curves of the product in a partial equilibrium analysis. In this sense, it is essential to understand the spatial issue to offer production by planning the transaction costs related to transportation. Therefore, the distribution of companies is linked to the production chain, mapped by means of labor market bases (Ministry of Labor), wood production (IBGE) and other industry data. The spatial analysis of the planted forest area (silviculture) in Goias between 2000 and 2016 was based on data from the time series, from mapping provided by the MapBiomas Project. In Goias, considering all sectors of the forest production chain, in 2015 alone, revenues exceeded US$ 1.24 billion and public collections US$ 24 million, employing more than 36 thousand people in 7 thousand firms. Thus, it is fundamental to understand this process, identifying the main determinants of planted forests, through statistical and spatial analysis. From a spatial point of view, planted forests and companies involved in wood production are relatively spread throughout the state, except for the state capital of Goiania, which has a large number of timber trade and manufacturing firms.

Land‐use change alters the stocks of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in a Haplic Cambisol in the Brazilian semi‐arid region

AbstractLand‐use change (LUC) can impact soil quality. In semi‐arid areas of Brazil, impacts of LUC need to be understood for better soil management. This study evaluated the impact of LUC on soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) distributions through the soil profile and stocks of a Haplic‐Cambisol in the Brazilian Semi‐arid region. Three land‐use systems (LUS) were investigated: agricultural management (30 years), regeneration under controlled grazing (25 years) after 5 years arable management, and native dry forest. Soil contents of P, total C, total N, and N fractions were used to calculate stocks and their stoichiometric ratios for layers 0–5, 5–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm. Data from these LUS were compared using Kruskal–Wallis non‐parametric tests. Changes to soil microbial biomass reflected the substantially reduced SOC concentration and stock in managed soils compared with that of the natural dry forest area. Total N stock was not affected by LUC, although increases in nitrate and ammonium offset a significantly reduced organic N fraction in the agricultural area. The largest P stock was found in agricultural land, followed by the grazed fallow regeneration site. LUC significantly influenced the stoichiometric ratio of C, N, and P, with the change from Caatinga to agriculture affecting the equilibrium between organic residues’ input and mineralization. LUC resulted in significant changes to C, N, and P stocks, which did not recover to the original values, even after 25 years of regeneration under controlled grazing.

Invasive Species in Puerto Rico: The View From El Yunque

Native flora and fauna of Puerto Rico have a long biogeographic connection to South America. Theory and empirical evidence suggest that islands, particularly those distantly isolated from the mainland, should be more susceptible to naturalizations and invasions of non-native species than continental areas. Anthropogenic disturbances can facilitate accidental and deliberate introductions of non-native species. In this study, we asked: What is the current status of introduced species within El Yunque National Forest (EYNF), the largest and most well-conserved forest area of Puerto Rico? To address this question, we reviewed the literature and surveyed local experts to identify introduced plant and animal taxa that are behaving as invaders within EYNF. We hypothesized that well-conserved forest areas within EYNF would be more resistant to invasions than disturbed areas along roads and ruderal areas with a long history of human activity. We found that there is only partial evidence that supports our hypothesis and this evidence is strongest in vascular plants, but not for the other taxonomic groups analyzed. Our combined results showed that currently the more ubiquitous invasive species in EYNF include some mammals (feral cat, rat, and mongoose) and some invertebrates (earthworms, mosquito, and Africanized honeybee). For many taxa, there is little information to thoroughly test our hypothesis, and thus more detailed surveys of the status of non-native and invasive species in EYNF are needed.

