Forest Biodiversity indicators in the Biosoil...

Forest Biodiversity indicators in the Biosoil

Project

MINISTERIODE CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGÍA

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIÓNY TECNOLOGÍA

AGRARIA Y ALIMENTARIA

CIFOR

PROTECCIÓN FORESTAL

“Forest Focus Biosoil-Conference 2009”

9th

November 2009 Brusseles

Goals of the biodiversity package:

•To harmonize activities at European level and to use common parameters, in

key issues of forest biodiversity

•To asses the usefulness of Level I European network for supporting

transfrontier intensive studies

•A first classification of the European forests, taking account the problems of

selection of indicators, its robustness and effectiveness

• To carry out a feasible methodology and guidelines for future studies

•The design of a framework for studying the forest biodiversity in space and

time, with future assessments




CIFOR



9th


Selection of indicators

What indicators do we need?

The selection of indicators to use in any particular assessment will depend on the precise

goals of the assessment (which has to be clearly defined) and on the framework for the

development of the selected indicator. In addition, the relationship between selected

indicators and endpoints should be analyzed using appropriate statistical approaches

(Hyman and Leibowitz, 2001). Many indicators of forest biodiversity have been poorly

tested and require rigorous validation in order to be interpreted with confidence (Noss,

1999).




CIFOR



9th


In a recent report from the EEA (Anon. 2007), several sets of indicators were proposed for European biodiversity aiming to evaluate the 2010- target. Concerning forest biodiversity three indicators have been suggested:

•Ecosystem coverage, •Forest growing stocks •Dead wood.

Only the last two have relevance for the assessment of biodiversity trends in European forests.




CIFOR



9th


What are indicators?

Indicators are measurements or expressions that convey information about more

than just themselves. They quantify and simplify information on complex issues that

is often derived from technical investigations.

Indicators are purpose-dependent and open to interpretation, and rarely, if ever, tell

the whole story. Indicators should be:

• scientifically valid;

• based on easily available data;

• responsive to change;

• easily understandable;

• relevant to focal issues and users’ needs;

• subject to target or threshold setting.




CIFOR



9th


In addition Biosoil has several peculiarities:

At European level the project cover different scenarios of work, from boreal to

mediterranean systems, therefore it has to be:

•Easy to carry on, cleary defined and comparable among plots

•To include different structures and ecosystems in Europe

•To cover the key issues for the study of forest biodiversity

•Feasibility of be repeated thorough time

•Applicable in Level I plots.




CIFOR



9th


The sampling approach of the biodiversity component of BioSoil includes the following surveys;

Plot design: BioSoil sampling plot designGeo-referencing of the plot using a common projection

Forest type classificationVerification of actual forest type

Structural forest diversity ‒

Diameter at breast height and species composition of all woody plants (including standing and lying trees, living and dead))‒ Coarse woody debris (including snags and stumps)‒ Canopy closure and tree layering

Compositional forest diversityGround vegetation (vascular plant species list)

BioSoil sampling approach:




CIFOR



9th


In biodiversity assessment a key issue is the use of an appropriate scale resolution.

Species distribution data on, for example 50x50 km grids, may provide little guidance on

the presence or absence of species in any given square kilometer of forest. However,

such data may be useful for estimating patterns of species richness, in particular clusters,

by superimposing distribution data for each individual species. Such potential richness

maps, though coarse, can be combined with data on forest cover to indicate forest areas

that are likely to have high species richness and to direct further inventory work.

It is a pilot project where different countries has participated in different ways, using all or

part of Level I plots (half, one quarter). This issue is very important when assessing the

data at transnational level.

Biosoil design




CIFOR



9th


The sampling plot design affects the variability and the representatively of the network.

One approach is to deal with that problem in a large-scale inventory, by taking a number of

samples and mixing them together in a combined sample that can be analysed. The most

frequently asked questions are how many samples should be taken and how high should

be. Uncertainties that appear on different scales and at different components. Especially,

systematic errors have to be avoided. Analytical data which are systematically too high or

too low have to be avoided, too.

