Wirtschafliche und soziale ziele der kommunalen gebietsreform

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Patterns and drivers of species composition of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens in managed temperate forests

Epiphytic bryophytes and lichens are an important component of the endangered forest biota in temperate forests, their diversity and composition patterns being regulated by tree, stand and landscape scale factors. The aim of this study is to improve ecological understanding of such factors in managed coniferous– deciduous mixed forests of Hungary in the context of forest management. In particular, this study investigate the effect of tree species composition, stand structure (tree size distribution, shrub layer and dead wood), microclimate (light, temperature and air humidity), landscape and historical factors on the stand level and tree level composition of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens. The relationships were explored by multivariate methods (redundancy analysis, canonical correspondence analysis and variation partitioning) and indicator species analysis. Tree species is among the most important driver of species composition in both organism groups. For bryophytes, the continuity of forest microclimate and the presence of shrub layer are also important, while lichen assemblages are influenced by light availability. Landscape and historical variables were less influential than stand scale factors. On the basis of our results, the main strategy of management focusing on epiphyte diversity conservation should include: (1) the maintenance of tree species diversity in mixed stands; (2) increasing the proportion of deciduous trees (mainly oaks and hornbeam); (3) the maintenance of large trees within the stands; (4) the presence of shrub and regeneration layer; (5) the creation of heterogeneous light conditions

Factors influencing epiphytic bryophyte and lichen species richness at different spatial scales in managed temperate forests

The effect of management related factors on species richness of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens was studied in managed deciduous-coniferous mixed forests in Western-Hungary. At the stand level, the potential explanatory variables were tree species composition, stand structure, microclimate and light conditions, landscape and historical variables; while at tree level host tree species, tree size and light were studied. Species richness of the two epiphyte groups was positively correlated. Both for lichen and bryophyte plot level richness, the composition and diversity of tree species and the abundance of shrub layer were the most influential positive factors. Besides, for bryophytes the presence of large trees, while for lichens amount and heterogeneity of light were important. Tree level richness was mainly determined by host tree species for both groups. For bryophytes oaks, while for lichens oaks and hornbeam turned out the most favourable hosts. Tree size generally increased tree level species richness, except on pine for bryophytes and on hornbeam for lichens. The key variables for epiphytic diversity of the region were directly influenced by recent forest management; historical and landscape variables were not influential. Forest management oriented to the conservation of epiphyte s should focus on: (i) the maintenance of tree species diversity in mixed stands; (ii) increment the proportion of deciduous trees (mainly oaks); (iii) conserving large trees within the stands; (iv) providing the presence of shrub and regeneration layer; (v) creating heterogeneous light conditions. For these purposes tree selection and selective cutting management seem more appropriate than shelterwood system

Stand-scale potential of production forests for lichen diversity: a hemiboreal perspective

It is still poorly documented how the role of production forests for sustaining biodiversity varies depending on the management techniques used, particularly in the case of species-rich and poorly detectable taxon groups. We studied lichens in hemiboreal forest landscapes in Estonia to understand (i) the stand-scale potential of production forests in maintaining the full assemblages present in old-growth forests and natural wildfire areas; (ii) limiting factors for lichen species and assemblages in production forests. The Estonian production forests are known to have relatively high habitat quality despite the dominant clear-cutting practices: their medium-intensity ‘semi-natural forestry’ approach has maintained tree species diversity through predominantly natural regeneration and through retention and low-intensity thinning practices. We sampled stand-scale full lichen assemblages and measured stand structure in 125 2-ha plots representing three successional stages (old growth; mature managed forests; clearcut sites) and both clear-cut and wildfire origin. The full dataset (378 species, including non-lichenized calicioid fungi and lichenicolous fungi) comprised three-fourths of the respective species pool known to inhabit forests in Estonia. Our main finding was that approximately half of the total species pool can inhabit production forests only if specific substratum legacies (e.g., deciduous trees, dead wood) are favored during management. In turn, half of these species tend to be nationally rare and their populations in production forests may be crucially important (currently distributed in rather similar proportion between production forests and reserves). The other half of the total species pool comprises species that regularly inhabit production forests of highly variable habitat quality (35% of all species) or are restricted to natural forests (15%). The post-disturbance successional differences among lichens assemblages were very clear, and this was only partly dependent on tree retention practices that determined the presence of 152 epiphyte species in early successional stands. Additionally, one third of species regularly inhabiting production forests were confined to older stands where their presence depends on rotation age or the spread of uneven-aged silviculture. Managing for tree species diversity within stands was also very influential while the diversity among stands was restricted to two main assemblage types (pine forests and spruce-deciduous mixed forests). In conclusion, production forests did not form one ‘habitat’ that could be used for analysing conservation solutions across landscapes and much more attention should be paid on the particular management regimes used or available.peerReviewe

Toward practical conservation of fungal diversity: polypores reveal the history and guide the future of forest conservation

