The paper presents an inventory of current forest formations and a map of forest vegetation in the Moscow region. To assess current forest formations, an approach integrating both ground- and remote sensing data was applied. The transformation of forests in the Moscow region was evaluated by the criteria of changing the quality, quantity and spatial configuration of forests, in accordance with the model SLOSS (Single Large or Several Small). The conceptual model "Pressure-State-Response" (hereinafter PRS) was used to develop appropriate tools for sustainable environmental management in the region. The use of this model made it possible not only to assess the state of forests but also to determine the main impacts affecting them, as well as the effectiveness of measures aimed at optimizing environmental management regimes in order to maintain forest biodiversity. Complex assessment of sets of indicators for each group of PRS criteria is performed for the integrated multicriteria assessment of sustainable forest management within the boundaries of urban districts. The average normalized score was calculated for each group of criteria. Correlation between the scores of the groups of criteria evaluated and classification of administrative units according to the ratio of groups of the K-means method criteria performed. As a result of component-by-component evaluation, the values of indicators are presented in form of tables and map сharts. Benchmarking of Specially Protected Natural Area (SPNA) system and reforestation activities is performed regarding to the forest biodiversity conservation in the urban districts. It is shown that single integrated assessment of the ecological value of the territory (the "State" criterion), an integrated assessment of impact factors (the "Load") and appropriate actions to maintain forest biodiversity (the "Response" criterion) can be considered as an expression of generalized information directly used in decision-making and assessment of current trends for a particular region.
East European forests dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) in the broad-leaved–coniferous zone should be considered as secondary communities formed under the influence of centuries-long activities (logging, fires and planting) and extended outside their natural range. The study raises an issue—how stable is the current state of Norway spruce forests in the center of the Russian plain and what is the effect of silviculture on the forest cover of the large urban agglomeration—the Moscow Region? Current study is based on multidisciplinary research and consequently concerns the age dynamics of spruce plantation forests, the species and typological diversity of mature spruce forests and spatial pattern of spruce forests along the south edge of their range. The composition and structure of Norway spruce plantations have been studied for various age classes and compared with mature natural spruce forests and pine plantations on the basis of field data. Remote sensing data and modeling approach were applied to estimate the spatial structure of spruce forests. It is found that mature plantations (over 80 years) become similar to natural forests in terms of structure and composition. The relationship between the distribution of spruce formations and the climatic and geomorphological conditions are confirmed. The proportion of spruce and spruce–aspen/birch communities follows the pattern of zones—the transition from the coniferous and broad-leaved forest zone to the broad-leaved forest zone. Despite the significant anthropogenic impact and the high proportion of plantations in the composition of Norway spruce forests (about 60–80%), their floristic and typological diversities correspond to such properties of zonal broad-leaved–coniferous communities. Over-matured plantations can provide valuable habitats for the re-establishment of native typological diversity. This makes it possible to use silviculture stands as an accelerated alternative to the natural recovery of disturbed habitats.
This study aimed at an investigation of the structure, ecology and mapping of mixed communities with the participation of spruce, pine and broad-leave trees in one of the regions of broad-leave–coniferous zone. Despite the long history of the nature use of the study area, including forestry practices (Kurnayev, 1968; Rysin, Saveliyeva, 2007; Arkhipova, 2014; Belyaeva, Popov, 2016), the communities kept the main features of the indigenous forests of the broad-leave–coniferous zone — the tree species polydominance of the stands, the multilayer structure of communities and the high species diversity. In the course of field works in the southwestern part of the Moscow Region (2000–2016) 120 relevés were made. Spatial structure, species composition as well as cover values (%) of all vascular plants and bryophytes were recorded in each stand. The relevés were analysed following the ecology-phytocenotic classification approach and methods of multivariate statistical analysis that allowed correctly to differentiate communities according the broad-leave species participation. The accuracy of the classification based on the results of discriminant analysis was 95.8 %. Evaluation of the similarity of the selected units was carried out with the help of cluster analysis (Fig. 12). Clustering into groups is performed according to the activity index of species (A) (Malyshev, 1973) within the allocated syntaxon using Euclidean distance and Ward’s method. The classification results are corrected by DCA ordination in PC-ORD 5.0 (McCune, Mefford, 2006) (Fig. 1). Spatial mapping of forest cover was carried out on the basis of ground data, Landsat satellite images (Landsat 5 TM, 7 ETM +, 8 OLI_TIRS), digital elevation (DEM) and statistical methods (Puzachenko et al., 2014; Chernenkova et al., 2015) (Fig. 13 а, б). The obtained data and the developed classification refine the existing