Selective Logging Research Articles

Bird communities in a selectively logged tropical montane forest are dominated by small, low-elevation species

Tropical montane forests are critical centres of terrestrial biodiversity and endemism, and face a range of threats, including selective logging and climate change. However, few studies have explored the joint influence of these threats, particularly in tropical mountains, despite how crucial it is to understand the cumulative impact of forest loss and climate change on biodiversity. We used mist-netting and bird ringing data from a long-term (10-year) community and population monitoring program to examine how the composition of the mid-elevation Eastern Himalayan understorey bird community changed in the mid-elevation primary and logged forest. Because logged forest is warmer than primary forest, we hypothesised that the bird community would shift towards lower elevation species, with a faster transition in logged forest. Further, because logged forest has lower arthropod abundance, we hypothesised that the primary forest community would have larger species than the logged forest community. Our study shows that the bird community in the logged forest shifted towards lower-elevation species than in the primary forest (although this was not statistically significant). Moreover, we found that smaller species were better able to colonise warmer logged forest, whereas larger species reached higher densities in primary forest. These trends are likely to be driven by climate change causing upslope range shifts and logged forest selecting for species that are likely to tolerate the consequently altered abiotic (higher temperatures) and biotic (lower resources) environment. These findings have significant implications for understanding the impacts of forest loss and climate change on biodiversity, particularly in tropical montane forests.

Biodiversity consequences of long-term active forest restoration in selectively-logged tropical rainforests

Forest restoration figures prominently on climate action plans, both in the public and private sector. Restoration has the potential to enhance forest recovery and carbon storage, yet could cause unanticipated alterations of forest biodiversity and functioning. In particular little is known about the long-lasting effects of active forest restoration. We therefore evaluated the effects of such management on adult trees and seedlings of actively restored forest to comparable areas where forest regenerated naturally. We investigated a forest site in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo that is recovering from selective logging between 1981 and 1991. Some of the area has been left to naturally regenerate, and some areas have been actively restored for production purposes between 1994 and 2004 through climber cutting and enrichment-planting of exclusively indigenous tree species. We hypothesized that active forest restoration affects forest diversity and composition negatively (i.e., reduction in diversity and presence of pioneer species), and that the silvicultural interventions had long-lasting effects (i.e., higher density of species that were planted, fewer climbers).Surprisingly, our findings suggest that active forest restoration promoted the recovery of adult tree species diversity, expressed as Shannon Diversity Index, and in particular promoted rare species. In actively restored plots, the number of adult individuals of tree species that were planted was enhanced, and the density of liana seedlings was reduced, demonstrating that these silvicultural interventions were effective and had long-lasting effects on the forest structure. Nevertheless, we could not detect differences in the number of seedlings of species that were planted nor in the density of adult lianas between actively restored and naturally regenerating forest sites. We also did not find differences in the species diversity of seedlings, but we observed a compositional shift in the species community for seedlings that were younger than one year. Furthermore, we did not detect a difference between actively restored and naturally regenerating forest plots in the abundance of the present tree guilds (i.e., pioneer or late-succession species) for neither adult trees nor seedlings, as all of our forest plots were dominated by late-succession species.Our results show that active forest restoration can promote species diversity and highlight that active forest restoration focusing on biomass production does not need to adversely affect biodiversity. This work emphasizes the potential of active forest restoration on biodiversity and potentially other key ecosystem functions which are needed to be restored in order to mitigate climate change and the current ecological crisis.

