Greening trends of primary and managed forests in Lithuania
(2024) In Student thesis series INES NGEM01 20241Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
- Abstract
- Primary forests are species-rich, carbon-storing ecosystems that represent natural landscapes without human intervention. In contrast, traditional European forestry practices often involve monoculture plantations aimed at maximizing timber yields, leading to reduced tree life cycles, and affecting the carbon cycle. Despite accounting for less than 3% of forest land in the European Union, primary forests provide crucial ecosystem services, particularly in climate change mitigation, leading to greater research interest. This master thesis investigates greening trends of hemi-boreal primary and secondary forests in Lithuania using the Two-Band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) applied to Landsat satellite data. The analysis of mean 95th EVI2... (More)
- Primary forests are species-rich, carbon-storing ecosystems that represent natural landscapes without human intervention. In contrast, traditional European forestry practices often involve monoculture plantations aimed at maximizing timber yields, leading to reduced tree life cycles, and affecting the carbon cycle. Despite accounting for less than 3% of forest land in the European Union, primary forests provide crucial ecosystem services, particularly in climate change mitigation, leading to greater research interest. This master thesis investigates greening trends of hemi-boreal primary and secondary forests in Lithuania using the Two-Band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) applied to Landsat satellite data. The analysis of mean 95th EVI2 percentiles reveal significantly positive rises in productivity between 1984 and 2023, with 19.7% and 16.4% increases for managed and primary forests, respectively. This amplification over time occurs regardless of stand age at both forest types suggesting that forest greening is a response to regional environmental change. (Less)
- Abstract (Uncoded languages)
- Pirminiai miškai - tai daug rūšių turinčios, anglies dioksidą kaupiančios ekosistemos, kurios sudaro natūralius, žmogaus neliečiamus kraštovaizdžius. Tuo tarpu tradicinė Europos miškininkystės praktika dažniausiai apima monokultūrines plantacijas, kuriomis siekiama kuo didesnio medienos derliaus, trumpinant medžių gyvavimo ciklus, o tai turi įtakos anglies dioksido ciklui. Nepaisant to, kad Europos Sąjungoje pirminiai miškai sudaro mažiau nei 3 proc. miškų ploto, šie miškai teikia itin svarbias ekosistemines paslaugas, ypač švelninant klimato kaitą. Šiame magistro darbe nagrinėjamos Lietuvos pusborealinių pirminių ir ūkinių miškų žalėjimo tendencijos. Naudojant Landsat satelitinių palydovų duomenis, apskaičiuojamas dviejų juostų augalijos... (More)
- Pirminiai miškai - tai daug rūšių turinčios, anglies dioksidą kaupiančios ekosistemos, kurios sudaro natūralius, žmogaus neliečiamus kraštovaizdžius. Tuo tarpu tradicinė Europos miškininkystės praktika dažniausiai apima monokultūrines plantacijas, kuriomis siekiama kuo didesnio medienos derliaus, trumpinant medžių gyvavimo ciklus, o tai turi įtakos anglies dioksido ciklui. Nepaisant to, kad Europos Sąjungoje pirminiai miškai sudaro mažiau nei 3 proc. miškų ploto, šie miškai teikia itin svarbias ekosistemines paslaugas, ypač švelninant klimato kaitą. Šiame magistro darbe nagrinėjamos Lietuvos pusborealinių pirminių ir ūkinių miškų žalėjimo tendencijos. Naudojant Landsat satelitinių palydovų duomenis, apskaičiuojamas dviejų juostų augalijos indeksas (EVI2). Analizuojant vidutines 95-ąsias EVI2 procentiles, 1984-2023 m. atskleidžiamas reikšmingai teigiamas produktyvumo augimas, atitinkamai 19,7 proc. ir 16,4 proc. ūkiniuose ir pirminiuose miškuose. Nepriklausomai nuo medynų amžiaus toks augimas vyksta abiejų tipų miškuose, o tai rodo, kad miškų žalėjimas yra atsakas į klimato pokyčius. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Primary forests are untouched natural landscapes rich in species and great at storing carbon. Although primary forests make up less than 3% of the European Union's forest land, they play a vital role in combating climate change. In contrast, many European forests are managed for timber and usually consist of a single species with shortened tree life cycles, impacting the natural carbon cycle. This study explores the so-called greening trends of primary and managed forests in Lithuania. Over the last four decades (1984-2023), satellite data show that managed forests increased in greenness by 19.7% and primary forests by 16.4%. Greater greenness means that tree photosynthesis and growth rates have been rising in both forest types. The... (More)
- Primary forests are untouched natural landscapes rich in species and great at storing carbon. Although primary forests make up less than 3% of the European Union's forest land, they play a vital role in combating climate change. In contrast, many European forests are managed for timber and usually consist of a single species with shortened tree life cycles, impacting the natural carbon cycle. This study explores the so-called greening trends of primary and managed forests in Lithuania. Over the last four decades (1984-2023), satellite data show that managed forests increased in greenness by 19.7% and primary forests by 16.4%. Greater greenness means that tree photosynthesis and growth rates have been rising in both forest types. The results of this study suggest that greening is a response to regional climate change primary and managed forests of Lithuania. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9166553
- author
- Marijauskaite, Patricija LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- NGEM01 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Physical Geography, Ecosystem Analysis, EVI2, Vegetation Index, Landsat, Remote Sensing, Greening, Greenness, Trend Analysis, Primary Forest, Naturalness, Secondary Forest, Managed Forest, Forestry, Climate change, Lithuania
- publication/series
- Student thesis series INES
- report number
- 665
- language
- English
- id
- 9166553
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-20 14:19:52
- date last changed
- 2024-06-20 14:19:52
@misc{9166553,
abstract = {{Primary forests are species-rich, carbon-storing ecosystems that represent natural landscapes without human intervention. In contrast, traditional European forestry practices often involve monoculture plantations aimed at maximizing timber yields, leading to reduced tree life cycles, and affecting the carbon cycle. Despite accounting for less than 3% of forest land in the European Union, primary forests provide crucial ecosystem services, particularly in climate change mitigation, leading to greater research interest. This master thesis investigates greening trends of hemi-boreal primary and secondary forests in Lithuania using the Two-Band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) applied to Landsat satellite data. The analysis of mean 95th EVI2 percentiles reveal significantly positive rises in productivity between 1984 and 2023, with 19.7% and 16.4% increases for managed and primary forests, respectively. This amplification over time occurs regardless of stand age at both forest types suggesting that forest greening is a response to regional environmental change.}},
author = {{Marijauskaite, Patricija}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Student thesis series INES}},
title = {{Greening trends of primary and managed forests in Lithuania}},
year = {{2024}},
}