A major shift to the retention approach for forestry can help resolve some global forest sustainability issues

Approximately 85% of the global forest estate is neither formally protected nor in areas dedicated to intensive wood production (e.g., plantations). Given the spatial extent of unprotected forests, finding management approaches that will sustain their multiple environmental, economic, and cultural values and prevent their conversion to other uses is imperative. The major global challenge of native forest management is further demonstrated by ongoing steep declines in forest biodiversity and carbon stocks. Here, we suggest that an essential part of such management—supplementing the protection of large reserves and sensitive areas within forest landscapes (e.g., aquatic features)—is the adoption of the retention approach in forests where logging occurs. This ecological approach to harvesting provides for permanent retention of important selected structures (e.g., trees and decayed logs) to provide for continuity of ecosystem structure, function, and species composition in the postharvest forest. The retention approach supports the integration of environmental, economic, and cultural values and is broadly applicable to tropical, temperate, and boreal forests, adaptable to different management objectives, and appropriate in different societal settings. The widespread adoption of the retention approach would be one of the most significant changes in management practice since the onset of modern high-yield forestry.Fil: Lindenmayer, D.B.. The Australian National University,; AustraliaFil: Franklin, J.F.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Lõhmus, A.. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Baker, S.C.. University of Tasmania; AustraliaFil: Bauhus, J.. Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg; AlemaniaFil: Beese, W.. University of Vancouver; CanadáFil: Brodie, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Kiehl, B.. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SueciaFil: Kouki, J.. University of Eastern Finland; FinlandiaFil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Messier, C.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Neyland, M.. University of Tasmania; AustraliaFil: Palik, B.. No especifíca;Fil: Sverdrup Thygeson, A.. Norwegian University of Life Sciences; NoruegaFil: Volney, J.. Canadian Forest Service; CanadáFil: Wayne, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Gustafsson, L.. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Sueci

Specialists in ancient trees are more affected by climate than generalists

Ancient trees are considered one of the most important habitats for biodiversity in Europe and North America. They support exceptional numbers of specialized species, including a range of rare and endangered wood-living insects. In this study, we use a dataset of 105 sites spanning a climatic gradient along the oak range of Norway and Sweden to investigate the importance of temperature and precipitation on beetle species richness in ancient, hollow oak trees. We expected that increased summer temperature would positively influence all wood-living beetle species whereas precipitation would be less important with a negligible or negative impact. Surprisingly, only oak-specialist beetles with a northern distribu- tion increased in species richness with temperature. Few specialist beetles and no generalist beetles responded to the rise of 4°C in summer as covered by our cli- matic gradient. The negative effect of precipitation affected more specialist species than did temperature, whereas the generalists remained unaffected. In summary, we suggest that increased summer temperature is likely to benefit a few specialist beetles within this dead wood community, but a larger number of specialists are likely to decline due to increased precipitation. In addition, generalist species will remain unaffected. To minimize adverse impacts of climate change on this impor- tant community, long-term management plans for ancient trees are important

Surface Covering of Downed Logs: Drivers of a Neglected Process in Dead Wood Ecology

Many species use coarse woody debris (CWD) and are disadvantaged by the forestry-induced loss of this resource. A neglected process affecting CWD is the covering of the surfaces of downed logs caused by sinking into the ground (increasing soil contact, mostly covering the underside of the log), and dense overgrowth by ground vegetation. Such cover is likely to profoundly influence the quality and accessibility of CWD for wood-inhabiting organisms, but the factors affecting covering are largely unknown. In a five-year experiment we determined predictors of covering rate of fresh logs in boreal forests and clear-cuts. Logs with branches were little covered because they had low longitudinal ground contact. For branchless logs, longitudinal ground contact was most strongly related to estimated peat depth (positive relation). The strongest predictor for total cover of branchless logs was longitudinal ground contact. To evaluate the effect on cover of factors other than longitudinal ground contact, we separately analyzed data from only those log sections that were in contact with the ground. Four factors were prominent predictors of percentage cover of such log sections: estimated peat depth, canopy shade (both increasing cover), potential solar radiation calculated from slope and slope aspect, and diameter of the log (both reducing cover). Peat increased cover directly through its low resistance, which allowed logs to sink and soil contact to increase. High moisture and low temperatures in pole-ward facing slopes and under a canopy favor peat formation through lowered decomposition and enhanced growth of peat-forming mosses, which also proved to rapidly overgrow logs. We found that in some boreal forests, peat and fast-growing mosses can rapidly cover logs lying on the ground. When actively introducing CWD for conservation purposes, we recommend that such rapid covering is avoided, thereby most likely improving the CWD's longevity as habitat for many species

The handbook for standardised field and laboratory measurements in terrestrial climate-change experiments and observational studies