National IUCN red lists are important information sources for assessing land use decisions from a biodiversity conservation perspective. If the assessments are detailed enough, they can be used as starting points for identifying the practical options for improving both targeted conservation management and land-use on a sectoral scale. We (1) assessed the IUCN red list status for all the 220 polypore species in Estonia, hemiboreal Europe; and (2) distinguished, for all 59 threatened species and in co-operation with practitioners, the most influential and feasible conservation options representing a broad range of approaches (site protection; prescriptions to land use; protection of individuals; active management; umbrella species). The red-list assessments clearly mirrored a predicted intensification of forestry (replacing historically low intensity of logging and largely natural regeneration), which were partly compensated by habitat improval within the established reserve system. We thus found that a small number of specific management decisions (particularly in the forestry sector) is affecting most of the sensitive polypore species. The map of appropriate conservation options for threatened species included many alternatives to the traditional strict site protection for well-known threatened species, e.g.: (1) woodland key habitat assessment in sites hosting threatened species (enables to protect the best habitats); (2) controlling removal of dead-wood in specific places in the surroundings of known strictly protected locations, or in known unprotected locations; (3) protecting the fruit body and the substrate item that likely hosts (most of) its mycelium in various environments used by humans. Such collection of options indicates the need for conservation frameworks explicitly designed for fungi. As a general conclusion, we recommend systematic and multi-disciplinary assessments of sensitive taxon groups in order to understand the full effects of land use decisions on biodiversity and for identifying specific problems in conservation management practices and legislation.peerReviewe

Hälsorelaterad miljöövervakning Cancerframkallande ämnen i tätortsluft : Personlig exponering och bakgrundsmätning Stockholm 2015

Cancerframkallande ämnen i tätortsluft är en studie som utförs på uppdrag av Naturvårdsverket. Projektet utförs i fem städer i Sverige (Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö, Umeå och Lindesberg) och återkommer till samma stad ungefär vart femte år. Studien genomfördes första gången i Stockholm 2002, andra gången 2009 och nu senast hösten 2015. Syftet med projektet är att kartlägga allmänbefolkningens exponering för utvalda luftburna cancerframkallande ämnen, såsom: bensen, 1,3-butadien, formaldehyd, kvävedioxid (NO2), kväveoxid (NOx) samt PM2,5 och ett antal polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAH:er). Resultaten används främst för att utvärdera miljökvalitetsmålet "Frisk Luft" och som underlag för en förbättrad riskvärdering hos allmänbefolkningen. Kemikalier vars utbredning undersöktes i studien är vanliga i tätortsluft och kan i höga koncentrationer ge upphov till olika symptom i luftvägar, ögon och slemhinnor, samt öka förekomsten av hjärt- och kärlsjukdom och antalet cancerfall. 40 slumpvis utvalda stockholmsbor i åldrarna 20-50 rekryterades för årets undersökning. Samtliga försökspersoner bar på personliga provtagare för respektive ämnen under en veckas tid. Hälften av dessa gjorde även en upprepad mätning, bortsett från formaldehyd. Tjugo av deltagarna samtyckte även till mätningar av PM2,5 (partiklar med aerodynamisk diameter ≤2,5μm) och polycykliska aromatiska kolväten (PAH:er) i deras vardagsrum under 48 timmar. Parallellt med dessa mätningar genomfördes även stationära mätningar av samma ämnen i den urbana utomhusluften. Detta gjordes vid två referensplatser, Wollmar Yxkullsgatan, Capio Maria (taknivå) och Hornsgatan (gatunivå). Deltagarfrekvensen var 25 % och medelåldern för deltagarna 38,5 år. Fördelningen mellan könen var 37,5/62,5 (15 män och 25 kvinnor). Medianhalten som uppmättes av de personburna mätarna var för bensen 0,9 μg/m3, vilket är lägre än miljökvalitetsmålet (1 μg/m3). Det motsvarande värdet för 1,3-butadien var 0,3 μg/m3, vilket är högre än miljökvalitetsmålet (0,2 μg/m3). Jämfört med den senaste mätning i Stockholm 2009 har medelvärden, som uppmättes av de personburna mätarna, för bensen blivit lägre medan halterna av 1,3-butadien blivit något högre. Dock ligger bakgrundshalterna för bensen oförändrade sedan senaste mätning i Stockholm medan halterna för 1,3-butadien har ökat något. Medianhalten för den personliga exponeringen för formaldehyd var 15 μg/m3, vilket ligger något högre än miljökvalitetsmålets årsmedelvärde och är dessutom en ökning med 5 μg/m3 sedan senaste mätningen i Stockholm 2009. Jämfört med mätomgången från 2002 låg bakgrundshalter av formaldehyd vid referensplatserna på en högre nivå under 2015, men när det gäller gatunivå (Hornsgatan) så ligger halterna lägre under 2015 jämfört med mätomgångarna från 2002 och 2009. Medianhalter för kvävedioxid och kväveoxid var 16 μg/m3 respektive 45,4 μg/m3. Halterna av kvävedioxid ligger därmed under både miljökvalitetsnormen och miljökvalitetsmålen. Trendmässigt kan man se en liten ökning i kvävedioxidhalterna i den urbana bakgrunden sedan senaste mätomgången i Stockholm (2009). Även medianhalter för den personliga exponeringen för kvävedioxid ökade från 15 μg/m3 (2009) till 16 μg/m3. 3 Medianhalten för PM2,5 i deltagarnas vardagsrum var 5,8 μg/m3 för 48 timmar vilket är under miljökvalitetsmålet (10 μg/m3). De urbana bakgrundshalterna av partiklar ligger på ett medianvärde på 4,7 μg/m3 för två dygn (48 timmar) vilket också är lägre än miljökvalitetsmålet. PM2,5 filtren från vardagsrumsmätningarna och de stationära mätningarna analyserades även på sitt innehåll av nio polycykliska kolväten. Bens(a)pyren användes som ett indikatorvärde av dessa och halterna inomhus ligger under rådande gräns- och riktvärden och betydligt lägre än motsvarande halter utomhus vid samma tillfäll

Pealinnaregiooni juhtimise oiguslikud ja majanduslikud probleemid ning nende lahendamise voimalused

CD-rom: Rechliche und wirtschaftliche Probleme der Verwaltung der Hauptstadtregion und ihre Lösungsmöglichkeiten p. 112-134vo