Monitoring selective logging intensities in central Africa with sentinel-1: A canopy disturbance experiment

Forest degradation is a major threat to tropical forests, and effective monitoring using remotely sensed data is subject to significant challenges. In particular, consistent methods for detecting subtle changes in the forest canopy structure caused by selective logging are lacking. Here, using a unique dataset collected in southeastern Cameroon, covering over 22,000 ha of monthly harvesting areas, >6000 locations of harvested trees, and an independent canopy gap dataset developed from an uninhabited aerial vehicle flight (UAV; RGB camera) of approximately 1500 ha, a new method was designed to monitor canopy disturbance and logging intensity in Central Africa. Using Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, the method was conceptualised using a two-step, two-scale approach, which better matched logging practices. First, (non-)harvesting activity areas were identified using textural indices at a spatial resolution of 300 m (step 1), and within these harvesting activity areas, canopy gaps were detected at a resolution of 10 m (step 2). Both steps were based on monthly differences in the Sentinel-1 SAR time series computed using the average of the 12 months preceding and the average of the three months following the month of interest. This method identified harvesting activity areas (step 1 at 300 m resolution) of over 12,004 km2 with high accuracy (omission and commission errors for both classes ≤0.05) and, within them, detected canopy gaps (step 2 at 10 m resolution) with a global accuracy of 0.89. Although some canopy gaps were subject to omission and commission errors (0.39 and 0.05, respectively), this method yielded better results than other available approaches. Compared to the UAV canopy gaps, this method detected most of the small gaps (≤ 500 m2), which represent 80% of all disturbed areas, whereas other available approaches missed at least 70% of these and consequently missed most of the disturbance events occurring in a selectively logged forest. Furthermore, the predictions were correlated with logging intensity, i.e., the number of trees and volume cut per hectare, which are two important criteria for assessing the sustainability of logging activities. This two-step two-scale method for short-term, monthly monitoring of logging disturbances and intensity has strong practical implications for forest administration and certification bodies in Central Africa.

Resource selection and home range size variation of Atlantic Forest woodpecker species: Implications for selective logging and conservation

Understanding the habitat requirements of forest-dependent species, such as woodpeckers, is crucial for effective management strategies in environments facing significant anthropogenic pressures. During 2013–2019, we investigated the variation in the availability of forest structural attributes in two unlogged forests, one forest with active selective logging, and one forest 33 years after it had been logged, in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest in Misiones, Argentina. Then, we studied the selection of the forest attributes by co-occurring populations of Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus), Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus), and Robust Woodpecker (Campephilus robustus), along with their correlation to variations in home range sizes of woodpeckers. We found that the density of potential nest trees of the three woodpecker species, the density of potential Helmeted Woodpecker roost trees, the basal area ha−1 of live trees ≥ 30 cm DBH, the density of live large trees ≥ 30 cm DBH, and the volume of dead wood ≥ 30 cm diameter differed among study sites. Home range sizes of Helmeted Woodpeckers decreased with higher potential roost tree density and greater understory bamboo cover. The home range sizes of Robust Woodpeckers decreased with a higher density of dead trees, while home range sizes of Lineated Woodpeckers were not influenced by any of the variables we measured. The three woodpecker species selected diameter classes and tree species for foraging and nesting disproportionally to their availability. Helmeted Woodpecker preferred guatambú (Balfourodendron riedelianum) over other trees for roosting. We recommend considering key attributes associated with smaller home range sizes of the threatened Helmeted Woodpecker in sustainable forest management, as these attributes are also important for the other two woodpecker species. To ensure the availability of the resources selected by these woodpeckers, we recommend increasing the legal minimum cutting diameter to 60 cm for grapia (Apuleia leiocarpa), guatambú, rabo duro (Lonchocarpus leucanthus) and palo de canga (Symplocos uniflora), and to 50 cm for laurel negro (Nectandra megapotamica) and laurel amarillo (N. lanceolata). We found similar quantities of most of the tree resources we measured in unlogged forests and a forest undergoing a natural recovery for 33 years after the cessation of selective logging, and we recommend that more logged forests be restored in this manner.

