National Forest Inventories: Contributions to Forest Biodiversity Assessments (eBook)

Preface 6
Preface – COST Action E43 8
Contents 12
Contributors 14
Abbreviations 18
Chapter 1: The Need for Harmonized Estimates of Forest Biodiversity Indicators* 20
1.1 Forest Biodiversity 21
1.1.1 Introduction 21
1.1.2 What is Forest Biodiversity? 21
1.1.3 Why maintain Forest Biodiversity? 22
1.2 The Role of National Forest Inventories in Monitoring Biodiversity 23
1.2.1 Biodiversity and National Forest Inventories 23
1.2.2 Forest Biodiversity Indicators 24
1.2.3 Geographic Scale 24
1.2.4 The Challenges 26
1.3 International Reporting Requirements 27
1.3.1 International Agreements 27
1.3.2 The Effects of Disparate NFI Definitions and Methods 28
1.4 COST Action E43 30
1.4.1 The European National Forest Inventory Network 30
1.4.2 Background on COST Action E43 30
1.4.3 Working Group 3 of COST Action E43 31
1.5 The Harmonization Process 34
1.5.1 Overview 34
1.5.2 Reference Definitions 34
1.5.3 Constructing Bridges 36
1.5.4 Testing Bridges 37
1.6 Summary 37
References 38
Chapter 2: Essential Features of Forest Biodiversity for Assessment Purposes 43
2.1 Forest Biodiversity Reference Framework 44
2.2 Forest Biodiversity Variables 44
2.2.1 Selecting Forest Biodiversity Variables 44
2.2.2 The Importance and Feasibility of Forest Biodiversity Variables 46
2.2.3 Ranking Biodiversity Variables 52
2.3 The Essential Forest Biodiversity Features 55
2.4 Discussion 56
References 57
Chapter 3: Prospects for Harmonized Biodiversity Assessments Using National Forest Inventory Data 58
3.1 Introduction 59
3.2 Forest Categories 61
3.2.1 Background 61
3.2.2 Forest Categories Assessment Within NFIs 62
3.2.3 Similarities and Differences in the Use of Forest Category Classifications 64
3.2.4 Harmonization Possibilities 64
3.3 Forest Structure 64
3.3.1 Background 64
3.3.2 Forest Structure Assessment within NFIs 66
3.3.3 Similarities and Differences in the Use of Forest Structure Indicators 68
3.3.3.1 Tree Species 68
3.3.3.2 Tree dbh and Height 68
3.3.3.3 Number of Trees per Unit Area 69
3.3.3.4 Social Position of Trees 70
3.3.3.5 Forest Layering 70
3.3.4 Harmonization Possibilities 72
3.4 Forest Age 73
3.4.1 Background 73
3.4.2 Forest Age Assessment within NFIs 73
3.4.3 Similarities and Differences in the NFIs Forest Age Assessment 75
3.4.4 Harmonization Possibilities 77
3.5 Deadwood 78
3.5.1 Background 78
3.5.2 Deadwood Assessment Within NFIs 78
3.5.3 Similarities and Differences in the NFIs Deadwood Assessment 80
3.5.4 Harmonization Possibilities 82
3.6 Regeneration 84
3.6.1 Background 84
3.6.2 Regeneration Assessments within NFIs 85
3.6.3 Availability of Information 85
3.6.4 Similarities and Differences in Regeneration Assessments 87
3.6.5 Harmonization Possibilities 89
3.7 Ground Vegetation 90
3.7.1 Background 90
3.7.2 Assessing Plant Species and Ground Vegetation in NFIs 92
3.7.3 Similarities and Differences in the NFIs Ground Vegetation Assessment 93
3.7.4 Harmonization Possibilities 98
3.8 Forest Naturalness 98
3.8.1 Background 98
3.8.2 Assessing Forest Naturalness in NFIs 100
3.8.3 Similarities and Differences in the NFIs Forest Naturalness Assessment 101
