The Fire in the Mediterranean Region: A Case Study of Forest Fires in Portugal

Forest fires are a common disturbance in many forest systems in the world and in particular in the Mediterranean region. Their origins can be either natural or anthropogenic. The effects in regard to the time trends, vegetation, and soil will be reflected in the species distribution, forest composition, and soil potential productivity. In general, it can be said that the larger the fire and the shorter the time between two consecutive occurrences, the higher the probability to originate shifts in vegetation and soil degradation. In the Mediterranean region, the number of fire ignitions does not reflect the burnt area due to the occurrence of very large fires. The latter occur in a very small proportion of the number of ignitions, but result in very large burnt areas. Also there seems to be an increasing trend toward larger fires in the Mediterranean region due mainly to climatic and land use changes. This case study highlights the importance of vegetation regrowth a short time after the fire to maintain both forest systems and soil conservation

Assessment of the Availability of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy Production in Southwest Portugal.

In 2014, Portugal was the seventh largest pellets producer in the World. Since the shortage of raw material is one of the major obstacles that the Portuguese sellets market faces, the need for a good assessment of biomass availability for energy purposes at both country and regional levels is reinforced. This work uses a Geographical Information System environment and remote sensing data to assess the availability and sustainability of forest biomass residues in a management unit with around 940 ha of maritime pine forest. The period considered goes from 2004 to 2015. The study area is located in Southwestern Portugal, close to a pellets factory; therefore the potential Contribution of the residual biomass generated in the management unit to the production of pellets is evaluated. An allometric function is used for the estimation of maritime pine above ground biomass. With this estimate, and considering several forest operations, the residual biomass available was assessed, according to stand composition and structure. This study shows that, when maritime pine forests are managed to produce wood, the amount of residues available for energy production is small (an average of 0.37 t ha -1  year -1 were generated in the study area between 2004 and 2015). As a contribution to the sustainability of the Portuguese pellets industries, new management models for maritime pine forests may be developed. The effect of the pinewood nematode on the availability of residual biomass can be clearly seen in this study. In the management unit considered, cuts were made to prevent dissemination of the disease. This contributes to a higher availability of forest residues in a specific period of time, but, in the medium term, they lead to a decrease in the amount of residues that can be used for energy purposes

Energy Production from Forest Biomass: An Overview

As long as care is taken regarding stand and forest sustainability, forest biomass is an interesting alternative to fossil fuels because of its historical use as an energy source, its relative abundance and availability worldwide, and the fact that it is carbon-neutral. This study encompasses the revision of the state of the sources of forest biomass for energy and their estimation, the impacts on forests of biomass removal, the current demand and use of forest biomass for energy, and the most used energy conversion technologies. Forests can provide large amounts of biomass that can be used for energy. However, as the resources are limited, the increasing demand for biomass brings about management challenges. Stand structure is determinant for the amount of residues produced. Biomass can be estimated with high accuracy using both forest inventory and remote sensing. Yet, remote sensing enables biomass estimation and monitoring in shorter time periods. Different bioenergy uses and conversion technologies are characterized by different efficiencies, which should be a factor to consider in the choice of the best suited technology. Carefully analyzing the different options in terms of available conversion technologies, end-uses, costs, environmental benefits, and alternative energy vectors is of utmost importance

Evergreen Oak Biomass Residues for Firewood

This chapter presents the assessment of the availability for residential heating of residual biomass from cork and holm oaks in a 12,188 ha agroforest area in Portugal. First, the above-ground biomass of evergreen oaks using very high spatial resolution satellite images was determined, followed by the definition of different scenarios for residues removal from the stands. The useful energy potential of the firewood that can be collected from the study area under the various silviculture scenarios was determined considering different energy conversion technologies: open fireplaces (still popular in Portugal) and more efficient closed burning appliances. Additionally, emissions of airborne pollutants from combusting all the available residual biomass in the study area were determined. Depending on the percentage of residues collected when the trees are pruned and on the conversion technologies used, the energy potential of evergreen oak firewood ranged from 5.0 × 106 MJ year−1 to 7.5 × 107 MJ year−1. Heavier pruning combined with the use of open fireplaces generates less useful heat and much higher emissions of pollutants per unit useful energy produced than lighter pruning combined with a more efficient technology. This case study illustrates the need to promote the transition from inefficient to more efficient and cleaner technologies

Detecção de vegetação arbórea através de segmentação e classificação orientada a objecto de imagens multiespectrais de alta resolução (Quickbird).