China’s current forest age structure will lead to weakened carbon sinks in the near future

Forests are chiefly responsible for the terrestrial carbon sink that greatly reduces the buildup of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and alleviates climate change. Current predictions of terrestrial carbon sinks in the future have so far ignored the variation of forest carbon uptake with forest age. Here, we predict the role of China's current forest age in future carbon sink capacity by generating a high-resolution (30 m) forest age map in 2019 over China's landmass using satellite and forest inventory data and deriving forest growth curves using measurements of forest biomass and age in 3,121 plots. As China's forests currently have large proportions of young and middle-age stands, we project that China's forests will maintain high growth rates for about 15 years. However, as the forests grow older, their net primary productivity will decline by 5.0%± 1.4% in 2050, 8.4%± 1.6% in 2060, and 16.6%± 2.8% in 2100, indicating weakened carbon sinks in the near future. The weakening of forest carbon sinks can be potentially mitigated by optimizing forest age structure through selective logging and implementing new or improved afforestation. This finding is important not only for the global carbon cycle and climate projections but also for developing forest management strategies to enhance land sinks by alleviating the age effect.

Use of logging roads by terrestrial mammals in a responsibly managed neotropical rainforest in Guyana

Selective logging is the most widespread use of tropical forests. Building logging roads facilitates access to previously remote rainforests, and so proper management is essential for ensuring biodiversity retention in logged landscapes. Terrestrial mammals often directly use logging roads (via movement corridors, hunting or foraging), making them vulnerable to poorly managed roads. Here we explore how the presence, arrangement and use of logging roads influence terrestrial mammal occupancy and detection within a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified logged forest in Guyana. We compared camera trap data from20 natural ‘game’ trails in an unlogged area, with camera trap data from 23 sites set near to or on logging roads within the Iwokrama forest. Our findings showed high occupancy within logged areas with no statistically significant difference to unlogged areas. Higher detections were noted along secondary and feeder roads compared to skid trails and the natural trails in control areas. Additionally, our data showed a negative correlation between occupancy and distance to village for a scatter hoarding rodent, most likely driven by subsistence hunting by local communities. Our results indicate that proper road management geared towards the monitoring and guarded access of logging roads, can have a positive effect on terrestrial mammal occurrence within responsibly managed rainforests.

Upgrading the durability of perishable wood species using extractives from side streams of durable wood sawmill operations: a review

Abstract Natural durability is one of the most rated features in wood end-use applications. In fact, several precious native tropical wood species produce timber of high natural durability, which is also related to long service life even for the highest hazard classes. However, selective logging is driving the existing volume of this group of species to near extinction. The remainder of the alternative species produces perishable timbers, which require synthetic chemical protection to prolong their service life but with detrimental effects on humans and the environment. Therefore, transferable durability has emerged as an alternative to gradually substitute traditional wood preservatives. From this approach, extractives from naturally durable wood species are removed and transferred to the non-durable wood species as an alternative environmental-friendly option for wood protection. Indeed, extractives from durable wood species have proven to have a deterrent effect on fungi, bacteria and termites and could be used to protect perishable wood species. Thus, this review aims to assess the prospects of developing environmentally friendly wood preservatives based on extractives sourced from highly natural, durable wood species to treat and add value to the group of perishable timbers. A step-wise analysis offers insights and challenges on (i) potential sources of extractives; (ii) effective extraction methods; (iii) extractive-based preservative formulation; and (iv) effective treatment methods for better preservative fixation for better wood protection. Accounts about the way forward for the development of extractive-based wood preservatives are also presented.

Natural regeneration in tropical forests along a disturbance gradient in South-East Cameroon

The dynamics of tropical forests are highly dependent on the forest understorey. Understanding its diversity and composition is essential to ensure sustainable management of forest ecosystems. In this study, following a gradient of human disturbance, we analysed the density, diversity and floristic composition of the forest understorey in three land use types of south-eastern Cameroon: a protected area, a selective logging concession and community forests. Vegetation was inventoried in thirty-three permanent one-hectare plots. Woody individuals (tree, shrub, liana) were classified in four strata depending on their diameter: seedling (dbh < 1 cm), sapling (1–9.9 cm), small trees (10–29.9 cm), large tree (≥30 cm). A total of 4,159 individuals (dbh < 10 cm) belonging to 418 species and 232 genera were recorded. They mainly represent tree species (65%) and shade tolerant plants (77%), with diaspores disseminated by animals (74%). Life forms and modes of dissemination were significantly different between land use types. Abundance, species richness and diversity of juveniles varied significantly between strata and land use types: they were globally the highest in plots that have been logged less than five years before inventory. In terms of species composition, the different land use types were not clearly separated, indicating some resilience to disturbance. A low similarity between strata was observed. In all types, most canopy species are light demanding and cannot regenerate in the understorey. This indicates a natural evolution of the forest stands in the absence of silviculture. The presence of species that currently dominate the canopy of these forests will be gradually reduced without human intervention.