3.8.4 Harmonization Possibilities 105
3.9 Summary 105
References 106
Chapter 4: The Common NFI Database 115
4.1 Construction of the Common NFI Database 115
4.2 Population of the Common NFI Database 116
4.3 Characteristics of the Common NFI Database 120
4.3.1 PLOT Table 123
4.3.2 TREE Table 125
4.3.3 DEADWOOD Table 126
4.3.4 SHRUB Table 129
4.3.5 GROUND VEGETATION Table 129
References 135
Chapter 5: Harmonization Tests 136
5.1 Introduction 137
5.2 Forest Categories 138
5.2.1 Introduction 138
5.2.2 Methods 142
5.2.3 Results and Discussion 144
5.3 Forest Structure 144
5.3.1 Introduction 144
5.3.2 Methods 146
5.3.3 Results and Individual Indicator Discussion 148
5.3.3.1 Indicator 1: Percentage of Basal Area in Native Tree Species 148
5.3.3.2 Indicator 2: Number of Native Tree Species 150
5.3.3.3 Indicator 3: Proportion of Plots with 1, 2, 3 and More Native Tree Species 151
5.3.3.4 Indicator 4: Largest Diameter Trees 152
5.3.3.5 Indicator 5: Standard Deviation of the Tree Heights 154
5.3.3.6 Indicator 6: Percentages of One-, Two- and Multi-Layered Plots by Forest Category 155
5.3.3.7 Indicator 7: Average Number of Tree Layers Per Plot by Forest Category 156
5.3.3.8 Indicator 8: Frequency Distribution of Plot-Level Standard Deviation of dbh 159
5.3.4 Discussion 159
5.4 Forest Age 160
5.4.1 Categories and Definitions 160
5.4.2 Proposed Indicators 160
5.4.3 Components to Be Tested 164
5.4.3.1 Question (a), The Effect of Different Agestand Definitions 164
5.4.3.2 Question (b), Influence of dbh Measurement Threshold on Forest Age 166
5.4.3.3 Question (c), Correlation Between Age and Diameter 167
5.4.3.4 Question (d), Tree Age Models 167
5.4.3.5 Question (e), Practicability of the Proposed Forest Age Indicators 171
5.4.4 Discussion 174
5.5 Deadwood 175
5.5.1 Introduction 175
5.5.2 Materials 175
5.5.3 Methods 176
5.5.3.1 Spatial Position 176
5.5.3.2 Decay Classes 176
5.5.3.3 Woody Species 177
5.5.3.4 Volume Estimation 178
5.5.3.5 Volume Estimation: Per Piece Harmonization 178
5.5.3.6 Volume Estimation: Per Piece Harmonization for Standing Dead Stems 178
5.5.3.7 Volume Estimation: Per Piece Harmonization for Dead Coarse Woody Debris 179
5.5.3.8 Volume Estimation: Per Plot Harmonization 179
5.5.4 Results 180
5.5.5 Discussion 181
5.6 Ground Vegetation 183
5.6.1 Introduction 183
5.6.2 Materials 183
5.6.3 Methods 184
5.6.3.1 Ground Vegetation Layers 184
5.6.3.2 Shrub Species 187
5.6.3.3 Cover Classes 187
5.6.4 Results 189
5.6.4.1 Cover of the Ground Vegetation Layers 189
5.6.4.2 Shrub Harmonization 189
5.6.4.3 Shrub Species and Genera Records 190
5.6.4.4 Shrub Cover 192
5.6.5 Discussion 193
5.7 Naturalness 194
5.7.1 Introduction 194
5.7.2 Methods 195
5.7.3 Results 198
5.7.4 Discussion 199
5.8 Conclusions 200
References 203
Chapter 6: Summary and Conclusions 206
6.1 Introduction 206
6.2 Overview of the Results from the Harmonization Tests 208
6.2.1 Forest Categories 211
6.2.2 Forest Structure 211
6.2.3 Forest Age 212
6.2.4 Deadwood 212
6.2.5 Regeneration 213
6.2.6 Ground Vegetation 213
6.2.7 Naturalness 213
6.3 Lessons Learned 214
6.4 Recommendations 215
6.5 Conclusions 216
References 217
Index 218