Remote Sensing of Land Surface Phenology

Land surface phenology (LSP) uses remote sensing to monitor seasonal dynamics in vegetated land surfaces and retrieve phenological metrics (transition dates, rate of change, annual integrals, etc.). LSP has developed rapidly in the last few decades. Both regional and global LSP products have been routinely generated and play prominent roles in modeling crop yield, ecological surveillance, identifying invasive species, modeling the terrestrial biosphere, and assessing impacts on urban and natural ecosystems. Recent advances in field and spaceborne sensor technologies, as well as data fusion techniques, have enabled novel LSP retrieval algorithms that refine retrievals at even higher spatiotemporal resolutions, providing new insights into ecosystem dynamics. Meanwhile, rigorous assessment of the uncertainties in LSP retrievals is ongoing, and efforts to reduce these uncertainties represent an active research area. Open source software and hardware are in development, and have greatly facilitated the use of LSP metrics by scientists outside the remote sensing community. This reprint covers the latest developments in sensor technologies, LSP retrieval algorithms and validation strategies, and the use of LSP products in a variety of fields. It aims to summarize the ongoing diverse LSP developments and boost discussions on future research prospects

Nutrient Cycling in Forest Ecosystems

The long-term productivity of forest ecosystems depends on the cycling of nutrients. The effect of carbon dioxide fertilization on forest productivity may ultimately be limited by the rate of nutrient cycling. Contemporary and future disturbances such as climatic warming, N-deposition, deforestation, short rotation sylviculture, fire (both wild and controlled), and the invasion of exotic species all place strains on the integrity of ecosystem nutrient cycling. Global differences in climate, soils, and species make it difficult to extrapolate even a single important study worldwide. Despite advances in the understanding of nutrient cycling and carbon production in forests, many questions remain. The chapters in this volume reflect many contemporary research priorities. The thirteen studies in this volume are arranged in the following subject groups: • N and P resorption from foliage worldwide, along chronosequences and along elevation gradients; • Litter production and decomposition; • N and P stoichiometry as affected by N deposition, geographic gradients, species changes, and ecosystem restoration; • Effects of N and P addition on understory biomass, litter, and soil; • Effects of burning on soil nutrients; • Effects of N addition on soil fauna

Relationships between surface pollen and vegetation in the Meiling Mountains, southeast China : an aid to reconstruct past vegetation dynamics

Understanding the relationships between modern pollen deposits and their surrounding vegetation is an important tool to improve the quality of reconstructions and interpretations of past vegetation changes from fossil pollen records. The overall aim of this research project is to validate and calibrate mathematical models of relationships for assemblages deposited in peatland and forest landscapes in southeast China, which will form an essential basis for quantitative reconstruction of past land cover from Quaternary peat deposits in the region. This field study area presents great challenges, being spatially large in extent compared to studies in northwestern Europe and of difficult and inaccessible mountainous terrain, which makes the vegetation survey (10m-100m) time-consuming.Firstly, a study to decide whether to use moss or soil surface samples is presented. 42 paired moss and soils sample were collected in the five main forest types. Similar levels of variation in the pollen spectra are seen, but there are systematic differences in the mean values of key groups of taxa. Moss polsters are chosen since they record the most accurate representation of the contemporary vegetation.Secondly, the behaviour of several pollen dispersal and deposition models is tested against a grassland-forest transect. The Prentice-Sugita model passed the test and is therefore considered suitable for use.Thirdly, the first estimates of relative pollen productivity (RPP) for 9 key taxa (Castanea, Cryptomeria, Cyclobalanopsis, Liquidambar, Pinus, Poaceae, Quercus, Rosaceae and Theaceae) are presented. Two alternative methods (modified Davis method and iteration method) for estimating RPP are also developed, which have great potential for use in wider areas.Fourthly, wetland herb taxa are important in the pollen spectra from mire records, therefore surface samples were taken from a mire surface. They show that there are inter-annual differences in pollen from wetland herbs.Finally, the discussion presents suggestions for how these findings can be best applied to land-cover reconstruction, explores the strengths and limitations of the study and identifies future directions which such work could take

Livelihood dependency and management on semiarid oak forests

This thesis deals with the relationships between inhabitants’ livelihoods and forest resources management at watershed level in the semiarid forests (woodlands) of Persian oak (Quercus persica) in southwest Iran. The ultimate objective of the studies is to lay a basis for planning woodland resource management, to suggest on strategies for improvements in implementation of management plans for sustainable use and conservation of these resources, and improvement of natural resources-based livelihoods of the communities. Paper I investigates the relationships between the traditional utilization, socioeconomic development during recent decades and land cover changes in the study area. Paper II aims to investigate dependency of inhabitant’s livelihoods on the woodland resources by characterizing their forest-based activities. The impacts of these activities on the attributes of the woodland as well as the participation of inhabitants in these activities are studied in Paper III. In Paper IV, a diameter class model is developed in order to predict the effects of different management practices on growth and yield of stands of Persian oak. Data on land cover change (Paper I) were collected through stereo interpretation with digital photogrammetric techniques applied to sets of scanned aerial photographs. Field data for all studies were gathered in 2003 from a woodland inventory. Socioeconomic data were gathered through interviews in 2006 (Paper I) and in 2008 (Papers II and III). Some data for model parameters in Paper IV were extracted from information of an adjacent forested area. In Paper II, canonical correlation analysis and pairwise correlation analysis were used to explore any significant relationships between the socioeconomic variables and the variables of the forest-based activities of the households. In Paper IV, linear programming was used to solve the planning problems. Results show stability in crown cover density and in the number of large trees and an increment of the woodland area. This could be related to a change in the traditional pattern of the woodland utilization in the past decades. There is a high dependency of inhabitants’ livelihoods on the woodland resources. The woodland-based incomes in Ganaveh are obtained by performing animal grazing, and collection of fuel wood, seeds, and ground fodder. The more income diversification and the better educational conditions for households, the less dependency on these resources. Lack of natural regeneration, relatively high incident of bad quality trees cause concerns for sustainability and conservation of the woodland as a result of the performed activities. Some efforts to reach social acceptance from the woodland users to protect the preserved areas from animal grazing and seed gathering for a period could be a good alternative for woodland rehabilitation. Fuel wood collection should not put the sustainability of the woodland in jeopardy. Although the accuracy of some parameters of the suggested diameter class model should be improved, the preliminary results show that the present prohibition of harvests seems contra productive. Rather, a regulated harvest of trees could enhance the livelihood of the Ganaveh households

New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research

New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research consists of 14 chapters divided into three sections and is authored by 48 researchers from 16 countries and all five continents. Section Whither the Use of Forest Resources, authored by 16 researchers, describes negative and positive practices in forestry. Forest is a complex habitat for man, animals, insects and micro-organisms and their activities may impact positively or negatively on the forest. This complex relationship is explained in the section Forest and Organisms Interactions, consisting of contributions made by six researchers. Development of tree plantations has been man’s response to forest degradation and deforestation caused by human, animals and natural disasters. Plantations of beech, spruce, Eucalyptus and other species are described in the last section, Amelioration of Dwindling Forest Resources Through Plantation Development, a section consisting of five papers authored by 20 researchers. New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research will appeal to forest scientists, researchers and allied professionals. It will be of interest to those who care about forest and who subscribe to the adage that the last tree dies with the last man on our planet. I recommend it to you; enjoy reading it, save the forest and save life

3rd Korea-Japan Joint International Workshop : Present Earth Surface Processes and Historical Environmental Changes in East Asia

September 26-30, 2006, Seoul, Korea69p. ; 30c