Bryophytes of conservation concern decline and traits change in retention patches during two decades following forest harvest

Setting aside tree retention patches at final harvest is a common forest conservation measure, but the long-term responses of species of conservation concern to different types of forest retention remain unknown. This is the first long-term study of the dynamics of bryophytes of conservation concern and associated traits in small forest retention patches (0.01-0.53 ha) over almost two decades and in relation to environmental drivers. We applied joint species distribution models to compare how bryophytes changed in terms of occurrence, abundance, species richness and traits between year 2000, 2006 and 2018, and in relation to five different retention patch types, patch area, retained living tree volume per hectare, structural heterogeneity, and surrounding habitat openness. Bryophytes responded mostly negatively to the long-term environmental change, although with considerable variation depending on retention patch type. Only negative trends were detected for individual species. Still, no regional extinctions (loss of species from all local patches) occurred and there was a tendency for recovery of a few species. Bryophytes with predominantly asexual reproductive modes and small colony size (< 100 cm(2)) increased in occurrence probability over time, indicating that these traits were beneficial for the long-term persistence of species in small and exposed forest patches. We recommend forest managers to create large (preferably up to 0.5 ha) and variable retention patches, both in terms of patch type (i.e. buffer zones and free-standing groups of different dominant tree species and ground moisture) and structural heterogeneity (i.e. living tree volumes, large and small trees, and deadwood)

Using the Value of Information to improve conservation decision making.

Conservation decisions are challenging, not only because they often involve difficult conflicts among outcomes that people value, but because our understanding of the natural world and our effects on it is fraught with uncertainty. Value of Information (VoI) methods provide an approach for understanding and managing uncertainty from the standpoint of the decision maker. These methods are commonly used in other fields (e.g. economics, public health) and are increasingly used in biodiversity conservation. This decision-analytical approach can identify the best management alternative to select where the effectiveness of interventions is uncertain, and can help to decide when to act and when to delay action until after further research. We review the use of VoI in the environmental domain, reflect on the need for greater uptake of VoI, particularly for strategic conservation planning, and suggest promising areas for new research. We also suggest common reporting standards as a means of increasing the leverage of this powerful tool. The environmental science, ecology and biodiversity categories of the Web of Knowledge were searched using the terms 'Value of Information,' 'Expected Value of Perfect Information,' and the abbreviation 'EVPI.' Google Scholar was searched with the same terms, and additionally the terms decision and biology, biodiversity conservation, fish, or ecology. We identified 1225 papers from these searches. Included studies were limited to those that showed an application of VoI in biodiversity conservation rather than simply describing the method. All examples of use of VOI were summarised regarding the application of VoI, the management objectives, the uncertainties, the models used, how the objectives were measured, and the type of VoI. While the use of VoI appears to be on the increase in biodiversity conservation, the reporting of results is highly variable, which can make it difficult to understand the decision context and which uncertainties were considered. Moreover, it was unclear if, and how, the papers informed management and policy interventions, which is why we suggest a range of reporting standards that would aid the use of VoI. The use of VoI in conservation settings is at an early stage. There are opportunities for broader applications, not only for species-focussed management problems, but also for setting local or global research priorities for biodiversity conservation, making funding decisions, or designing or improving protected area networks and management. The long-term benefits of applying VoI methods to biodiversity conservation include a more structured and decision-focused allocation of resources to research

Selection of Reserves for Woodland Caribou Using an Optimization Approach

Habitat protection has been identified as an important strategy for the conservation of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus). However, because of the economic opportunity costs associated with protection it is unlikely that all caribou ranges can be protected in their entirety. We used an optimization approach to identify reserve designs for caribou in Alberta, Canada, across a range of potential protection targets. Our designs minimized costs as well as three demographic risk factors: current industrial footprint, presence of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and climate change. We found that, using optimization, 60% of current caribou range can be protected (including 17% in existing parks) while maintaining access to over 98% of the value of resources on public lands. The trade-off between minimizing cost and minimizing demographic risk factors was minimal because the spatial distributions of cost and risk were similar. The prospects for protection are much reduced if protection is directed towards the herds that are most at risk of near-term extirpation

Edge creation and tree dieback influence the patch-tracking metapopulation dynamics of a red-listed epiphytic bryophyte