understanding of the phytocenotic structure of the forest cover of the broad-leave–coniferous zone. Three forest formation groups with different shares of broad-leave species in the canopy with seven groups of associations were described: a) coniferous forests with broad-leave species (small- and broad-herb spruce forests with oak and lime (1)); broad-herb spruce forests with oak and lime (2); small- and broad-herb pine forests with spruce, lime, oak and hazel (3); broad-herb pine forests with lime, oak and hazel (4)), b) broad-leave–coniferous forests (broad-herb spruce–broad-leave forests (5)), and c) broad-leave forests (broad-herb oak forests (6), broad-herb lime forests (7)). In the row of discussed syntaxa from 1 to 7 group, the change in the ratio of coniferous and broad-leave species of the tree layer (A) reflects regular decrease in the participation of spruce in the plant cover (from 66 to 6 %; Fig. 3 A1, A2) and an increase in oak and lime more than threefold (from 15 to 65 %; Fig. 4 a). Nemoral species predominate in the composition of ground layers, the coverage of which increases (from 40 to 80 %) in the range from 1 to 7 group, the coverage of the boreal group varies from 55 to 8 % (Fig. 11) while maintaining the presence of these species, even in nemoral lime and oak forests. In forests with equal share of broad-leave and coniferous trees (group 5) the nemoral species predominate in herb layer. In oak forests (group 6) the species of the nitro group are maximally represented, which is natural for oak forests occurring on rich soils, and also having abundant undergrowth of hazel. Practically in all studied groups the presence of both coniferous (in particular, spruce) and broad-leave trees in undergrowth (B) and ground layer (C) were present in equal proportions (Fig. 3). This does not confirm the unambiguity of the enrichment with nemoral species and increase in their cover in complex spruce and pine forests in connection with the climate warming in this region, but rather indicates on natural change of the main tree species in the cenopopulations. Further development of the stand and the formation of coniferous or broad-leave communities is conditioned by landscape. It is proved that the distribution of different types of communities is statistically significant due to the relief. According to the results of the analysis of remote information, the distribution areas of coniferous forests with broad-leave species, mixed and broad-leave forest areas for the study region are represented equally. The largest massifs of broad-leave–coniferous forests are located in the central and western parts of the study area, while in the eastern one the broad-leave forests predominate, that is a confirmation of the zonal ecotone (along the Pakhra River: Petrov, Kuzenkova, 1968) from broad-leave–coniferous forests to broad-leave forests.
Forests with predominance of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) within the hemiboreal zone are considered as secondary communities formed under long-term human activity (logging, plowing, fires and silviculture). This study raises the question—how stable is current state of coniferous forests on the southern border of their natural distribution in the center of Eastern Europe using the example of the Moscow region (MR)? The object of the study are spruce and pine forests in different periods of Soviet and post-Soviet history within the Moscow Region (MR). The current proportion of spruce forests is 21.7%, and the proportion of pine forests is 18.5% from total forest area according to our estimates. The direction and rate of forest succession were analyzed based on current composition of populations of the main forest-forming species (spruce, pine, birch, aspen, oak, linden, and ash) based on ground-based research materials collected in 2006–2019. This allowed to develop the dynamic model (DM) of forest communities with the participation of Norway spruce and Scots pine for several decades. Assessment of the spatial distribution of coniferous communities is based on field data and spatial modeling using remote sensing data—Landsat 8 mosaic for 2020. In parallel, a retrospective model (RM) of the spatial-temporal organization of spruce and pine forests for a 30-year period was developed using two Landsat 5 mosaics. For this, nine different algorithms were tested and the best one for this task was found—random forest. Geobotanical relevés were used as a training sample combined with the 2006–2012 mosaic; the obtained spectral signatures were used for modeling based on the 1984–1990 mosaic. Thus, two multi-temporal spatial models of coniferous formations have been developed. Detailed analysis of the structure of spruce and pine forests based on field data made it possible to track trends of successional dynamics for the first time, considering the origin of communities and the ecological conditions of habitats. As a result, ideas about the viability of spruce and pine cenopopulations in different types of communities were formulated, which made possible to develop a dynamic model (DM) of changes in forest communities for future. Comparison of the areas and nature of changes in the spatial structure of coniferous formations made possible to develop the RM. Comparison of two different-time models of succession dynamics (DM and RM) makes possible to correct the main trends in the transformation of coniferous forests of natural and artificial origin under the existing regime of forestry. A set of features was identified that indicates risk factors for coniferous forests in the region. A further decrease of the spruce and pine plantations and increase of the spruce-small-leaved and deciduous formations are expected in the study area. The proportion of pine-spruce forests does not exceed 3% of the area and can be considered as the most vulnerable type of forest.
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