Simulating Long-Term Effects of Bioenergy Extraction on Dead Wood Availability at a Landscape Scale in Sweden

Abstract

Wood bioenergy may decrease the reliance on fossil carbon and mitigate anticipated increases in temperature. However, increased use of wood bioenergy may have large impacts on forest biodiversity primarily through the loss of dead wood habitats. We evaluated both the large-scale and long-term effects of different bioenergy extraction scenarios on the availability of dead wood and the suitability of the resulting habitat for saproxylic species, using a spatially explicit forest landscape simulation framework applied in the Swedish boreal forest. We demonstrate that bioenergy extraction scenarios, differing in the level of removal of biomass, can have significant effects on dead wood volumes. Although all of the scenarios led to decreasing levels of dead wood, the scenario aimed at species conservation led to highest volumes of dead wood (about 10 m3 ha−1) and highest connectivity of dead wood patches (mean proximity index of 78), whilst the scenario aimed at reaching zero fossil fuel targets led to the lowest levels (about 8 m3 ha−1) and least connectivity (mean proximity index of 7). Our simulations stress that further exploitation of dead wood from sites where volumes are already below suggested habitat thresholds for saproxylic species will very likely have further negative effects on dead wood dependent species.

Ecosystem Services Related to Carbon Cycling – Modeling Present and Future Impacts in Boreal Forests

“…This would have further implications on C sequestration that need to be explored separately. We did not study the impact of climate change and cutting regimes on biodiversity indicators, such as the amount of dead wood, but others have found significant effects of bioenergy extraction on dead wood levels (e.g., Hof et al, 2018) and conflicting objectives of wood production and biodiversity conservation (Mönkkönen et al, 2014; Angelstam et al, 2019). In their comprehensive review on the retention approach for forestry, Lindenmayer et al (2012) argued that the practice of permanently retaining significant elements of the original forest is crucial for maintaining multiple forest values, such as biodiversity and carbon stocks.…”

A Modelling System for Dead Wood Assessment in the Forests of Northern Eurasia

“…In boreal and temperate forest ecosystems, the amount and dynamics of dead wood significantly affect the carbon budget, comprising 10%-15% of the ecosystem heterotrophic respiration [12]. Moreover, dead wood provides important regulating and supporting [13,14] ecosystem services, as well as provisioning services by supplying wood for the forest industry and local consumption, and serves as a source of energy for the rural population (e.g., for cooking and heating) [15,16]. On the other hand, dead wood may increase the fire risk and the severity of wildfires, particularly in dry climates [17][18][19], and host dangerous pests [20,21], e.g., bark beetles [22] and aggressive fungi (such as Armillaria ostoyae (Romagnesi) Herink [23] or heart rot fungi [24]).…”