O principal objectivo deste estudo foi avaliar o potencial de imagens de alta resolução espacial (Quickbird) utilizando o método de segmentação multi-resolução e classificação digital orientada a objecto na 1) identificação de manchas por espécie florestal obtendo mapas de ocupação do solo e 2) identificação de área de coberto arbóreo por espécie para a região de Portel (Alentejo). Procedeu-se ao cálculo de bandas sintéticas tais como o índice de vegetação NDVI e as compentes principais para aumentar a capacidade de separação entre as classes no processo de segmentação e classificação. Ambos os resultados foram validados através do calculo da matriz de confusão e do coeficiente Kappa. Os resultados foram bastantes satisfatórios, para o mapa de ocupação do solo, obtendo-se um Kappa de 82,5% e para o mapa de área de coberto arbóreo de 80% e ambos com precisão global acima de 88%. Podemos concluir que a metodologia desenvolvida e os dados de alta resolução do satélite Quickbird produzem resultados satisfatórios para a identificação e separação das espécies florestais. A baixa resolução espectral deste satélite é compensada pela elevada resolução espacial e pela utilização de outros parâmetros de forma e de textura dos objectos individuais e entre objectos

APOIO À DECISÃO PARA A PROTEÇÃO INTEGRADA NO COMBATE A Tuta absoluta EM TOMATE HORTOINDUSTRIAL

A traça-do-tomateiro é atualmente uma praga-chave do tomate para indústria, na região do Ribatejo. A sua presença foi detectada em 2010, tendo causado prejuízos significativos na campanha de 2011. O objetivo deste projeto é criar ferramentas para a tomada de decisão no âmbito da proteção desta cultura contra esta praga. Durante o ano de 2013, procedeu-se à monitorização semanal de adultos de T. absoluta com recurso a armadilhas com feromona sexual, e à observação visual em 25 a 50 plantas, de acordo com o estado fenológico da cultura. O material entomológico foram analisadas, posteriormente, em laboratório para deteção de parasitismo. Além de avaliar a intensidade de ataque, identificaram-se fatores de risco prévio, para construção de mapas de risco de apoio à tomada de decisão para a limitação da praga como culturas vizinhas e respetivas datas de colheita. Os dados preliminares não apresentaram uma correlação entre o número de machos adultos capturados e o número de larvas presentes na cultura, pelo que a estimativa de risco baseada apenas na contagem de machos adultos não parece ser suficiente para a tomada de decisão. Verificaram-se dificuldades no combate à praga devido a razões de ordem estrutural (e.g. posse da terra, hospedeiros alternativos na vizinhança) e a lacunas no conhecimento da sua bioecologia

Functions for aboveground biomass estimation derived from satellite images data in Mediterranean agroforestry systems

Forest biomass has been having an increasing importance in the world economy and in the evaluation of the forests development and monitoring. The main goal of this study is the development of functions for the estimation of aboveground biomass, using crown cover as independent variable, for Quercus rotundifolia, Quercus suber and Pinus pinea in agroforestry systems, both for monospecies and multispecies stands, based on Portuguese data. Crown cover per specie was derived from crown horizontal projection obtained by processing very high spatial resolution satellite images (Quickbird and Worldview-2), with contrast split segmentation method and object-oriented classification. The stand species composition distinguished species and monospecies from multispecies stands. The best model was the one with crown cover and dummy variables for composition as explanatory variables, reflecting the differences between species and stand structure. Aboveground biomass with this function should ideally be calculated with the grid areas applied in this study, though similar accuracies can be obtained for other grid sizes

Above ground biomass estimation in Mediterranean multiple use systems with high spatial resolution satellite images

Forest biomass has been having an increasing importance in the world economy and in the evaluation of the forests development and monitoring. It was identified as a global strategic reserve, due to its applications in bioenergy, bioproduct development and issues related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The estimation of above ground biomass is frequently done with allometric functions per species with plot inventory data. An adequate sampling design and intensity for an error threshold is required. The estimation per unit area is done using an extrapolation method. This procedure is labour demanding and costly. The mail goal of this study is the development of allometric functions for the estimation of above ground biomass with ground cover as independent variable, for forest areas of holm aok (Quercus rotundifolia), cork oak (Quercus suber) and umbrella pine (Pinus pinea) in multiple use systems. Ground cover per species was derived from crown horizontal projection obtained by processing high resolution satellite images, orthorectified, geometrically and atmospheric corrected, with multi-resolution segmentation method and object oriented classification. Forest inventory data were used to estimate plot above ground biomass with published allometric functions at tree level. The developed functions were fitted for monospecies stands and for multispecies stands of Quercus rotundifolia and Quercus suber, and Quercus suber and Pinus pinea. The stand composition was considered adding dummy variables to distinguish monospecies from multispecies stands. The models showed a good performance. Noteworthy is that the dummy variables, reflecting the differences between species, originated improvements in the models. Significant differences were found for above ground biomass estimation with the functions with and without the dummy variables. An error threshold of 10% corresponds to stand areas of about 40 ha. This method enables the overall area evaluation, not requiring extrapolation procedures, for the three species, which occur frequently in multispecies stands

Energy use of cork residues in the Portuguese cork industry

Cork oak ecosystems play a very important environmental and socio-economic role in the Mediterranean basin. Their maintenance relies highly on the cork industry, which in turn, is dependent on these ecosystems. Despite the positive impacts of the cork industry, this is an energy-intensive sector, with a strong need for process heat. Therefore, a careful management of heat consumption is important to minimize its impacts. Being Portugal the world leader in the cork industry, this paper characterizes the Portuguese cork industry and gathers information on the production processes of cork products, with special focus on the generation of residues, heat consuming processes, heat production technologies and energy sources. The study relies on a compilation of data from several sources: statistic offices, industrial companies and associations and scientific literature. Cork powder is the main waste of the cork industry. It is already being valorised for heat generation in many industrial units, but it can further contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint of this industrial sector