Land-use change and its impact on physical and mechanical properties of Archaeological Black Earth in the Amazon rainforest

The intense pressure of anthropic actions to change the use and management can promote the degradation of anthropogenic soils with high natural fertility and high content of organic matter such as the Archaeological Black Earths of the Brazilian Amazon. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the impact of land use and occupation in the Amazon biome on the physical and mechanical properties of Archaeological Black Earth. The research was carried out in the municipality of Novo Aripuanã, in the south of Amazonas State (Brazil), in a Chromic, Pretic, Acrisol with native forest, pasture, and pigeon pea. The soil properties of bulk density, mean weighted diameter, soil resistance to penetration, macroporosity, microporosity, particle size distribution (sand, silt, and clay), water-dispersible clay, flocculation index, total organic carbon, and preconsolidation pressure were assessed in the 0.0–0.1 and 0.1–0.2 m soil layers. Archaeological black earth under native forest showed better soil structural properties such as greater macroporosity and lower bulk density and resistance to penetration. The conversion to other uses promotes soil compaction and increases the resistance to compression. However, the greatest negative impacts on soil properties occurred when the land-use change was for pasture than for pigeon pea. The pigeon pea crop promoted the increase of soil total organic carbon in the 0.0–0.1 m layer. The soil mechanical behavior showed a greater load-bearing capacity in the native forest area for the surface layer than the subsurface layer. The preconsolidation pressure allowed to determine that the pasture land-use has a greater occurrence of compaction and might suffer additional compaction if the applied pressures on the soil during grazing are larger than the higher limit of the confidence interval of load-bearing capacity models when compared to the pigeon pea land-use.

Ophiostomatalean fungi associated with wood boring beetles in South Africa including two new species.

Ambrosia beetles are small wood inhabiting members of the Curculionidae that have evolved obligate symbioses with fungi. The fungal symbionts concentrate nutrients from within infested trees into a usable form for their beetle partners, which then utilize the fungi as their primary source of nutrition. Ambrosia beetle species associate with one or more primary symbiotic fungal species, but they also vector auxiliary symbionts, which may provide the beetle with developmental or ecological advantages. In this study we isolated and identified ophiostomatalean fungi associated with ambrosia beetles occurring in a native forest area in South Africa. Using a modified Bambara beetle trap, living ambrosia beetle specimens were collected and their fungal symbionts isolated. Four beetle species, three Scolytinae and one Bostrichidae, were collected. Five species of ophiostomatalean fungi were isolated from the beetles and were identified using both morphological characters and DNA sequence data. One of these species, Raffaelea sulphurea, was recorded from South Africa for the first time and two novel species were described as Ceratocystiopsis lunata sp. nov. and Raffaelea promiscua sp. nov.

Storm legacies shaping post-windthrow forest regeneration: learnings from spatial indices in unmanaged Norway spruce stands

The anticipated increase in extreme disturbance events due to climate change is likely to expose Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) dominated forests in northern Europe to new conditions. Empirical data on the resilience of such natural (unmanaged) forests to disturbance and the long-term patterns of regeneration in its aftermath are currently scarce. We performed a quantitative assessment of natural forest stands in north–western Latvia to identify and characterise the patterns of stand structure 44 years after a stand-replacing disturbance and investigated the effects of legacies on regeneration. The spatial distribution of tree species and their dimensions were assessed in 71 circular sample plots (500 m2 each) in natural forest areas, where Norway spruce dominated prior to the windthrow and salvage logging was not carried out. Spatial indices (species mingling index, size differentiation index, and aggregation index) were used to characterise stand structure and diversity. The different initial states (age and coverage of surviving trees) of stands affected eventual tree species dominance, size differentiation, degree of mingling and aggregation. Our results demonstrate a close relationship between disturbance legacies and spatial indices. The pre-storm understory and canopy survivors decreased species mingling, whereas survivors increased size differentiation. The size differentiation increased also with a higher degree of species mingling. Leaving differential post-storm legacies untouched promotes a higher structural and species diversity and therefore supports the management approach of preserving canopy survivors.