Biosoil design (II)




CIFOR



9th





CIFOR



9th


It is recommended that the BioSoil sampling plot be sited in relation to the location of the

crown condition assessment and the soil pit of the soil component of the BioSoil project, in

such way that the soil pit should be within the 2000 m2, but where possible outside the

boundaries of subplots 1 and 2. If the BioSoil plot occurs on steep slopes and slope

correcting factors are used, they should be recorded and noted in the data forms along with

the average slope of the plot.

Based in a large amount of studies developed using this type of design the basic BioSoil plot

is devised as a circular plot divided in three circular subplots: an outer plot (subplot 3) with a

radius of 25.24 m (2000 m2) and including 2 circular subplots with fixed radii of 3.09 m (30

m2, subplot 1) and 11.28 m (400 m2, subplot 2).

Optionally for specific surveys within the BioSoil plot such as ground vegetation and forest

deadwood, 4 randomly selected squares of 10 m x 10 m (so called random sampling units A,

B, C and D) may be established within the 2000 m2 plot, while still respecting the overall

BioSoil subplot layout 1, 2 and 3 for the other surveys e.g. DBH.

Biosoil design (III)




CIFOR



9th


The random selection is carried out by first generating a random azimuth and

random distance from the centre of the BioSoil plot to establish a corner of the

random sampling unit A. From this first sampling unit the other three sampling

units B, C and D may be established by using the same azimuth and distance as

for plot A but rotated through 90o on each occasion. These sampling units should

not overlap.

The random sampling units A,B, C and D are used optionally only instead of the

recommended BioSoil subplots 1 and 2 where countries desire to do so. It is not

mandatory to establish the random sampling Units A, B, C and D in the BioSoil

plot. Where they are established they may be used for ground vegetation and

coarse woody debris assessments only. When they are not established,

vegetation and deadwood surveys are conducted only in BioSoil subplots 1 and

2.

Biosoil design (IV)




CIFOR



9th


The basic BioSoil circular sampling plot of 25.24 m radius, consisting of 3 subplots of different radii and optionally

for specific surveys 4 randomly selected square sampling units (A, B, C, and D)

Unit Shape Radius*(area)

Subplot (1) Circle 3.09 m (30 m2)



Unit A, B, C, and D Square 10 m x 10 m (100 m2)

33

2211

Biosoil design (V)

Subpar 1 30 m2

Subpar 2 400 m2

Subpar 3 2000 m2

General plot description YesCheck of the forest type classification Yes

DBH and species of all woody plants taller than (standing and lying living and dead trees)

DBH > 0 cm DBH > 10 cm DBH> 50 cm

Top height and bottom of canopy layer Selection of 5 trees

Coarse woody debris (incl. stumps and snags) D > 10 cm D > 10 cm -Canopy closure (visual) YesTree layering (visual) YesGround vegetation –vascular species list only Yes




CIFOR



9th


Mandatory minimum requirements in the BioSoil Plot. Tree species and DBH of standing and lying,

living and dead trees (H >130 cm) are recorded across the entire BioSoil sampling plot according to the

diameter thresholds shown above. Forest deadwood (coarse woody debris incl. stumps and snags, ground

vegetation (vascular plant species list only) are measured in a total sampling area of 400 m2. Ground

vegetation and forest deadwood surveys may be performed in EITHER the two BioSoil subplots 1 and 2 OR

in the randomly selected sample units A. B, C and D of 10 m x 10 m each.

33

2211




CIFOR



9th


The general description of the Level I plot has been performed according to the description of the EU/ICP-Forests Level I plots (UN-ECE, 2004) Under the BioSoil demonstration project, this description is validated in the field, together with the following complementary compulsory parameters for the interpretation of the results:

Previous land use Origin of standForest managementForest Type Harvesting methodRemoval of coarse woody debris Ownership informationPattern of tree mixtureAge of the dominant tree layerSlope Orientation Fencing of the plot

GENERAL PLOT DESCRIPTION




CIFOR



9th


Some indicators, such as area of different forest types and protected forest area, are

common to all of the criteria and indicator processes and international reporting

obligations.