Climate change is a worldwide threat to biodiversity and ecosystem structure, functioning, and services. To understand the underlying drivers and mechanisms, and to predict the consequences for nature and people, we urgently need better understanding of the direction and magnitude of climate‐change impacts across the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. An increasing number of climate‐change studies is creating new opportunities for meaningful and high‐quality generalisations and improved process understanding. However, significant challenges exist related to data availability and/or compatibility across studies, compromising opportunities for data re‐use, synthesis, and upscaling. Many of these challenges relate to a lack of an established “best practice” for measuring key impacts and responses. This restrains our current understanding of complex processes and mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems related to climate change

The contribution of insects to global forest deadwood decomposition

The amount of carbon stored in deadwood is equivalent to about 8 per cent of the global forest carbon stocks. The decomposition of deadwood is largely governed by climate with decomposer groups—such as microorganisms and insects—contributing to variations in the decomposition rates. At the global scale, the contribution of insects to the decomposition of deadwood and carbon release remains poorly understood. Here we present a field experiment of wood decomposition across 55 forest sites and 6 continents. We find that the deadwood decomposition rates increase with temperature, and the strongest temperature effect is found at high precipitation levels. Precipitation affects the decomposition rates negatively at low temperatures and positively at high temperatures. As a net effect—including the direct consumption by insects and indirect effects through interactions with microorganisms—insects accelerate the decomposition in tropical forests (3.9% median mass loss per year). In temperate and boreal forests, we find weak positive and negative effects with a median mass loss of 0.9 per cent and −0.1 per cent per year, respectively. Furthermore, we apply the experimentally derived decomposition function to a global map of deadwood carbon synthesized from empirical and remote-sensing data, obtaining an estimate of 10.9 ± 3.2 petagram of carbon per year released from deadwood globally, with 93 per cent originating from tropical forests. Globally, the net effect of insects may account for 29 per cent of the carbon flux from deadwood, which suggests a functional importance of insects in the decomposition of deadwood and the carbon cycle

The handbook for standardized field and laboratory measurements in terrestrial climate change experiments and observational studies (ClimEx)

1. Climate change is a world‐wide threat to biodiversity and ecosystem structure, functioning and services. To understand the underlying drivers and mechanisms, and to predict the consequences for nature and people, we urgently need better understanding of the direction and magnitude of climate change impacts across the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. An increasing number of climate change studies are creating new opportunities for meaningful and high‐quality generalizations and improved process understanding. However, significant challenges exist related to data availability and/or compatibility across studies, compromising opportunities for data re‐use, synthesis and upscaling. Many of these challenges relate to a lack of an established ‘best practice’ for measuring key impacts and responses. This restrains our current understanding of complex processes and mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems related to climate change. 2. To overcome these challenges, we collected best‐practice methods emerging from major ecological research networks and experiments, as synthesized by 115 experts from across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Our handbook contains guidance on the selection of response variables for different purposes, protocols for standardized measurements of 66 such response variables and advice on data management. Specifically, we recommend a minimum subset of variables that should be collected in all climate change studies to allow data re‐use and synthesis, and give guidance on additional variables critical for different types of synthesis and upscaling. The goal of this community effort is to facilitate awareness of the importance and broader application of standardized methods to promote data re‐use, availability, compatibility and transparency. We envision improved research practices that will increase returns on investments in individual research projects, facilitate second‐order research outputs and create opportunities for collaboration across scientific communities. Ultimately, this should significantly improve the quality and impact of the science, which is required to fulfil society's needs in a changing world

Oppfølging av handlingsplan for sinoberbille 2009. Kartlegging i Froland og Drangedal kommuner

Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., Laugsand, A., Olberg, S. 2009. Oppfølging av handlingsplan for sino-berbille 2009. Kartlegging i Froland og Drangedal kommuner. - NINA Rapport 529. 22 s. NINA og BioFokus har gjennomført en oppfølging av tiltakene i handlingsplanen for sinoberbille Cucujus cinnaberinus Scopoli, 1763 (Cucujidae), på oppdrag for Fylkesmannen i Telemark. Oppfølgingen har bestått i kartlegging av kjente og mulige nye lokaliteter i to kommuner, Drangedal (Telemark) og Froland (Aust-Agder). Informasjonsarbeid har også vært i fokus, i form av kontakt med skogbruksrepresentanter, lokalmedia der kartleggingen har foregått, utarbeiding av en populærvitenskapelig artikkel og en folder med informasjon om sinoberbillen og forvekslingsarter. Innledningsvis gjennomførte vi et pilotstudium der vi undersøkte grundig forskjellige treslag i ulike nedbrytningsstadier og med ulike diametre. Gjennom dette arbeidet fikk vi etablert en målrettet metodikk for videre søk, med minst mulig påvirkning av substratet. I årets kartleggingskommuner identifiserte vi områder med mye osp ved hjelp av MiS- og Naturtypedata. Deretter oppsøkte vi et utvalg av disse, og lette etter stokker av samme slag som pilotstudiet hadde vist at ga funn av sinoberbille. I slike stokker ble en liten andel bark løftet på for å se etter larver, pupper eller imagines av sinoberbille. I alt undersøkte vi 24 potensielle lokaliteter i Drangedal og 25 i Froland. Vi fant sinoberbillen i henholdsvis 14 og 21 av disse områdene. Tre av lokalitetene i Drangedal og to i Froland var kjent fra før. Totalt undersøkte vi 270 stokker (240 osp og 20 eik, de øvrige andre treslag) som var antatt å være egnet for sinoberbillen, og påviste tilstedeværelse av larver i 83 av disse. Kun fire voksne individer ble funnet. Resultatene indikerer at sinoberbillen i stor grad er i stand til å finne fram til og utnytte egnede stokker av nylig død osp i disse kommunene, som ligger i det som er antatt å være artens kjerneområde. Det er likevel ikke mulig å si noe om artens populasjonsutvikling - om populasjonene er i nedgang, stabile eller økende - ut fra disse dataene.Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., Laugsand, A., Olberg, S. 2009. Follow-up of the Action Plan for Cucujus cinnaberinus 2009. Inventories in Froland and Drangedal municipalities. - NINA Report 529. 22 pp. The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and BioFokus have followed up on the actions suggested in the Action Plan for Cucujus cinnaberinus Scopoli, 1763 (Cucujidae). The work has consisted of surveying known and potential localities for the species in two municipalities, Drangedal (Telemark County) and Froland (Aust-Agder County). We have also sought to inform the public in general and the forest owners specifically, about the characteristics and the habitat demands of the beetle. We started out with a pilot study, investigating different types of substrate (tree species, diameters, decay stage) in order to establish a cost-efficient search method with minimum impact. We then used data from environmental surveys (MiS-mapping and the mapping of nature types) to search out areas with high density of aspen (Populus tremula). Some of these areas were investigated in situ, and suitable substrate was searched for occurrences of the beetle (larvae, pupae or imagines). We surveyed 24 potential localities in Drangedal and 25 in Froland, and found Cucujus cinnaberinus in 14 and 21 of these, respectively. Three of the localities in Drangedal and two in Froland was known beforehand. In total, we searched 270 logs and snags (240 of aspen, 20 oak (Quercus robur), the rest other tree species) that we judged as suitable for the species, and found C. cinnaberinus larvae in 83 of these. Only four imagines were found. The results indicate that C. cinnaberinus to a large extent are able to locate and develop in suitable logs/snags of recently dead aspen within the landscape in these two municipalities, which both are within what can be considered as the key area for the species. It is not possible to evaluate the population trends, e.g. whether the populations are stable, increasing or decreasing, from the present data.© Norsk institutt for naturforskning. Publikasjonen kan siteres fritt med kildeangivelse

Oppfølging av handlingsplan for sinoberbille 2009. Kartlegging i Froland og Drangedal kommuner

Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., Laugsand, A., Olberg, S. 2009. Oppfølging av handlingsplan for sino-berbille 2009. Kartlegging i Froland og Drangedal kommuner. - NINA Rapport 529. 22 s. NINA og BioFokus har gjennomført en oppfølging av tiltakene i handlingsplanen for sinoberbille Cucujus cinnaberinus Scopoli, 1763 (Cucujidae), på oppdrag for Fylkesmannen i Telemark. Oppfølgingen har bestått i kartlegging av kjente og mulige nye lokaliteter i to kommuner, Drangedal (Telemark) og Froland (Aust-Agder). Informasjonsarbeid har også vært i fokus, i form av kontakt med skogbruksrepresentanter, lokalmedia der kartleggingen har foregått, utarbeiding av en populærvitenskapelig artikkel og en folder med informasjon om sinoberbillen og forvekslingsarter. Innledningsvis gjennomførte vi et pilotstudium der vi undersøkte grundig forskjellige treslag i ulike nedbrytningsstadier og med ulike diametre. Gjennom dette arbeidet fikk vi etablert en målrettet metodikk for videre søk, med minst mulig påvirkning av substratet. I årets kartleggingskommuner identifiserte vi områder med mye osp ved hjelp av MiS- og Naturtypedata. Deretter oppsøkte vi et utvalg av disse, og lette etter stokker av samme slag som pilotstudiet hadde vist at ga funn av sinoberbille. I slike stokker ble en liten andel bark løftet på for å se etter larver, pupper eller imagines av sinoberbille. I alt undersøkte vi 24 potensielle lokaliteter i Drangedal og 25 i Froland. Vi fant sinoberbillen i henholdsvis 14 og 21 av disse områdene. Tre av lokalitetene i Drangedal og to i Froland var kjent fra før. Totalt undersøkte vi 270 stokker (240 osp og 20 eik, de øvrige andre treslag) som var antatt å være egnet for sinoberbillen, og påviste tilstedeværelse av larver i 83 av disse. Kun fire voksne individer ble funnet. Resultatene indikerer at sinoberbillen i stor grad er i stand til å finne fram til og utnytte egnede stokker av nylig død osp i disse kommunene, som ligger i det som er antatt å være artens kjerneområde. Det er likevel ikke mulig å si noe om artens populasjonsutvikling - om populasjonene er i nedgang, stabile eller økende - ut fra disse dataene.Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., Laugsand, A., Olberg, S. 2009. Follow-up of the Action Plan for Cucujus cinnaberinus 2009. Inventories in Froland and Drangedal municipalities. - NINA Report 529. 22 pp. The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and BioFokus have followed up on the actions suggested in the Action Plan for Cucujus cinnaberinus Scopoli, 1763 (Cucujidae). The work has consisted of surveying known and potential localities for the species in two municipalities, Drangedal (Telemark County) and Froland (Aust-Agder County). We have also sought to inform the public in general and the forest owners specifically, about the characteristics and the habitat demands of the beetle. We started out with a pilot study, investigating different types of substrate (tree species, diameters, decay stage) in order to establish a cost-efficient search method with minimum impact. We then used data from environmental surveys (MiS-mapping and the mapping of nature types) to search out areas with high density of aspen (Populus tremula). Some of these areas were investigated in situ, and suitable substrate was searched for occurrences of the beetle (larvae, pupae or imagines). We surveyed 24 potential localities in Drangedal and 25 in Froland, and found Cucujus cinnaberinus in 14 and 21 of these, respectively. Three of the localities in Drangedal and two in Froland was known beforehand. In total, we searched 270 logs and snags (240 of aspen, 20 oak (Quercus robur), the rest other tree species) that we judged as suitable for the species, and found C. cinnaberinus larvae in 83 of these. Only four imagines were found. The results indicate that C. cinnaberinus to a large extent are able to locate and develop in suitable logs/snags of recently dead aspen within the landscape in these two municipalities, which both are within what can be considered as the key area for the species. It is not possible to evaluate the population trends, e.g. whether the populations are stable, increasing or decreasing, from the present data.© Norsk institutt for naturforskning. Publikasjonen kan siteres fritt med kildeangivelse

Oppfølging av handlingsplan for sinoberbille 2009. Kartlegging i Froland og Drangedal kommuner

Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., Laugsand, A., Olberg, S. 2009. Oppfølging av handlingsplan for sino-berbille 2009. Kartlegging i Froland og Drangedal kommuner. - NINA Rapport 529. 22 s. NINA og BioFokus har gjennomført en oppfølging av tiltakene i handlingsplanen for sinoberbille Cucujus cinnaberinus Scopoli, 1763 (Cucujidae), på oppdrag for Fylkesmannen i Telemark. Oppfølgingen har bestått i kartlegging av kjente og mulige nye lokaliteter i to kommuner, Drangedal (Telemark) og Froland (Aust-Agder). Informasjonsarbeid har også vært i fokus, i form av kontakt med skogbruksrepresentanter, lokalmedia der kartleggingen har foregått, utarbeiding av en populærvitenskapelig artikkel og en folder med informasjon om sinoberbillen og forvekslingsarter. Innledningsvis gjennomførte vi et pilotstudium der vi undersøkte grundig forskjellige treslag i ulike nedbrytningsstadier og med ulike diametre. Gjennom dette arbeidet fikk vi etablert en målrettet metodikk for videre søk, med minst mulig påvirkning av substratet. I årets kartleggingskommuner identifiserte vi områder med mye osp ved hjelp av MiS- og Naturtypedata. Deretter oppsøkte vi et utvalg av disse, og lette etter stokker av samme slag som pilotstudiet hadde vist at ga funn av sinoberbille. I slike stokker ble en liten andel bark løftet på for å se etter larver, pupper eller imagines av sinoberbille. I alt undersøkte vi 24 potensielle lokaliteter i Drangedal og 25 i Froland. Vi fant sinoberbillen i henholdsvis 14 og 21 av disse områdene. Tre av lokalitetene i Drangedal og to i Froland var kjent fra før. Totalt undersøkte vi 270 stokker (240 osp og 20 eik, de øvrige andre treslag) som var antatt å være egnet for sinoberbillen, og påviste tilstedeværelse av larver i 83 av disse. Kun fire voksne individer ble funnet. Resultatene indikerer at sinoberbillen i stor grad er i stand til å finne fram til og utnytte egnede stokker av nylig død osp i disse kommunene, som ligger i det som er antatt å være artens kjerneområde. Det er likevel ikke mulig å si noe om artens populasjonsutvikling - om populasjonene er i nedgang, stabile eller økende - ut fra disse dataene