Crown bole diameter linear equation for Daniellia oliverii (Rolfe) Hutch and Daviz and its application to stand density control in natural stands

At present, no adequate information on the application of crown-bole diameter model to stand density and stock control for Daniellia oliverii (Rolfe) Hutch and Daviz open grown trees for sustainable forest management in the study area. The species numbers are threatened, because farmers and foresters do not actively plant this tree species. Livestock, fire, and anthropogenic activities are few factors that limit the success of natural regeneration of the species; and is facing regeneration problem. These have led to the species declining in the natural forest areas and the loss of biological values (genetic hereditary). A total of nine blocks as sample plots sizes 100x100 meters were randomly laid. Simple random sampling was used to collect data on tree diameter at breast height (dbh). Dbh was used to estimate crown diameter using a developed simple linear crown-bole diameter model. Based on this finding, dbh distribution was more (42 tree stands) concentrated at the lower diameter class (10 to 30cm) than at the upper diameter class distribution (31 and above). This could be that such tree stands might have been exploited as timber in the ecosystem. Nowadays, trees of smaller dimension are generally logged immediately they are discovered, especially the most economic and desirable species. The status of the tree species was a reversed “J” shaped distribution curve. The reverse ‘J-shape’ diameter distribution indicated healthy recruitment potentials; the lower class diameter tree stands could develop into mature trees and replace the old ones in the future if proper conservation efforts are sustained. Thus, this structure is typical of a natural forest. This finding estimated limiting stocking and stand density required for producing a complete canopy without effect of competition. D. oliverii with diameter 48.7cm would require a stocking of 168 trees per hectare in terms of total occupancy by tree crowns; stand density of 0.00001863m2ha-1 would be needed. Also, tree stands of 80cm dbh would have 73 tree stands limiting stocking, covering a stand density of 0.00005027m2/ha. Linear crown-bole diameter model could simply be used in forest inventory operations for determining the forest stock with less cost and time consuming. More research is needed with a greater variety of site and stand conditions in addition to a greater variety of tree sizes and ages.

Silvi-Net – A dual-CNN approach for combined classification of tree species and standing dead trees from remote sensing data

Forest managers and nature conservationists rely on precise mapping of single trees from remote sensing data for efficient estimation of forest attributes. In recent years, additional quantification of dead wood in particular has garnered interest. However, tree-level approaches utilizing segmented single trees are still limited in accuracy and their application is therefore mostly restricted to research studies. Furthermore, the combined classification of presegmented single trees with respect to tree species and health status is important for practical use but has been insufficiently investigated so far. Therefore, we introduce Silvi-Net, an approach based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) fusing airborne lidar data and multispectral (MS) images for 3D object classification. First, we segment single 3D trees from the lidar point cloud, render multiple silhouette-like side-view images, and enrich them with calibrated laser echo characteristics. Second, projected outlines of the segmented trees are used to crop and mask the MS orthomosaic and to generate MS image patches for each tree. Third, we independently train two ResNet-18 networks to learn meaningful features from both datasets. This optimization process is based on pretrained CNN weights and recursive retraining of model parameters. Finally, the extracted features are fused for a final classification step based on a standard multi-layer perceptron and majority voting. We analyzed the network’s performance on data captured in two study areas, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ) and the Bavarian Forest National Park (BFNP). For both study areas, the lidar point density was approximately 55 points/m2 and the ground sampling distance values of the true orthophotos were 10 cm (ChEZ) and 20 cm (BFNP). In general, the trained models showed high generalization capacity on independent test data, achieving an overall accuracy (OA) of 96.1% for the classification of pines, birches, alders, and dead trees (ChEZ) - and 91.5% for coniferous, deciduous, snags, and dead trees (BFNP). Interestingly, lidar-based imagery increased the OA by 2.5% (ChEZ) and 5.9% (BFNP) compared to experiments only utilizing MS imagery. Moreover, Silvi-Net also demonstrated superior OA compared to the baseline method PointNet++ by 11.3% (ChEZ) and 2.2% (BFNP). Overall, the effectiveness of our approach was proven using 2D and 3D datasets from two natural forest areas (400–530 trees/ha), acquired with different sensor models, and varying geometric and spectral resolution. Using the technique of transfer learning, Silvi-Net facilitates fast model convergence, even for datasets with a reduced number of samples. Consequently, operators can generate reliable maps that are of major importance in applications such as automated inventory and monitoring projects.