The total area of each type of forest present in a country has a major bearing on the

biodiversity that can be supported. Spatial or mapped data on the extent and location of

forests can thus be used to generate useful indicators for both assessing and monitoring

forest biodiversity. This information can be derived from satellite remote sensing or aerial

survey. Its usefulness depends on an ability to classify forest types in ways that are

meaningful in biodiversity terms. This usually requires integration with other types of

information, including forest structure, soils, topography and expert knowledge.

As well, a parallel study to BioSoil has classified the Level I plots into broad forest types

based on the main tree species and some few other selection criteria, using the existing

data of the Monitoring Programme (Chirici et al., 2005). A system using the nomenclature

developed by the EEA is used, which classifies Europe into 28 general forest types.

Forest type classification

This process will allow verification of other systems of forest classification and should also

be a very useful tool to permit a pre-stratification of the plots at national level for sampling

purposes.The forest type classification in the BioSoil comprises the verification of the pre-assessed forest type classification of the Level I at plot level (EEA system).

It’s a very important parameter at three levels:- Assessment of the nowadays situation of the European forests- Checking if it’s recommendable a more in depth study for certain forest types- Assessment of changes in a temporal scale

Forest type classification also gives information about the human activity effects in the forests




CIFOR



9th


Forest type classification (II)




CIFOR


Structural characteristics of forest stands are relatively easy to assess and are of fundamental importance for biodiversity. Forest stands tend to be structurally heterogeneous, both vertically and horizontally; structural complexity may determine habitat availability and may thus influence in the diversity of plant, animal and microbial communities. Measures of forest structure that can contribute to indicators include canopy cover, vertical structure of the canopy, and size or age distribution of trees.Forest structure is of interest in biodiversity monitoring due to its use by forest organisms, i.e. habitat range. The measurement of forest structure provides an important, robust and repeatable indicator of forest biodiversity.

Structural diversity including:Tree diameter (see plot design)Tree species composition of all trees on the BioSoil sampling plotTree height measurementsCanopy characteristics

Optional assessmentdistance from plot center to each tree (in meters with 1 decimal)azimuth from plot center to each tree (in degrees 360o)

Structural forest diversity




CIFOR



9th


Tree diameter distribution, species composition, tree height

The tree diameter distribution is used to describe the structure of the forest stand.

The DBH is recorded in cm only as follows:

Subplot 1: DBH > 0 cm and taller than 130 cm

Subplot 2: DBH > 10 cm

Subplot 3: DBH > 50 cm

All trees (standing and lying, living and dead) are calipered (or measured by tape) at DBH

(130 cm) if the height is greater than 130 cm.

Tree species is recorded for all measured living and dead trees according to the species

list.

Tree status is recorded as well: (condition code 1= standing living, 2= standing dead, 3=

lying dead




CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

The canopy structure has widespread ramifications on the function of the forested ecosystem and its suitability to support other species. It plays an important role for the regeneration of trees as well as for understory species. They can also serve as early warnings for changes in the abundance of difficult to measure species including endangered species and soil species. The BioSoil project includes estimates of canopy closure and number of tree layers. Canopy closure is estimated as the amount of shade that the canopies of trees create on the ground.

Canopy characteristics




CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles




CIFOR


Deadwood has become more and more considered as indicator in the assessment of

the biodiversity and naturalness of forest systems. Its occurrence, in an appropriate

proportion according to forest use, is fundamental for the maintenance of biological

diversity, since it represents a microhabitat for hundred of species of invertebrates, fungi,

bryophytes, lichens, amphibians, small mammals and birds.

The quantity of deadwood occurring in natural forests in the different European regions

depends on many factors, and its correct estimation must consider forest type,

development stage, type and frequency of natural disturbance in the region, type of

management, but also soil and climatic characteristics, which together contribute to

complete the formation and decomposition cycle of deadwood.

Quantities of deadwood have strongly decreased since the middle of the nineteenth

century due to intense forest exploitation and widespread burning of small wood pieces

and other leftovers, and to the removal of all physical obstacles to selvicultural activity.

