Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia
Abstract Background Forest management has historically focused on provisioning of goods (e.g. timber, biomass), but there is an increasing interest to manage forests also to maintain biodiversity and to provide other ecosystem services (ES). Methods We evaluated the effects of firewood harvesting in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Forest Ecosystems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40663-020-00255-y |
| _version_ | 1828076336796663808 |
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| author | Matías G. Goldenberg Facundo J. Oddi Juan H. Gowda Lucas A. Garibaldi |
| author_facet | Matías G. Goldenberg Facundo J. Oddi Juan H. Gowda Lucas A. Garibaldi |
| author_sort | Matías G. Goldenberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Forest management has historically focused on provisioning of goods (e.g. timber, biomass), but there is an increasing interest to manage forests also to maintain biodiversity and to provide other ecosystem services (ES). Methods We evaluated the effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and different ES in three contrasting shrubland sites in northern Patagonia (Argentina). At each site, four harvesting treatments, representing various levels of harvest intensity, were randomly assigned to eight permanent sample plots of 31.5 m × 45 m during 2013–2014. Results We found that the effects of increasing harvesting intensity on plant diversity changed from negative to positive (and from nonlinear to more linear responses) with increasing site productivity. Harvesting intensity showed contrasting effects on variables related to fire protection ecosystem service, since it reduced fuel amount (potentially reducing fire spread) but also reduced live fuel moisture content (potentially increasing flammability) at the three sites. Two variables related to soil formation and protection ES, leaf litter cover and aerial soil cover, decreased with harvesting intensity at the three sites. Conclusions We conclude that shrubland management for firewood production may enhance biodiversity without compromising certain important ES. The intensity of harvesting should be determined according to site conditions and forecasted impacts on biodiversity, fire and soil formation and protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:13:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a36737c38d4140e5a70a0ae9cf1c025f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2197-5620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:13:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forest Ecosystems |
| spelling | doaj.art-a36737c38d4140e5a70a0ae9cf1c025f2023-01-03T01:44:42ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Forest Ecosystems2197-56202020-07-017111410.1186/s40663-020-00255-yEffects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern PatagoniaMatías G. Goldenberg0Facundo J. Oddi1Juan H. Gowda2Lucas A. Garibaldi3Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo RuralUniversidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo RuralLaboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del ComahueUniversidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo RuralAbstract Background Forest management has historically focused on provisioning of goods (e.g. timber, biomass), but there is an increasing interest to manage forests also to maintain biodiversity and to provide other ecosystem services (ES). Methods We evaluated the effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and different ES in three contrasting shrubland sites in northern Patagonia (Argentina). At each site, four harvesting treatments, representing various levels of harvest intensity, were randomly assigned to eight permanent sample plots of 31.5 m × 45 m during 2013–2014. Results We found that the effects of increasing harvesting intensity on plant diversity changed from negative to positive (and from nonlinear to more linear responses) with increasing site productivity. Harvesting intensity showed contrasting effects on variables related to fire protection ecosystem service, since it reduced fuel amount (potentially reducing fire spread) but also reduced live fuel moisture content (potentially increasing flammability) at the three sites. Two variables related to soil formation and protection ES, leaf litter cover and aerial soil cover, decreased with harvesting intensity at the three sites. Conclusions We conclude that shrubland management for firewood production may enhance biodiversity without compromising certain important ES. The intensity of harvesting should be determined according to site conditions and forecasted impacts on biodiversity, fire and soil formation and protection.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40663-020-00255-yTemperate forest ecosystemsDisturbance intensityPlant diversityEcosystem services |
| spellingShingle | Matías G. Goldenberg Facundo J. Oddi Juan H. Gowda Lucas A. Garibaldi Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia Forest Ecosystems Temperate forest ecosystems Disturbance intensity Plant diversity Ecosystem services |
| title | Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia |
| title_full | Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia |
| title_fullStr | Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia |
| title_short | Effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern Patagonia |
| title_sort | effects of firewood harvesting intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem services in shrublands of northern patagonia |
| topic | Temperate forest ecosystems Disturbance intensity Plant diversity Ecosystem services |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40663-020-00255-y |
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