Assessing habitat quality on alpha and beta diversity of Odonata larvae (Insect) in logging areas in Amazon forest

The present study evaluated the effects of habitat quality on the alpha and beta diversity of odonate larvae under conditions of reduced impact and conventional logging. We hypothesized that the variation in the abiotic conditions found in areas of conventional logging would result in a greater loss of alpha and beta diversity in these areas in comparison with areas of reduced-impact logging and native forest. The study area was located in northeastern Para state, in northern Brazil. We analyzed data from 10 control streams, located in areas of preserved native forest, 11 streams in forest harvested by reduced-impact logging, and nine streams in areas that had been logged conventionally. Environmental factors such as dissolved oxygen, woody debris, water temperature, sediments, and canopy cover were the principal predictors of the diversity of the Odonata. Our results showed that turnover was the principal component structuring beta diversity in the three areas (native forest, reduced impact and conventional logging). The results of the present study indicate that management initiatives based on reduced-impact logging techniques could be adopted to guarantee socio-economic benefits while minimizing the impacts of logging on local biodiversity.

Comparing Reported Forest Biomass Gains and Losses in European and Global Datasets

Net CO2 emissions and sequestration from European forests are the result of removal and growth of flora. To arrive at aggregated measurements of these processes at a country’s level, local observations of increments and harvest rates are up-scaled to national forest areas. Each country releases these statistics through their individual National Forest Inventory using their particular definitions and methodologies. In addition, five international processes deal with the harmonization and comparability of such forest datasets in Europe, namely the IPCC, SOEF, FAOSTAT, HPFFRE, FRA (definitions follow in the article). In this study, we retrieved living biomass dynamics from each of these sources for 27 European Union member states. To demonstrate the reproducibility of our method, we release an open source python package that allows for automated data retrieval and analysis, as new data becomes available. The comparison of the published values shows discrepancies in the magnitude of forest biomass changes for several countries. In some cases, the direction of these changes also differs between sources. The scarcity of the data provided, along with the low spatial resolution, forbids the creation or calibration of a pan-European forest dynamics model, which could ultimately be used to simulate future scenarios and support policy decisions. To attain these goals, an improvement in forest data availability and harmonization is needed.

Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change in the Bangsri Micro-watershed, East Java, Indonesia

Land use change in the Bangsri sub-catchment of the Brantas basin in East Java during the past three decades has increased both local and global climate vulnerability, by degrading soils and contributing to net greenhouse gas emissions, respectively. Our study aimed to estimate land use change and its impact on net carbon emissions, as well as to formulate strategies for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change downstream of a National park. We analyzed land cover changes from satellite imagery and measured carbon stocks in biomass, necromass and soil (0 to 30 cm) pools. Satellite imagery of land cover in 1994, 2001, 2011 and 2017 showed a decrease in natural forest area and an increase in the area of shrubs, agroforestry, production forests and annual crop land. Net CO2 emission increased from 2.4 to 6.4 Mg ha−1 year−1 in the periods 2001 to 2011 and 2011 to 2017, respectively. Sand mining is the most destructive land use pattern in the area, as it leaves soil profiles stripped of their topsoil. Vulnerability to less reliable rainfall has been addressed by the common creation of small reservoirs and the abundant use of irrigation for vegetables growing under partial shade in the agroforestry zone.

Analysis of changes in the agricultural and forest areas and the impact of socio-economic activities in the Ba River Basin, Vietnam

In the Ba river basin, the natural forest area has been decreasing and agriculture area has been increasing at an uneven rate for the last 30 years. Objective of this research is analysing the change in the agricultural and forest areas under the impact of socioeconomic activities in this basin. Landsat satellite images with a resolution of 30 m acquired from 1989 to 2019 were used to assess the changes. To enhance the classification speed of data, this research applied the online Google Earth Engine platform and GIS tools to process and edit results. The results showed that the largest decrease in forest area was from 1989-2000 (-159,000 ha) while the agricultural area increased the most in the period 2010-2017 with more than 176,000 ha. The main reasons of conversion forest land into agricultural land such as fruit trees and perennial industrial crops were the increasing of population and agricultural prices. Besides, the demand of electricity caused the deforestation for hydropower plantations.