1. Edges in landscapes have an effect on the abundance of many species but the underlying ecological mechanisms are poorly known for most taxonomic groups. One way to gain insight into the mechanisms is to examine how key demographic or metapopulation parameters are affected by proximity to edge. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of edge creation through clearcutting on the dynamics of forest species’ metapopulations. 2. We used the red-listed epiphytic moss Neckera pennata as a model species. Based on data from repeated surveys of a metapopulation and its host tree network in a hemiboreal forest, we tested the effect of edge creation on key metapopulation parameters: rates of local colonization and extinction, local abundance growth and patch destruction through the fall of host trees. We predicted the long-term consequences of the edge effects using simulations with Bayesian statistical models. We also explored the potential effects of the pathogen Chalara fraxinea causing ash dieback, a tree disease currently spreading in Europe. 3. The colonization probability on host trees unoccupied by the moss increased with increasing connectivity to occupied trees. The growth of local populations on occupied trees decreased with increasing proximity to edge, and with initial local abundance. Stochastic extinctions of the epiphyte from standing trees were very rare and only occurred near the edge; most of the observed extinctions were deterministic due to tree fall. Tree fall decreased with increasing distance from the edge into the forest, and with increasing tree diameter. 4. Under edge conditions, simulations predicted decreases in the total number of host trees, number of occupied host trees, and in the total abundance of the epiphyte over a 30-year period. We suggest that ash dieback increases the tree fall rate and thereby the local extinction rate, leading to increased metapopulation extinction risk. 5. Synthesis and applications. The results show that small protected forest areas such as woodland key habitats may not allow long-term persistence of red-listed epiphytes if they are influenced by edge creation through clearcutting. Delineating uncut buffers of 50–100 m around the protected areas may alleviate such effects

Cost-efficient conservation strategies for boreal forest biodiversity

Long and intensive forest management has made conservation measures in the forest landscape necessary to maintain forest biodiversity. The most common measure is to set aside land for conservation purposes. This, however, requires large financial resources and available budgets are generally insufficient. In this thesis, a set of key factors affecting the cost-efficiency when selecting conservation areas were investigated. I studied (1) the conservation quality and economic land value of three common types of conservation areas: nature reserves, woodland key habitats, and retention patches on harvested areas; (2) the capacity of retention patches to harbour bryophytes and lichens over time; and (3) factors determining what information should be used when selecting con¬servation areas, including the conservation goal, correlation and variability of different types of data, and the costs for collecting information. Two large field studies formed the basis for the studies, where data on bryophytes, lichens and structural characteristics were collected, and economic land values were calculated. Site-selection analyses were used in combination with other analytical tools to investigate and compare efficiency of different con¬servation strategies. The results showed that woodland key habitats had a very high conservation quality, and were generally also the most cost-efficient type of conservation area for the measures of biodiversity used in the studies. Different types of retention patches comple¬mented each other in terms of species composition and the variation in conservation quality and economic value was large among patches. Many bryophytes decreased in retention patches following harvesting, while some lichens decreased and others increased. The costs for obtaining information on conservation quality of areas were generally low compared to the economic land values. The studies indicate that a conservation strategy based on many types of conservation areas is most likely efficient for long-term conservation of forest biodiversity. To increase cost-efficiency, systematic selection of areas within each conservation area type should be carried out, where both conservation quality and economic values of areas are taken into account

Utlakning av polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAH) ur asfalt och förorenad mark. En litteraturstudie över vilka faktorer som styr utlakningen [Elektronisk resurs]

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att utreda vilka faktorer som påverkar utlakning av polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAHer) från asfalt och förorenad jord. Resultatet av denna litteraturstudie ska sedan ligga till grund för hur laktester på dessa material utformas. De faktorer som påverkar utlakningen av PAHer delas in i tre kategorier: 1) ämnesegenskaper, som omfattar kemiska och fysikaliska egenskaper hos PAHerna; 2) materialegenskaper, som är egenskaper och sammansättning av det material som undersöks och 3) försöksparametrar, d.v.s. hur laktestet utförs, t.ex. lakvätskans sammansättning och pH. De ämnesegenskaper som främst styr utlakningen av PAHer är vattenlöslighet och fettlöslighet. Materialegenskaper av störst betydelse är materialets kornstorleksfördelning samt innehållet av kolloider och organiskt material. Genom att PAHer adsorberas till kolloider och organiskt material i jorden underlättas utlakningen. Viktiga försöksparametrar är kontakttid, lakvätskans pH och innehåll av organiskt material samt partikelstorlek som analyseras. Vid basiska pH lakas mer organiskt material ut och därmed ökar också utlakningen av PAHSyftet med detta examensarbete är att utreda vilka faktorer som påverkar utlakning av polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAHer) från asfalt och förorenad jord. Resultatet av denna litteraturstudie ska sedan ligga till grund för hur laktester på dessa material utformas. De faktorer som påverkar utlakningen av PAHer delas in i tre kategorier: 1) ämnesegenskaper, som omfattar kemiska och fysikaliska egenskaper hos PAHerna; 2) materialegenskaper, som är egenskaper och sammansättning av det material som undersöks och 3) försöksparametrar, d.v.s. hur laktestet utförs, t.ex. lakvätskans sammansättning och pH. De ämnesegenskaper som främst styr utlakningen av PAHer är vattenlöslighet och fettlöslighet. Materialegenskaper av störst betydelse är materialets kornstorleksfördelning samt innehållet av kolloider och organiskt material. Genom att PAHer adsorberas till kolloider och organiskt material i jorden underlättas utlakningen. Viktiga försöksparametrar är kontakttid, lakvätskans pH och innehåll av organiskt material samt partikelstorlek som analyseras. Vid basiska pH lakas mer organiskt material ut och därmed ökar också utlakningen av PAH</p