Selective logging destabilizes the functioning and composition of forest ecosystems at multiple spatial scales

Selective logging is one of the most prevalent land uses of forests worldwide, affecting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, the effect of selective logging on the dual nature of temporal stability, and the scale dependence of this effect, remain to be elucidated. By conducting several decade‐long experiments in temperate forest ecosystems, we tested the effects of selective logging on aggregate and compositional stability at multiple spatial scales. As expected, forest ecosystem stability at larger spatial scales was enhanced both by the stability of local scales (i.e. α stability) and asynchronous dynamics among local communities (i.e. spatial asynchrony). We found that the negative effects of selective logging on both facets of forest stability propagated from local to larger spatial scales due to reduced α stability and the biological insurance effects of α diversity. However, both spatial aggregate and compositional asynchrony were not affected by selective logging. Interestingly, despite the selective logging, α diversity still provided biological insurance effects for maintaining aggregate and compositional stability. Our results imply that selective logging may destabilize the aggregate ecosystem functioning and species composition of forest ecosystems at local and larger spatial scales. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of the scale dependence of aggregate and compositional stability of forest ecosystems in response to selective logging. Our findings suggest that forest management should avoid excessive selective logging and strive to protect forest diversity to safeguard the sustainability of the functioning and composition of natural forest ecosystems at multiple spatial scales.Keywords: aggregate stability, compositional stability, diversity, ecosystem functioning, spatial asynchrony, stability

Temporal changes in size inequality and stand growth partitioning between tree sizes under various thinning intensities in subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations

Stand structural complexity and growth partitioning between different tree sizes influence trees competition and resource use efficiency, and thus are closely linked to stand productivity. The main aim of this study was to examine how the stand structure complexity (Gini coefficient Gini) and size-related partitioning of stand growth (growth dominance coefficient GDC and size-growth relationship SGR) temporally changed after different thinning intensities in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) forests, Southeastern China. We analyzed the data of 6 repeated measurements over a nearly 10-year period from a forest thinning experiment with progressively increasing intensity (0, 20%, 25%, 33% and 50% reduction of stand density by selection logging of releasing target trees) and assessed the effects of different thinning intensities using generalized mixed effect model. The thinning intensity of 0 was taken as a control group to identify the stand changes in unthinned stands over time. Size heterogeneity and the relative contribution of larger trees to total stand growth tended to increase as forest grew without thinning management. While the increases in Gini and SGR (excluding between 0 and 0.5) overall negatively influenced the average annual basal area increment of the remaining trees (BAI). Gini in thinned stands decreased during the short term (two years or more) after thinning and the heavy thinning had lower Gini than other treatments several years (eight years or less) after thinning. GDC reduced greater with increasing thinning intensity, and thinning had a significant negative effect on Gini and SGR and a positive effect on BAI. The thinning impacts on BAI increased with the thinning intensity, while the effect magnitudes of different thinning intensities on Gini and SGR were: T50 < T20 < T25 < T33. Overall, thinning increased the stand growth partitioning of small trees, contributing to a uniform stand structure. However, the changes in stand structural complexity and the partitioning of stand growth were related to both thinning intensity and post-thinning time, particularly to thinning intensity. The results provided some implications for designing the intensity and timing of thinning, as well as for determining the size classes of removed trees for different management goals.