Mapping Land use/land cover using a combination of Radar Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-2A optical images

The current study used a combination of Sentinel-1A (SE-1A) radar and Sentinel-2A (SE-2A) optical images in mapping land use/land cover (LULC) in Dak Nong province in 2018. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm was adopted to digitally categorize Landsat images into LULC maps according to ten different LULC classes included: evergreen forest, semi-evergreen forest, deciduous forest, plantation, rubber, industrial plants, crop land, residential area, water surface and others. The results indicated an overall accuracy (OA) and kappa coefficient of 81.40%, Kappa = 0.79, respectively. Based on the results of classified image, a 2018 LULC map of the study area was simulated. Accordingly, the natural forests account for 34.27% of the total area of the province, distributed scattered in districts. In which, the evergreen forest occupies the highest area with more than 166.600 ha, equivalent to 74.54% of the total natural forest area, and concentrated in the high mountain areas. Non-forest covers occupy more than 63% area of Dak Nong province. The industrial and agricultural cropland indicated a high area in the study area with a rate of 34.82% and 11.38%, respectively. This shows a strong development in the scale of industrial and agricultural crops in the study area. The objective information on current land use/land cover in this study can serve as the basis for policymakers to orient the local forest resource sustainability strategies. Besides, the study also shows that the use of a combination of Sentinel-1A radar and Sentinel-2A optical image to classify and construct the LU/LC map is a high-efficiency research direction.

AN EVALUATION ON THE TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION PREFERENCES OF THE IDA MOUNTAIN (TURKEY) FORESTS

Ida Mountain presents a peculiar geographical structure in terms of the distribution of tree stands, like all the geographical differences on the north and south slopes with its location in the north of Edremit bay and with lying east-west direction roughly.Covering the area of ​​1823 km2 with its immediate surroundings, Ida Mountains natural forest section forms approximately 60% of the area. In the natural forest area of ​​Ida Mountain, Pinus brutia, Pinus nigra, Quercus, Abies, Fagus and Castanea are found as pure tree communities, and related varieties formed by the combination of these species in different bulk densities. In the eco-geographic study of forest areas, the two most basic bioclimatic factors are: knowing the temperature and precipitation preferences of tree species and stands. In this study, monthly, seasonal and annual temperature and precipitation preferences of tree stands in Ida Mountain were obtained by modeling the temperature and precipitation data obtained from meteorological stations around Mt. Ida. This case study aims to contribute to the future eco-geographical evaluations on the tree stands of Ida Mountain.

Survey of the Culicide community (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Caatinga Biome, Bom Jesus City, Piauí, Brazil

Mosquitoes are insects of great medical importance, acting as vectors of arboviruses and other pathogens that could be transmitted to humans. With the climate change many species of mosquitoes have adapted to survive in these altered conditions. The goal of this study was to describe the community of Culicidae in three gradients of environment within the Caatinga biome in the Bom Jesus municipality, Brazil. The environmental gradients included ​​native forest, rural and urban areas. Mosquitoes were collected and the following variables were analyzed: total and relative species abundance, total and relative species frequency, diversity, domain, the correlation among meteorological data, genus and the similarity between areas. The captures were made monthly for three consecutive days for a one-year period. Passive capture was performed using CDC traps placed a minimum distance of 50 meters apart in each sampling site. The mosquitoes collected were identified as: Aedeomyia spp., Aedes spp., Anopheles spp., Culex spp., Coquillettidia spp., Psorophora spp. and Uranotaenia spp. The genres Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, Coquillettidia and Psorophora were present year-round in at least one of the areas. The most abundant genres were the Anopheles and Culex, respectively. The native forest contained the highest diversity. However, the highest abundance of individuals was found in the rural areas, suggesting species adaptation to anthropized environments. Overall, the high abundance of the genus Anopheles and Culex is a public health concern as these genres are known to be involved in the transmission of malaria, human filariasis, and arboviruses.