Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area
Background The occurrence of aspen trees increases the conservation value of mature conifer dominated forests. Aspens typically occur as scattered individuals among major tree species, and therefore the inventory of aspens is challenging. Methods We characterized aspen populations in a boreal...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2015-05-01
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| Series: | Forest Ecosystems |
| Online Access: | http://www.forestecosyst.com/content/2/1/12 |
| _version_ | 1797969622901719040 |
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| author | Matti Maltamo Annukka Pesonen Lauri Korhonen Jari Kouki Mikko Vehmas Kalle Eerikäinen |
| author_facet | Matti Maltamo Annukka Pesonen Lauri Korhonen Jari Kouki Mikko Vehmas Kalle Eerikäinen |
| author_sort | Matti Maltamo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
The occurrence of aspen trees increases the conservation value of mature conifer dominated forests. Aspens typically occur as scattered individuals among major tree species, and therefore the inventory of aspens is challenging.
Methods
We characterized aspen populations in a boreal nature reserve using diameter distribution, spatial pattern, and forest attributes: volume, number of aspens, number of large aspen stems and basal area median diameter. The data were collected from three separate forest stands in Koli National Park, eastern Finland. At each site, we measured breast height diameter and coordinates of each aspen. The comparison of inventory methods of aspens within the three stands was based on simulations with mapped field data. We mimicked stand level inventory by locating varying numbers of fixed area circular plots both systematically and randomly within the stands. Additionally, we also tested if the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data as auxiliary information would improve the accuracy of the stand level inventory by applying the probability proportional to size sampling to assist the selection of field plot locations.
Results
The results showed that aspens were always clustered, and the diameter distributions indicated different stand structures in the three investigated forest stands. The reliability of the volume and number of large aspen trees varied from relative root mean square error figures above 50% with fewer sample plots (5–10) to values of 25%–50% with 10 or more sample plots. Stand level inventory estimates were also able to detect spatial pattern and the shape of the diameter distribution. In addition, ALS-based auxiliary information could be useful in guiding the inventories, but caution should be used when applying the ALS-supported inventory technique.
Conclusions
This study characterized European aspen populations for the purposes of monitoring and management of boreal conservation areas. Our results suggest that if the number of sample plots is adequate, i.e. 10 or more stand level inventory will provide accurate enough forest attributes estimates in conservation areas (minimum accuracy requirement of RMSE% is 20%–50%). Even for the more ecologically valuable attributes, such as diameter distribution, spatial pattern and large aspens, the estimates are acceptable for conservation purposes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:04:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0ec3ae211c34cd2a61c1db3da658b8b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-6355 2197-5620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:04:08Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forest Ecosystems |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0ec3ae211c34cd2a61c1db3da658b8b2023-01-02T13:27:53ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Forest Ecosystems2095-63552197-56202015-05-01210.1186/s40663-015-0037-4Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation areaMatti Maltamo0 Annukka Pesonen1Lauri Korhonen2Jari Kouki3Mikko Vehmas4Kalle Eerikäinen5University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Science, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland Blom Kartta Oy, Kauppakatu 15, Joensuu, 80100, Finland University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Science, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Science, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland City of Joensuu, Joensuu, 80100, Finland Natural Resources Institute Finland, Joensuu Unit, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland Background The occurrence of aspen trees increases the conservation value of mature conifer dominated forests. Aspens typically occur as scattered individuals among major tree species, and therefore the inventory of aspens is challenging. Methods We characterized aspen populations in a boreal nature reserve using diameter distribution, spatial pattern, and forest attributes: volume, number of aspens, number of large aspen stems and basal area median diameter. The data were collected from three separate forest stands in Koli National Park, eastern Finland. At each site, we measured breast height diameter and coordinates of each aspen. The comparison of inventory methods of aspens within the three stands was based on simulations with mapped field data. We mimicked stand level inventory by locating varying numbers of fixed area circular plots both systematically and randomly within the stands. Additionally, we also tested if the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data as auxiliary information would improve the accuracy of the stand level inventory by applying the probability proportional to size sampling to assist the selection of field plot locations. Results The results showed that aspens were always clustered, and the diameter distributions indicated different stand structures in the three investigated forest stands. The reliability of the volume and number of large aspen trees varied from relative root mean square error figures above 50% with fewer sample plots (5–10) to values of 25%–50% with 10 or more sample plots. Stand level inventory estimates were also able to detect spatial pattern and the shape of the diameter distribution. In addition, ALS-based auxiliary information could be useful in guiding the inventories, but caution should be used when applying the ALS-supported inventory technique. Conclusions This study characterized European aspen populations for the purposes of monitoring and management of boreal conservation areas. Our results suggest that if the number of sample plots is adequate, i.e. 10 or more stand level inventory will provide accurate enough forest attributes estimates in conservation areas (minimum accuracy requirement of RMSE% is 20%–50%). Even for the more ecologically valuable attributes, such as diameter distribution, spatial pattern and large aspens, the estimates are acceptable for conservation purposes.http://www.forestecosyst.com/content/2/1/12 |
| spellingShingle | Matti Maltamo Annukka Pesonen Lauri Korhonen Jari Kouki Mikko Vehmas Kalle Eerikäinen Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area Forest Ecosystems |
| title | Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area |
| title_full | Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area |
| title_fullStr | Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area |
| title_short | Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area |
| title_sort | inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area |
| url | http://www.forestecosyst.com/content/2/1/12 |
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