Monitoring monthly tropical humid forest disturbances with Planet NICFI images in Cameroon

Selective logging and smallholder clearing are the dominant drivers of tropical forest disturbances in Cameroon (CAM). However, they are difficult to monitor accurately by satellite remote sensing because openings in the canopy can be very small, the vegetation is generally fast-growing, and cloud cover is common. Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) provides access to monthly and biannual collections of 5 m Planet images in the tropics, creating a great opportunity for mapping tropical forest disturbances. In this paper, we develop a method to monitor monthly small-scale tropical humid forest disturbances using 2021 Planet NICFI images. First, a cloud mask for each of the monthly Planet NICFI images was predicted by integrating a cloud cover possibility map with a haze optimal transformation (HOT) index image. Second, possible monthly forest disturbances were mapped from a self-referenced Hue_forest (rHue_forest) index image. Finally, an adjusted monthly forest disturbance map was produced by eliminating many false positives with a spatio-temporal filter. Results in CAM demonstrated that the method applied to monthly Planet NICFI images was effective in identifying numerous small-scale tropical forest disturbances that were short-lived, lasting only a few months. After filtering out new possible forest disturbances in 2021 which did not meet a temporal permanence criterion based on the monthly images, the adjusted user´s and producer´s accuracies for CAM were 84.7 ± 2.9% and 61.5 ± 46.4%, respectively (±95% confidence intervals). Our results provide much greater spatial detail than forest disturbance methods based on Sentinel-1 and Landsat images. The adjusted disturbed area of humid forests in CAM was estimated as 1,168 ± 882 km2 in 2021. The proposed method for monthly mapping of forest disturbance using Planet NICFI images has great potential to complement existing forest cover change products and monitor hitherto neglected tropical forest disturbances due to small-scale clearing.

Gibbon population status and long-term viability: Implication for a newly established protected area management

Effective protected area management is a crucial process for biodiversity conservation, and its effectiveness can be evaluated using the status of indicator species. Monitoring changes over time in the status of indicator species is an essential tool for designing and improving management plans for protected areas. Due to the preference for pristine habitat hoolock gibbon can be considered indicator species for habitat quality. We therefore defined changes in the status of the eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) over 16 years (2005–2021) by estimating density changes and population viability in Mahamyaing Wildlife Sanctuary (MWS), a newly established protected area in western Myanmar. Using the acoustic point count method, we estimated the gibbon density to determine the impacts of selective logging and human disturbances on this species. This survey was conducted between February and March 2021 at 22 sampling sites, covering 352 km2 of evergreen and mixed deciduous forests in Mahamyaing Wildlife Sanctuary. We used distance sampling method to estimate an overall gibbon density of 0.97 groups/km2, which appeared to be dramatically lower than a previous estimate of 1.81 groups/km2 from 2005, defined using the same method. We then divided the Sanctuary into three zones and defined the minimum viable population (MVP) for gibbons in each zone to support management policies for the long-term persistence of the species. Moreover, the population viability analysis indicated that the population of eastern hoolock gibbons in the entire study area was seriously declining to lower than 1000 gibbons by the year 2055. By our estimation, around 4400 groups are needed for the long-term persistence of gibbons in Mahamyaing Wildlife Sanctuary. Our results highlight the detrimental effects of selective logging and human disturbance on gibbons, and presumably wildlife in general, in Mahamyaing Wildlife Sanctuary and the problems of inadequate protection level and management, underscoring the need to address these threats through targeted conservation efforts.

Surface Energy Dynamics and Canopy Structural Properties in Intact and Disturbed Forests in the Southern Amazon

