Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland
Forest fragmentation is a widespread phenomenon that directly or indirectly affects the processes that take place both in forest ecosystems and in their immediate surroundings. So far, many studies confirm its negative effects, especially on biodiversity. On the other hand, there are few studies tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/4/590 |
| _version_ | 1797434726906068992 |
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| author | Piotr Budniak Stanisław Zięba |
| author_facet | Piotr Budniak Stanisław Zięba |
| author_sort | Piotr Budniak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forest fragmentation is a widespread phenomenon that directly or indirectly affects the processes that take place both in forest ecosystems and in their immediate surroundings. So far, many studies confirm its negative effects, especially on biodiversity. On the other hand, there are few studies that address the effects of forest fragmentation on the amount of accumulated biomass or carbon, as well as on the characteristics of wood resources in managed forests. Therefore, issues related to timber production, which are important from the point of view of multifunctional forest management, are omitted. The aim of our research was to add to the knowledge in this area. In particular, we focused on assessing the impact of forest fragmentation on wood resources based on an analysis of edge effects in forest patches (units formed by combining forest fragments characterized by structural connectivity). Vector data describing the topography of forest fragments in Poland and the results of the National Forest Inventory (NFI) from 2015–2019 were used as material for solving this problem. The results of our research showed that the effects of fragmentation on managed pine stands depend on the age of the stand and the fertility of the habitat. In young stands growing on barren or strongly barren habitats, growing stock volume turned out to be significantly higher in the edge zone. In older stands, especially on moderately fertile habitats, significantly higher resources were found in the interior zone of forest patches. Habitat quality also had a significant effect on the amount of carbon accumulated. In strongly barren habitats, higher carbon mass was found in edge zones, while in moderately fertile habitats, stands had higher carbon volume in the interior zone. Our results illustrate that forest fragmentation is a very complex process that can increase or reduce wood resources, depending on the age of the stand and the quality of the habitat. From the standpoint of measurable benefits, it was concluded that protection from the negative effects of fragmentation should focus primarily on older stands and more fertile habitats. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:36:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5dc67b24ef44035a8a6cb5d9cdd9d8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:36:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5dc67b24ef44035a8a6cb5d9cdd9d8d2023-12-01T20:54:51ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-04-0113459010.3390/f13040590Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in PolandPiotr Budniak0Stanisław Zięba1Department of Forest Resources Management, Forest Research Institute, Sękocin Stary, Ul. Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, PolandDepartment of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Krakow, PolandForest fragmentation is a widespread phenomenon that directly or indirectly affects the processes that take place both in forest ecosystems and in their immediate surroundings. So far, many studies confirm its negative effects, especially on biodiversity. On the other hand, there are few studies that address the effects of forest fragmentation on the amount of accumulated biomass or carbon, as well as on the characteristics of wood resources in managed forests. Therefore, issues related to timber production, which are important from the point of view of multifunctional forest management, are omitted. The aim of our research was to add to the knowledge in this area. In particular, we focused on assessing the impact of forest fragmentation on wood resources based on an analysis of edge effects in forest patches (units formed by combining forest fragments characterized by structural connectivity). Vector data describing the topography of forest fragments in Poland and the results of the National Forest Inventory (NFI) from 2015–2019 were used as material for solving this problem. The results of our research showed that the effects of fragmentation on managed pine stands depend on the age of the stand and the fertility of the habitat. In young stands growing on barren or strongly barren habitats, growing stock volume turned out to be significantly higher in the edge zone. In older stands, especially on moderately fertile habitats, significantly higher resources were found in the interior zone of forest patches. Habitat quality also had a significant effect on the amount of carbon accumulated. In strongly barren habitats, higher carbon mass was found in edge zones, while in moderately fertile habitats, stands had higher carbon volume in the interior zone. Our results illustrate that forest fragmentation is a very complex process that can increase or reduce wood resources, depending on the age of the stand and the quality of the habitat. From the standpoint of measurable benefits, it was concluded that protection from the negative effects of fragmentation should focus primarily on older stands and more fertile habitats.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/4/590forest patchforest fragmentfragmentationNFIedge effectgrowing stock |
| spellingShingle | Piotr Budniak Stanisław Zięba Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland Forests forest patch forest fragment fragmentation NFI edge effect growing stock |
| title | Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland |
| title_full | Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland |
| title_short | Effects of Forest Fragmentation on the Volume of Wood Resources in Managed, Pine-Dominated Forests in Poland |
| title_sort | effects of forest fragmentation on the volume of wood resources in managed pine dominated forests in poland |
| topic | forest patch forest fragment fragmentation NFI edge effect growing stock |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/4/590 |
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