Relating remotely sensed forest damage data to wind data: storms Lothar (1999) and Vivian (1990) in Switzerland

This study compares the surface wind speed and forest damage data of two exceptionally severe winter storms, Vivian 1990 and Lothar 1999. The study area comprises the region that suffered damage in Switzerland. The wind speed data were derived from simulations of MeteoSwiss (Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology), measurements during the storm periods and expert analyses of the data. The remotely sensed forest damage data were provided by the Federal Office for the Environment and the forest cover data by Swiss Federal Statistical Office. We compared data on the peak gust and maximum average wind speed, with data on the spatially related forest area and forest damage area, and found some clear differences in the correlations between the different wind data and forest damage. Our results point generally to the damage-causing role of near-surface gusts at maximum wind speeds during the storm. These tended to be spatially distributed on a fine scale. In only a few cases were the results statistically significant. However, these results could probably be improved with better wind data. For example, gust measurements spatially closer to forests or simulations of gusts at maximum wind speed could be produced with a spatially higher resolutio

Environmental Data Processing: Science meets Business Engineering

Several aspects of data management are very similar in both current ecological research and the modern business world: the volume of data acquired is high and financial resources are scarce. Therefore it is necessary to implement efficient automated processes for everyday data acquisition and data management. Recent innovations in telecommunication technology (i.e. use of the GSM-Network for digital data transfer) allow the inexpensive acquisition of data from remote research plots. Such innovations in combination with scarce financial resources force ecological research organisations to transform their work flows in the field of automated data acquisition. This paper will show an example of how Business Engineering methods can be usefully adapted in the world of science, especially in the field of ecological research.http://enviroinfo.eu/sites/default/files/pdfs/vol104/0541.pd

IT-Replacement Investments and Sustainability Within Swiss Forest Ecosystem Research: The Broad and the Narrow Strategy

Two different replacement investment strategies, derived from two case studies within Swiss Forest Ecosystem Research, are assessed for sustainability in terms of dematerialization and low rebound effect. The so-called broad strategy uses a broad focus on the whole replacement investment field. It includes analysing and optimising all processes and workflows and then choosing the appropriate hardand software components. It is the mainstream replacement investment strategy nowadays. The narrow strategy has the goal of keeping the old, possibly already optimised workflows and processes and using modern “dematerialised” devices. The advantages of this strategy are a low or no rebound in combination with a considerable dematerialization effect. This approach is often ignored in today’s IT investment decisions. The two strategies can be combined to find an optimal, project-specific solution

Terrestrial laser scanning improves digital elevation models and topsoil pH modelling in regions with complex topography and dense vegetation

Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) has great potential in creating high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). However, little is known about the properties of TLS derived DEMs covering several hectares in heterogeneous environments compared to conventional airborne laser scanning (ALS) based models and their influence on derived products. We investigated the accuracy of DEMs with different resolutions derived from TLS and high quality ALS on a study site with complex micro-topography covered by dense forest and ground vegetation. We further examined the effect of these DEMs on predicted topsoil pH using linear regression models built on terrain attributes. We show that at high resolutions (∼1 m), TLS based DEMs performed better than ALS DEMs, which directly translated into significantly better pH models, the best of which showing an R2 of 0.62. The use of TLS therefore improves the quality of terrain attributes, which are the foundation for many ecological and hydrological applications

Jussy, Switzerland (field station): Long-term forest meteorological data from the Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme (LWF), from 1997-2016

High quality meteorological data are needed for long-term forest ecosystem research, particularly in the light of global change. The long-term data series published here comprises almost 20 years of two meteorological stations in Jussy in Switzerland where one station is located within a natural broad-leaved forest stand (JUB) with sessile oak (Quercus petrea; 90 yrs), aspen (Populus tremula; 60 yrs) and European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus; 60 yrs) as dominant tree species. A second station is situated in the very vicinity outside of the forest (field station, JUF). The meteorological time series are presented in hourly time resolution of air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and wind speed. Jussy is part of the Long-term Forest Ecosystem research Programme (LWF) established and maintained by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. For more information see PDF under 'Further Details'

Neunkirch, Switzerland (field station): Long-term forest meteorological data from the Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme (LWF), from 1997-2016

High quality meteorological data are needed for long-term forest ecosystem research, particularly in the light of global change. The long-term data series published here comprises almost 20 years of two meteorological stations in Neunkirch in Switzerland where one station is located within a natural deciduous forest stand (NEB) with European beech (Fagus sylvatica; 160 yrs), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus; 160 yrs) and lime trees (Tilia sp.; 110 yrs) as main tree species. A second station is situated in the very vicinity outside of the forest (field station, NEF). The meteorological time series are presented in hourly time resolution of air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and wind speed. Neunkirch is part of the Long-term Forest Ecosystem research Programme (LWF) established and maintained by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. For more information see PDF under 'Further Details'

Novaggio, Switzerland (field station): Long-term forest meteorological data from the Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme (LWF), from 1996-2016

High quality meteorological data are needed for long-term forest ecosystem research, particularly in the light of global change. The long-term data series published here comprises almost 20 years of two meteorological stations in Novaggio in Switzerland where one station is located within a natural broad-leaved forest stand (NOB) with Turkey oak (Quercus cerris; 70 yrs), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa; 90 yrs) and silver birch (Betula pendula; 70 yrs) as dominant tree species. A second station is situated in the very vicinity outside of the forest (field station, NOF). The meteorological time series are presented in hourly time resolution of air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and wind speed. Novaggio is part of the Long-term Forest Ecosystem research Programme (LWF) established and maintained by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. For more information see PDF under 'Further Details'

Vordemwald, Switzerland (field station): Long-term forest meteorological data from the Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme (LWF), from 1996-2016

High quality meteorological data are needed for long-term forest ecosystem research, particularly in the light of global change. The long-term data series published here comprises almost 20 years of two meteorological stations in Vordemwald in Switzerland where one station is located within a natural mixed forest stand (VOB) with European silver fir (Abies alba; 110 yrs) oak trees (Quercus sp.; 190-210 yrs) as dominant tree species. A second station is situated in the very vicinity outside of the forest (field station, VOF). The meteorological time series are presented in hourly time resolution of air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and wind speed. Vordemwald is part of the Long-term Forest Ecosystem research Programme (LWF) established and maintained by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. For more information see PDF under 'Further Details'