AbstractThe Brazilian Amazon has been a focus of land development with large swaths of forests converted to agriculture. Forest degradation by selective logging and fires has accompanied the agricultural frontier and has resulted in significant impacts on Amazonian ecosystems. Changes in forest structure resulting from forest disturbances have large impacts on the surface energy balance, including on land surface temperature (LST) and evapotranspiration (ET). This study's objective is to assess the effects of forest disturbances on water fluxes and forest structure in a transitional forest site in the Southern Amazon. We used ET and LST products from MODIS and Landsat 8 and GEDI‐derived forest structure data to address our research questions. We found that disturbances induced seasonal water stress, more pronounced in croplands/pastures than in forests (differences up to 20% in the dry season), and more pronounced in second‐growth and recently burned areas than in logged and intact forests (differences up to 12% in the dry season). Moreover, ET and LST were negatively related, with more consistent relationships across disturbance classes in the dry season (R2: 0.41–0.87) than in the wet season (R2: 0.18–0.49). Forest and cropland or pasture classes showed contrasting relationships in the dry season. Finally, we found that forest structure exhibited stronger relationships with ET and LST in the most disturbed forests (R2: 0.01–0.43) than in the least disturbed forests (R2 &lt; 0.05). Our findings help to elucidate degraded forests functioning under a changing climate and to improve estimates of water and energy fluxes in Amazonian degraded forests.

Tropical Forests Stand Recovery 30-year After Selectively Logged in Peninsular Malaysia

This article analysed the 25–30 years of growth of dipterocarps forests that were logged under the Selective Management System (SMS) at three sites in Peninsular Malaysia to understand how management regimes affected forest stem density and basal area. The management regimes were (1) unlogged, (2) moderately logged forests that logged all dipterocarps ≥ 65 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) and all non-dipterocarps ≥ 60 cm dbh, and (3) intensely logged forests that logged all dipterocarps ≥ 50 cm dbh and non-dipterocarps ≥ 45 cm dbh. The intensely logged regime is similar to the SMS practices in Peninsular Malaysia. This result showed that one-year post-logging, there was no difference in the total stem density and basal area between forests logged according to the two management regimes. Forest stem density decreased over time in all management regimes, significantly greater in unlogged forests (-15.1 stems/ha/yr, confidence interval (CI): -16.9 to -13.3). This decline in stem density reflected that mortality exceeded recruitment in all management regimes. Despite the consistent decline of forest stem density, the basal area increased over time, and the rate of increase in the intensely logged forest (0.22 m2 /ha/yr, CI: 0.19 to 0.25) was significantly greater than the other management regimes. Our study showed that 30 years post-logging, the effect of selective logging remained evident. Both logged forest stem density and the basal area did not recover to that of unlogged forests, indicating the importance of enrichment planting and extending the cutting cycles beyond 30 years for the sustainability of dipterocarps forests.

Effect of logged forests on diet of small characids from Neotropical streams

AbstractStudies relating to fish trophic ecology provide important insights regarding their life history. However, there is a lack of information linking fish diet composition with riparian cover in small streams. To investigate whether diet composition varied between streams with pristine and logged forests, I compared the food items consumed by four characid species: Bryconops melanurus, Moenkhausia collettii, Moenkhausia dichroura, and Moenkhausia oligolepis. I sampled 18 first‐order streams in the eastern Amazon: six with pristine forest, six with conventional logging, and six with selective logging. All fish species were classified as omnivorous, with diverse food categories recorded in their diets: mainly terrestrial insects for Moenkhausia species and aquatic insect nymphs for B. melanurus. However, the relative importance of each category varied only in streams with conventional logged forests. In these streams, all fish species consumed mainly autochthonous items, especially aquatic insect nymphs. In addition, terrestrial insects and seeds were absent in these streams with reduced riparian cover. In summary, this study highlighted that fish diet in conventional logged forests strongly differed from areas with pristine and selective logged forests. This finding states that managed forests may support a diverse diet for fish community, similar to that found in pristine forests. Therefore, management and conservation strategies of riparian vegetation in Amazonian streams are important to maintain habitat and food quality, which may be associated with a diverse diet for fish species.

