Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China.
Forest management under a changing climate requires assessing the effects of climate warming and disturbance on the composition, age structure, and spatial patterns of tree species. We investigated these effects on a boreal forest in northeastern China using a factorial experimental design and simul...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23573209/pdf/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1818426473420161024 |
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| author | Xiaona Li Hong S He Zhiwei Wu Yu Liang Jeffrey E Schneiderman |
| author_facet | Xiaona Li Hong S He Zhiwei Wu Yu Liang Jeffrey E Schneiderman |
| author_sort | Xiaona Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forest management under a changing climate requires assessing the effects of climate warming and disturbance on the composition, age structure, and spatial patterns of tree species. We investigated these effects on a boreal forest in northeastern China using a factorial experimental design and simulation modeling. We used a spatially explicit forest landscape model (LANDIS) to evaluate the effects of three independent variables: climate (current and expected future), fire regime (current and increased fire), and timber harvesting (no harvest and legal harvest). Simulations indicate that this forested landscape would be significantly impacted under a changing climate. Climate warming would significantly increase the abundance of most trees, especially broadleaf species (aspen, poplar, and willow). However, climate warming would have less impact on the abundance of conifers, diversity of forest age structure, and variation in spatial landscape structure than burning and harvesting. Burning was the predominant influence in the abundance of conifers except larch and the abundance of trees in mid-stage. Harvesting impacts were greatest for the abundance of larch and birch, and the abundance of trees during establishment stage (1-40 years), early stage (41-80 years) and old- growth stage (>180 years). Disturbance by timber harvesting and burning may significantly alter forest ecosystem dynamics by increasing forest fragmentation and decreasing forest diversity. Results from the simulations provide insight into the long term management of this boreal forest. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T14:30:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2fe1bf61c614086b6373fdf0f390272 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T14:30:23Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| spelling | doaj.art-f2fe1bf61c614086b6373fdf0f3902722022-12-21T22:57:49ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0184e5974710.1371/journal.pone.0059747Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China.Xiaona LiHong S HeZhiwei WuYu LiangJeffrey E SchneidermanForest management under a changing climate requires assessing the effects of climate warming and disturbance on the composition, age structure, and spatial patterns of tree species. We investigated these effects on a boreal forest in northeastern China using a factorial experimental design and simulation modeling. We used a spatially explicit forest landscape model (LANDIS) to evaluate the effects of three independent variables: climate (current and expected future), fire regime (current and increased fire), and timber harvesting (no harvest and legal harvest). Simulations indicate that this forested landscape would be significantly impacted under a changing climate. Climate warming would significantly increase the abundance of most trees, especially broadleaf species (aspen, poplar, and willow). However, climate warming would have less impact on the abundance of conifers, diversity of forest age structure, and variation in spatial landscape structure than burning and harvesting. Burning was the predominant influence in the abundance of conifers except larch and the abundance of trees in mid-stage. Harvesting impacts were greatest for the abundance of larch and birch, and the abundance of trees during establishment stage (1-40 years), early stage (41-80 years) and old- growth stage (>180 years). Disturbance by timber harvesting and burning may significantly alter forest ecosystem dynamics by increasing forest fragmentation and decreasing forest diversity. Results from the simulations provide insight into the long term management of this boreal forest.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23573209/pdf/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Xiaona Li Hong S He Zhiwei Wu Yu Liang Jeffrey E Schneiderman Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China. PLoS ONE |
| title | Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China. |
| title_full | Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China. |
| title_fullStr | Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China. |
| title_short | Comparing effects of climate warming, fire, and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China. |
| title_sort | comparing effects of climate warming fire and timber harvesting on a boreal forest landscape in northeastern china |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/23573209/pdf/?tool=EBI |
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