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Modelling the effects of management intensification on multiple forest services: a Swedish case study

Zanchi, Giuliana LU ; Belyazid, Salim LU ; Akselsson, Cecilia LU and Yu, Lin LU (2014) In Ecological Modelling 284. p.48-59
Abstract
The study presents a method to evaluate the response of forest ecosystems to increased biomass extraction based on the integrated ecosystem model ForSAFE. It evaluates the effects of residue removal, intensification of thinnings and a shorter rotation period on a forest site in Southern Sweden. The evaluation includes multiple ecosystem indicators for productivity, carbon storage, wood production, water use and water quality. Such integrated assessments can contribute to identify negative or positive impacts affecting ecosystem services provided by forests. Results show that increased biomass extraction reduces the carbon stored in the forests, but at the same time reduces the loss of nitrogen and carbon through leaching. Within one... (More)
The study presents a method to evaluate the response of forest ecosystems to increased biomass extraction based on the integrated ecosystem model ForSAFE. It evaluates the effects of residue removal, intensification of thinnings and a shorter rotation period on a forest site in Southern Sweden. The evaluation includes multiple ecosystem indicators for productivity, carbon storage, wood production, water use and water quality. Such integrated assessments can contribute to identify negative or positive impacts affecting ecosystem services provided by forests. Results show that increased biomass extraction reduces the carbon stored in the forests, but at the same time reduces the loss of nitrogen and carbon through leaching. Within one rotation, residue removal affects the carbon stock in the soil, but it does not affect forest productivity and therefore tree carbon stock. Contrarily, the intensification of thinnings and shorter rotation periods reduce carbon stored in trees. In all cases, the amount of wood available for products increases, but the additional harvest from increased thinnings and earlier clear cutting does not compensate for the loss of carbon in trees. A positive consequence of removing the decomposing material from the site is the reduced amount of nutrients lost with runoff. Both leached nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon decrease with intensification. In addition, a positive effect of increased thinnings and a shorter rotation period is a reduced evapotranspiration, i.e. reduced water use. The effect on acidification differed depending on the time frame considered and the applied management scenario, due to different dominating processes regulating acidity. To avoid acidification, management intensification should include measures to prevent loss of base cations in the soil. Overall, under the studied conditions, the risk for negative effects seems to be smaller for residue extraction than for management changes including additional tree harvest. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Integrated assessment, Dynamic model, Forest management, Ecosystem, service, Long-term measurement
in
Ecological Modelling
volume
284
pages
48 - 59
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000338181100005
  • scopus:84899893055
ISSN
0304-3800
DOI
10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.04.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fe1da664-1079-4ab1-b73d-aee95fb408df (old id 4602639)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:46:10
date last changed
2022-03-14 07:43:40
@article{fe1da664-1079-4ab1-b73d-aee95fb408df,
  abstract     = {{The study presents a method to evaluate the response of forest ecosystems to increased biomass extraction based on the integrated ecosystem model ForSAFE. It evaluates the effects of residue removal, intensification of thinnings and a shorter rotation period on a forest site in Southern Sweden. The evaluation includes multiple ecosystem indicators for productivity, carbon storage, wood production, water use and water quality. Such integrated assessments can contribute to identify negative or positive impacts affecting ecosystem services provided by forests. Results show that increased biomass extraction reduces the carbon stored in the forests, but at the same time reduces the loss of nitrogen and carbon through leaching. Within one rotation, residue removal affects the carbon stock in the soil, but it does not affect forest productivity and therefore tree carbon stock. Contrarily, the intensification of thinnings and shorter rotation periods reduce carbon stored in trees. In all cases, the amount of wood available for products increases, but the additional harvest from increased thinnings and earlier clear cutting does not compensate for the loss of carbon in trees. A positive consequence of removing the decomposing material from the site is the reduced amount of nutrients lost with runoff. Both leached nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon decrease with intensification. In addition, a positive effect of increased thinnings and a shorter rotation period is a reduced evapotranspiration, i.e. reduced water use. The effect on acidification differed depending on the time frame considered and the applied management scenario, due to different dominating processes regulating acidity. To avoid acidification, management intensification should include measures to prevent loss of base cations in the soil. Overall, under the studied conditions, the risk for negative effects seems to be smaller for residue extraction than for management changes including additional tree harvest. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Zanchi, Giuliana and Belyazid, Salim and Akselsson, Cecilia and Yu, Lin}},
  issn         = {{0304-3800}},
  keywords     = {{Integrated assessment; Dynamic model; Forest management; Ecosystem; service; Long-term measurement}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{48--59}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Ecological Modelling}},
  title        = {{Modelling the effects of management intensification on multiple forest services: a Swedish case study}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4151499/5152141.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.04.006}},
  volume       = {{284}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}