Conceptualizing Forest Degradation

Ghazoul, Jaboury; Buřivalová, Zuzana; Garcia-Ulloa, John; King, Lisa A.

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2015.08.001

Cited by 222 publications

(180 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…There are also increased rates of hunting [38]. Local stakeholders should be aware of the low environmental value of these degraded forest landscapes and the risk to reach a stage of "arrested succession", a tipping-point where ecological processes that underlie forest dynamics are severely constrained and external intervention is required to recover successional dynamics [39].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple Patterns of Forest Disturbance and Logging Shape Forest Landscapes in Paragominas, Brazil

Tritsch

Sist

Narvaes

et al. 2016

Forests

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Abstract:In the Brazilian Amazon, multiple logging activities are undergoing, involving different actors and interests. They shape a disturbance gradient bound to the intensity and frequency of logging, and forest management techniques. However, until now, few studies have been carried out at the landscape scale taking into account these multiple types of logging and this disturbance gradient. Here we address this issue of how to account for the multiple logging activities shaping the current forest landscape. We developed an inexpensive and efficient remote sensing methodology based on Landsat imagery to detect and track logging activity based on the monitoring of canopy openings. Then, we implemented a set of remote sensing indicators to follow the different trajectories of forest disturbance through time. Using these indicators, we emphasized five major spatial and temporal disturbance patterns occurring in the municipality of Paragominas (State of Pará, Brazilian Amazon), from well-managed forests to highly over-logged forests. Our disturbance indicators provide observable evidence for the difference between legal and illegal patterns, with some illegal areas having suffered more than three explorations in fifteen years. They also clearly underlined the efficiency of Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) techniques applied under Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) guidelines to reduce the logging impacts in terms of canopy openings. For these reasons, we argue the need to promote legal certified logging to conserve forests, as without them, many actors mine the forest resources without any concerns for future stocks. Finally, our remote tracking methodology, which produces easy to interpret disturbance indicators, could be a real boon to forest managers, including for conservationists working in protected areas and stakeholders dealing with international trade rules such as RBUE (Wood regulation of European Union) or FLEGT (Forest Law for Enforcement, Governance and Trade).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple Patterns of Forest Disturbance and Logging Shape Forest Landscapes in Paragominas, Brazil

Tritsch

Sist

Narvaes

et al. 2016

Forests

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“…The resilience of forest ecosystem to return to the initial vegetation community or condition previous to a disturbance once it is suppressed is associated with the recruitment process of key species and to its growth rate (López et al 2011;Ghazoul et al 2015). For this, a Forest Resilience Index (FRI) was generated to assess the resilience of the ñire forest ecosystem, based on seedling recruitment under 2 years old, and the trees growth, as follows: Tree biomass productivity (growth rate), understorey net primary productivity Classification adaptation of Costanza et al (1997) adapted of de Groot et al (2002 and Haines-Young and Potschin (2013).…”

Section: Functionality Indicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, choosing appropriate levels of use based on reference states, ecological thresholds and forest values still remains difficult. Advances in describing and quantifying ecosystem functioning have been fundamental in understanding forest dynamics and provide a promising framework by which degradation might be better understood (Ghazoul et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

State and transition model approach in native forests of Southern Patagonia (Argentina): linking ecosystem services, thresholds and resilience

Peri

López²,

Rusch

et al. 2017

International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Servic

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The sustainable use of ñire forests requires knowledge of its dynamics and management to maintain long-term main forest ecosystem services. The aim of this work was to develop a structural-functional state and transition model for ñire forests in southern Patagonia. For this, provincial inventory information was analyzed together with information from permanent PEBANPA plots (plots of Ecology and Biodiversity, natural environments in Southern Patagonia) and studies of ecology and eco-physiology in ñire forests. This allowed the description of plant communities on these ecological sites and the history of natural disturbances. Seven states and 10 negative transitions were described, as well the factors that trigger transitions (levels of grazing, fire and intense logging). Mature forests with low grazing, no extractive activity and complete canopy cover (>70%) correspond to the reference state or condition of greater integrity, and grassland or murtillar (dominance of Empetrum rubrum) with forest loss is considered the most degraded state. Negative transitions determine the threshold crossings associated with the reduction or loss of resilience to the previous or original state. The development of state and transition models allows for early warnings of deterioration and is a tool to achieve more productive and environmental value. ARTICLE HISTORY

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“…Field studies require a lot of time and human resources, and still need a set of recognized metrics providing specific information about disturbances (Nagendra ; Ghazoul et al. ). Consequently, the assessment of ‘disturbance’ is nowadays ruled by uncertainty, especially in the tropics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing a general approach to assess the degree of disturbance in tropical forests

Sellan

Simini

Maritan

et al. 2017

J Vegetation Science

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Questions Is there any theoretical model enabling predictions of the optimal tree size distribution in tropical communities? Can we use such a theoretical framework for quantifying the degree of disturbance? Location Reserve of Yangambi, northeast region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods We applied an allometric model based on the assumption that a virtually undisturbed forest uses all available resources. In this condition, the forest structure (e.g. the tree size distribution) is theoretically predictable from the scaling of the tree crown with tree height at an individual level. The degree of disturbance can be assessed through comparing the slopes of the tree size distribution curves in the observed and predicted conditions. We tested this tool in forest stands subjected to different degrees of disturbance. We inventoried trees >1.3 m in height by measuring the DBH in three plots of 1 ha each, and measured tree height, crown radius and crown length in a sub‐sample of trees. Results All tree species, independently of the site, shared the same exponents of allometric relationships: tree height vs tree diameter, crown radius vs tree height, crown length vs tree height and consequently crown volume vs tree height, suggesting that similar trajectories of biomass allocation have evolved irrespective of species. The observed tree size distributions appeared to be power laws (excluding the finite size effect) and, as predicted, the slope was steeper in the less disturbed forest (−2.34) compared to the most disturbed (−1.99). The difference in the slope compared to the theoretical fully functional forest (−2.65) represents the metric for assessing the degree of disturbance. Conclusions We developed a simple tool for operationalizing the concept of ‘disturbance’ in tropical forests. This approach is species‐independent, needs minimal theoretical assumptions, the measurement of only a few structural traits and requires a low investment in equipment, time and computer skills. Its simple implementation opens new perspectives for effectively addressing initiatives of forest protection and/or restoration.

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Conceptualizing Forest Degradation

Cited by 222 publications

References 64 publications

Multiple Patterns of Forest Disturbance and Logging Shape Forest Landscapes in Paragominas, Brazil

Multiple Patterns of Forest Disturbance and Logging Shape Forest Landscapes in Paragominas, Brazil

State and transition model approach in native forests of Southern Patagonia (Argentina): linking ecosystem services, thresholds and resilience

Testing a general approach to assess the degree of disturbance in tropical forests

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