Carbon stock recovery from tree regeneration following selective logging in tropical forest of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Selective logging in the tropics results in carbon emissions but also creates favourable environmental conditions for the regeneration of tree species and carbon recovery. We evaluate tree regeneration and recovery of biomass in selectively logged forests impacted by timber harvesting on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Fieldwork was conducted in two annual cutting areas logged in 2001 and 2009. Plots were established in felling, skidding and log landing sites. Regeneration of functional tree groups characterized by their growth, light demand, timber use, and recovery rates of biomass and carbon were assessed. Regeneration of 68 tree species in 54 genera and 27 families were found. Of these, 50% corresponded to marketable timber species. There was a greater presence of light-demanding seedlings and species in both annual cutting areas. Carbon recovery five and thirteen years after logging was 50.6 Mg ha−1 and 62.7 Mg ha−1, respectively, reflecting an annual gain of 1.51 Mg ha−1. Felling sites presented the highest diversity and carbon recovery and contained the highest quantity of trees >5 cm DBH and proportion of shade-tolerant species, providing a variety of future crop trees. Low logging intensity and practices that reduce impacts can result in the successful recovery of timber species and forest carbon.

Selective logging effects on plant functional traits depend on soil enzyme activity and nutrient cycling in a Pinus yunnanensis forest

Selective logging has a wide impact on the remaining trees and soils which in turn influences total ecosystem function. Lots of studies focus on effects of selective logging on changing of plant functional traits, but the mechanism underlying these effects is still unclear. Thus, we studied 6 plant functional traits including leaf N concentration (LNC), leaf P concentration (LPC), leaf N:P ratio (N:P), wood density (WD), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf dry mass content (LDMC) typically associated with resource acquisition and allocation. We measured these traits across 13 tree species in 52 plots under 5 selective logging intensities in a Pinus yunnanensis forest and aimed to test how selective logging and soil factors affect community weighted mean (CWM) of plant functional traits. The results revealed significant positive correlations between LNC and LPC, LNC and SLA, LPC and SLA, N:P and LDMC. Significant negative correlations were found between LNC and LDMC, LPC and N:P, LPC and LDMC. Only soil β-glucosidase activity (SGA), soil phosphatase activity (SPA), soil total nitrogen (STN), soil total phosphorus (STP) and soil hydrolysable nitrogen (SHN) had a significant relationship with one or several of the 6 plant functional traits. Compared with the control group, there was little significant difference in all plant functional traits across the different selective logging intensities. However, for plant functional traits, selective logging significantly increased the LNC, LPC and SLA. For soil factors, selective logging significantly increased the SGA, soil urease activity (SUA), SPA, soil moisture (SM), STN, STP and SHN. Based on structural equation models, we found that although selective logging has no direct effect on plant functional traits, it can indirectly affect plant functional traits through soil factors, mainly soil enzyme activity and nutrient cycling. Meanwhile, the mechanism of selective logging affecting different functional traits may be varied. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the scientific management of P. yunnanensis forest.

Shifting of nutrient limitation dominates the recovery of aboveground net primary productivity of mixed forests in northeastern China after selective logging

The primary productivity of temperate forests is commonly limited by nitrogen (N) supply, which may be aggravated by the removal of trees. After selective logging, whether and the mechanism by which the N limitation can be alleviated by the rapidly increasing nutrient turnover during the recovery processes, which is important for improving carbon sequestration in temperate forests, remain unclear. We investigated the effect of nutrient limitation (leaf N:Pcom: the leaf N:P ratio at the community level) on plant community productivity by selecting 28 forest plots including seven forest recovery periods (at the sites logged 6, 14, 25, 36, 45, 55, and 100 years ago) following low-intensity selective logging (13–14 m3/ha) and one unlogged treatment by measuring the soil N concentration, soil phosphorus (P) concentration, leaf N concentration, leaf P concentration, and the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of 234 plant species. The plant growth in temperate forests was limited by N, but the P limitation was observed at the sites logged 36 years ago, which showed a transition pattern of plant growth from N limitation to P limitation during the forest recovery process. Meanwhile, a robust linear trend in the community ANPP was observed with the increase in the community leaf N:P ratio, which suggests the enhancement in community ANPP with the release of N limitation after selective logging. Nutrient limitation (leaf N:Pcom) had a significant direct effect (56.0 %) on the community ANPP and showed a higher independent contribution (25.6 %) to the variation in the community ANPP than the soil nutrient supply and even the changes in species richness. Our results suggested that selective logging alleviated the N limitation, but a shift toward P limitation should also be highly regarded in learning the changes in carbon sequestration during the recovery processes.