The forest deadwood assessment involves mandatory measuring of lying dead trees,

coarse woody debris (CWD), snags, and stumps. in this case.




CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Forest deadwood




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Forest deadwood II

Forest deadwood components with diameter greater than 10 cm

are considered as coarse woody debris and assessed by a full

sampling within either the inner subplots 1 and 2 or the four

randomly selected square BioSoil sampling units A, B, C and D.

Fine woody debris is measured as an option only using the

same approach as CWD but using a 5 cm threshold.

Presence of deadwood can be related to the intensity of

selvicultural actions and the way these are carried out. This is

because deadwood quantities (woody necromass) in managed

forests are considerably lower than in forests left to evolve

naturally: it has been estimated that only 2 to 30% of the

deadwood found in non-managed forests occurs in managed

ones. Therefore, in the interest of conservation, attempts are

being made to increase woody necromass in productive areas.




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

1. Mandatory• Diameter (in cm) of coarse woody debris and length (in m) • Species of the coarse woody debris if possible (see species list)• Diameter of stump (cm) less than 130 cm in height with a diameter at normal cut height greater than 10 cm• Species of stump if possible (see species list) • Estimated diameter of snag (cm) and snag height (in m)• Species of snag if possible (see species list)• Decay state (5 classes) of all deadwood

2. Optional • Diameter (in cm) of fine woody debris and length (in m).• Species of fine woody debris species if possible (see species list)

Coarse woody debris (CWD) includes stems, limbs, branches lying on the ground occurring in the inner subplots 1 & 2 OR in the 4 square optional sampling units.

Forest deadwood (III)




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Ground vegetation information is a key parameter for biodiversity, directly expressed by

the species richness and derived indices like Shannon-Wiener-Index or Simpson- Index,

indirectly trough the providing of numerous ecological niches.

Furthermore ground vegetation is a bioindicator of environmental changes and can thus be

used for long-term studies of vegetation dynamics and their relationship to changes in

other forest ecosystem variables like deposition, climate, soil and also other key

parameters for biodiversity like stand structure.

Detecting change in populations of forest species is problematic, especially for animals,

which are usually difficult to census, and especially in tropical moist forests where most

species are, statistically speaking, rare. It is unlikely that significant changes can be

detected with confidence in less than 4-5 years. Even when change can be detected,

caution must be exercised when interpreting it, mainly because populations of species

constantly change under natural conditions. km x 32 km grid.

COMPOSITIONAL BIODIVERSITY Ground vegetation




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Such changes are brought about by climatic fluctuations, disease, predator-prey cycles

and other interactions between species, as well as random or stochastic variation.

Distinguishing these changes from those brought about by human actions may be

difficult.

Following the recommendations of the EU/ICP Forest Expert Panel on Ground

Vegetation, vascular plant species list are assessed on mandatory across the

minimum sampling area of 400m2

Vascular plant species list are assessed by a full sampling within EITHER the inner

subplots 1 and 2 OR the four optionally selected square sampling units A, B, C and D.

As previously showed, interannual changes in vegetation thorough the year due to the

climatic conditions that affect mainly to annual species

Ground vegetation (II)




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

•Lichens Lichen assessment is relevant to describe and monitor part of forest biodiversity

development over time in space and evaluate effects of changing air quality over time in

space. Only macrolichens can be assessed on a representative sample of plots for Europe.

The effects of the surrounding landscape on species richness on the plot (e.g. area

•of forests / fragmentation) can be assessed, at landscape level.

•Naturalness / Environmental quality: Considering the proposed forest naturalness

assessment at all levels is rather a quality parameter/concept, it has been proposed

replacing the expression “Naturalness” with the new one “Environmental quality”.

•Invertebrates: To address the main priorities at European level (climate change, loss of

biodiversity/SEBI2010, synergies with the Nature2000 network, ecosystem functioning) is

recommended to apply the method “window traps”,

•Birds This would allow information on bird species densities and frequency of occurrence to

be evaluated against already existing data on forest structure and ground vegetation

communities for the first time.