Utlakning av polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAH) ur asfalt och förorenad mark. En litteraturstudie över vilka faktorer som styr utlakningen

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att utreda vilka faktorer som påverkar utlakning av polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAHer) från asfalt och förorenad jord. Resultatet av denna litteraturstudie ska sedan ligga till grund för hur laktester på dessa material utformas. De faktorer som påverkar utlakningen av PAHer delas in i tre kategorier: 1) ämnesegenskaper, som omfattar kemiska och fysikaliska egenskaper hos PAHerna; 2) materialegenskaper, som är egenskaper och sammansättning av det material som undersöks och 3) försöksparametrar, d.v.s. hur laktestet utförs, t.ex. lakvätskans sammansättning och pH. De ämnesegenskaper som främst styr utlakningen av PAHer är vattenlöslighet och fettlöslighet. Materialegenskaper av störst betydelse är materialets kornstorleksfördelning samt innehållet av kolloider och organiskt material. Genom att PAHer adsorberas till kolloider och organiskt material i jorden underlättas utlakningen. Viktiga försöksparametrar är kontakttid, lakvätskans pH och innehåll av organiskt material samt partikelstorlek som analyseras. Vid basiska pH lakas mer organiskt material ut och därmed ökar också utlakningen av PAHSyftet med detta examensarbete är att utreda vilka faktorer som påverkar utlakning av polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAHer) från asfalt och förorenad jord. Resultatet av denna litteraturstudie ska sedan ligga till grund för hur laktester på dessa material utformas. De faktorer som påverkar utlakningen av PAHer delas in i tre kategorier: 1) ämnesegenskaper, som omfattar kemiska och fysikaliska egenskaper hos PAHerna; 2) materialegenskaper, som är egenskaper och sammansättning av det material som undersöks och 3) försöksparametrar, d.v.s. hur laktestet utförs, t.ex. lakvätskans sammansättning och pH. De ämnesegenskaper som främst styr utlakningen av PAHer är vattenlöslighet och fettlöslighet. Materialegenskaper av störst betydelse är materialets kornstorleksfördelning samt innehållet av kolloider och organiskt material. Genom att PAHer adsorberas till kolloider och organiskt material i jorden underlättas utlakningen. Viktiga försöksparametrar är kontakttid, lakvätskans pH och innehåll av organiskt material samt partikelstorlek som analyseras. Vid basiska pH lakas mer organiskt material ut och därmed ökar också utlakningen av PA

Nutritionens betydelse för läkning av trycksår : en evidensbaserad litteraturöversikt

Validerat; 20101217 (root

Biodiversity Conservation in Swedish Forests: Ways Forward for a 30-Year-Old Multi-Scaled Approach

A multi-scaled model for biodiversity conservation in forests was introduced in Sweden 30 years ago, which makes it a pioneer example of an integrated ecosystem approach. Trees are set aside for biodiversity purposes at multiple scale levels varying from individual trees to areas of thousands of hectares, with landowner responsibility at the lowest level and with increasing state involvement at higher levels. Ecological theory supports the multi-scaled approach, and retention efforts at every harvest occasion stimulate landowners’ interest in conservation. We argue that the model has large advantages but that in a future with intensified forestry and global warming, development based on more progressive thinking is necessary to maintain and increase biodiversity. Suggestions for the future include joint planning for several forest owners, consideration of cost-effectiveness, accepting opportunistic work models, adjusting retention levels to stand and landscape composition, introduction of temporary reserves, creation of “receiver habitats” for species escaping climate change, and protection of young forests