Оценка воздействия лесозаготовительной деятельности на сохранение биоразнообразия северного региона

In the context of sustainable forestry, biodiversity conservation assessment is a necessary element in asset and service accounting. Logging is an important driver of economic growth in the northern regions of Russia. The past twenty years have seen changes in timber harvesting technologies and forest management principles, which has led to an increase in research interest in identifying ecosystem responses in terms of biodiversity conservation. This study aims to assess changes in biodiversity within the active forest management territory of the Komi Republic, encompassing ten municipal districts and 24 forestry areas. The objectives of the study include evaluating the impact of factors such as population density, road network, and intact area on biodiversity preservation. Statistical analysis methods were utilized to assess the biodiversity status, focusing on the number of rare species threatened by logging. The analysis studied changes in species abundance, territorial distribution across forestry areas, and changes in their conservation status. Using statistical and factor analysis methods, the study identified the impact of forestry and anthropogenic factors on the conservation of species. The novelty of the research consists in identifying the stability degree of ecosystems by analyzing the state of large areas that have experienced long-term anthropogenic impacts on the Komi Republic territory. Most forests within the active forest management zone demonstrated favorable ecosystem conditions, with logging activities causing lichen disappearance and reduced fish numbers only in individual small areas. The anthropogenic impact had minimal influence on the number of rare species due to low population and road network density. Large areas of undisturbed forests contribute to the natural preservation of biodiversity, but their significant reduction in the southern area causes a threat to the existence of rare species. The greatest impact on the change in biodiversity on the territories affected by active forest management is caused by factors such as the level of territorial exploration, the preservation of undisturbed forests, and selective logging. The practical significance of this study lies in the potential application of the proposed algorithm by large Russian forest businesses when conducting their operations.

ANALISIS HUKUM PEMBERHENTIAN TIDAK DENGAN HORMAT APARATUR SIPIL NEGARA DI KOTA PALOPO

This study aims to analyze and identify how the position of the Joint Decree on Disrespectful Dismissal of State Civil Apparatus to dismiss people who have served their criminal sentences based on Court Decisions with Permanent Legal Force (inkracht van gewijsde). The type of research used is the type of empirical research. This research was conducted in the City of Palopo, Province of South Sulawesi, namely at the Office of the Office of the Human Resources and Human Resources Development Agency in the City of Palopo. The results obtained through library research and interviews were then analyzed using qualitative analysis methods with an empirical approach. The results of the study show that: 1) The Joint Decree between the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment &amp; Bureaucratic Reform and the Head of the State Civil Service Agency (Number 182/659/SJ, Number 15 of 2018, Number 153/Kep/2018) of 2018 does not mention specifically about the imposition of sanctions. 2) The central government should not only try to terminate civil servants/ASN convicted of corruption but also should hold accountability from civil servants/officials who have so far not dismissed civil servants convicted of corruption. So that it becomes a serious emphasis for PPK / PyB who deliberately do not carry out the orders of the Law and avoid abuse of authority in the form of the term selective logging in imposing sanctions on Corruption Civil Servants / ASNs. 3) Dishonorable Dismissal (PTDH) as referred to in the Joint Decree between the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment &amp; Bureaucratic Reform and the Head of the State Civil Service Agency (Number 182/659/SJ, Number 15 of 2018, Number 153/Kep/2018) The year 2018 should be a learning experience for all of us, especially for state administrators. Because of that, PPK / PуB always conducts guidance and supervision of the State Civil Apparatus in Palopo City which must be continuously carried out and developed. Basically every human being does not want to be watched so there are always people who do as they please. That's why supervision plays a very important role to ensure that everyone carries out their duties properly. Discipline training also needs to be done to change the attitude of employees.