Biosoil

optional indicators




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Level I plots near of roads, buildings… can have altered their characteristics in flora

species, distribution and number of components . The consequence it that flora inventory in

Biosoil gives less number of individuals that registered in the Level II ForestBiota project.

In pasture land and dehesas there are almost no trees in the plots.

Flora inventory one time per year does not necessarily show annual species that only

appear seasonally

Problems during the plot design in Spain




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Plots hierarchy accordingprevious land use

Years Plots Nª %

Forested > 300 years 24 15,89

Forested > 100 years 53 35,10

forested more 100 y. 55 36,42

In the past 25 years 4 2,65

no information 15 9,93

Plots hierachy according the origin of stand

Origin Plots %

Planted 50 32,26

Seeded 4 2,58

Natural regeneration 80 51,61

Mixed 11 7,10

Unknown 6 3,87

Plots hierarchy according the pattern of tree mixture

Differents species Plots Number %

Intimate 36 23,84

No intimate 21 13,91

Monospecific 94 62,25

Example of results: Spain




CIFOR





CIFOR


“Forest

Focus

Biosoil-Conference

2009”

9th

November

2009 Brusseles

Códe Descriptión Nº plots % total

1 Boreal Forest

2 Hemiboreal and nemoral Scots pine forest

3 Alpine coniferous forest 7 4,52

4 Atlantic and nemoral oakwoods, Atlantic ashwoods and dune forest 7 4,52

5 Oak-hornbeam forest

6 Beech forest

7 Montaneous beech forest 4 2,58

8 Thermophilous deciduos forest 19 12,26

9 Broadleaved evergreen forest 42 27,10

10Coniferous forests of the Mediterranean, Anatolian and Macaronesian regions 47 30,32

11 Swamp forest

12 Floodplain forest 1 0,65

13 Native plantations 15 9,68

14 Exotic plantations and woodlands 13 8,39

Total 151 100,00

Forest type classification in Spain




CIFOR





CIFOR



9th


No deadwood in 40% of the plots, up to 65% if stumps are excluded

Degradation of deadwood is Level 3: dead wood mantain its structure but neither

branchlets nor bark

There are a link between forest types and the amount and level of dead wood.

degradation: Lowest index in quantity (60% of plots without dead wood) and degradation

level (less than 3) occurs in evergreen broadleaves

Deadwood




CIFOR





CIFOR



9th


Especie Nº parcela Especies Nº de parcela

Quercus ilex 62 Rubus sp 35

Juniperus oxycedrus 39 Genista scorpius 30

Pinus halepensis 29 Crataegus monogyna 24

Quercus coccifera 24 Cistus ladanifer 23

Pinus pinaster 21 Ulex europaeus 16

Pinus sylvestris 19 Rhamnus alaternus 16

Quercus pyrenaica 19 Rubus ulmifolius 13

Pinus nigra 17 Cistus albidus 13

Juniperus communis 17 Cytisus sp 12

Quercus robur 16 Buxus sempervires 12

Tree and shrub species with highest presence in the BIOSOIL plots, amount of plots where have been found




CIFOR





CIFOR



9th


Conclusion

Biosoil project has been the first great scale test of biodiversity in the framework of European

Damage grids.

Data obtained in this first phase give us a nowadays picture, but more in depth studies are

necessary covering all the European plots and developing periodic revisions to assess the “loss of

biological diversity”, in order to contribute to the 2010 policy goal.

Loss of biological diversity description depends of multitude of factors: (i) time space between

assessments, (ii) spatial and regional scale, (iii) selection of parameters (key issue in the assessment

process)

Basic parameters in the biodiversity studies are assessed. In any case it’s necessary to follow the

assessment in the future in order to study trends and remove the influence of punctual climatic

events.

Other parameters should be included in the future, as

the quoted lichen analysis or microsoil fauna. Wide

spreading of the assessment to all the European Level I

grid, forest inventories Level II and other forest grids

also should be considered in the future.




CIFOR





CIFOR



9th


¡Thanks you!




CIFOR





CIFOR



9th


Forest Biodiversity indicators in the Biosoil...

Documents

Transcript of Forest Biodiversity indicators in the Biosoil...