Where are Europe's last primary forests? Sabatini, Francesco Maria; Burrascano, Sabina; Keeton, William S. ...
Diversity & distributions,
October 2018, Volume:
24, Issue:
9/10
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Aim: Primary forests have high conservation value but are rare in Europe due to historic land use. Yet many primary forest patches remain unmapped, and it is unclear to what extent they are ...effectively protected. Our aim was to (1) compile the most comprehensive European-scale map of currently known primary forests, (2) analyse the spatial determinants characterizing their location and (3) locate areas where so far unmapped primary forests likely occur. Location: Europe. Methods: We aggregated data from a literature review, online questionnaires and 32 datasets of primary forests. We used boosted regression trees to explore which biophysical, socio-economic and forest-related variables explain the current distribution of primary forests. Finally, we predicted and mapped the relative likelihood of primary forest occurrence at a 1-km resolution across Europe. Results: Data on primary forests were frequently incomplete or inconsistent among countries. Known primary forests covered 1.4 Mha in 32 countries (0.7% of Europe's forest area). Most of these forests were protected (89%), but only 46% of them strictly. Primary forests mostly occurred in mountain and boreal areas and were unevenly distributed across countries, biogeographical regions and forest types. Unmapped primary forests likely occur in the least accessible and populated areas, where forests cover a greater share of land, but wood demand historically has been low. Main conclusions: Despite their outstanding conservation value, primary forests are rare and their current distribution is the result of centuries of land use and forest management. The conservation outlook for primary forests is uncertain as many are not strictly protected and most are small and fragmented, making them prone to extinction debt and human disturbance. Predicting where unmapped primary forests likely occur could guide conservation efforts, especially in Eastern Europe where large areas of primary forest still exist but are being lost at an alarming pace.
In Turkey, almost half of which has semi-arid conditions, steppe areas have continuously been increasing. These areas need to be afforested to prevent desertification. For this purpose, this research ...presents specifically the Anatolian black pine (Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold subsp. pallasiana /Lamb./ Holmboe) as a suitable forest tree species for afforestation activities, due to wide distribution both in Turkey and the broader region. After a thorough investigation of past and recent literature, and onsite activities, the review focuses on the production of seeds and seedlings of the species, land preparation and planting technique, post-planting site maintenance, success in the afforestation areas and considerations on Anatolian black pine seed transfer regioning. In conclusion, local ecological conditions regarding the species should always be taken into consideration. Another important issue for the success of afforestation in semi-arid lands is that the preparation activities of the land for afforestation are carried out with appropriate techniques timely and painstakingly. Moreover, after the 2000s, Turkish forestry focused on afforestation in semi-arid and anthropogenic steppe areas. Anatolian black pine is the most widely used tree species in semi-arid lands and anthropogenic areas and plays the major role in successful afforestation.
Summary Increasing population, expansion of urban areas and rapid urbanization are the main causes of losing green spaces, which results in many environmental problems and threatens the quality of ...urban life. Urban green spaces are of great importance and urban planning issues nowadays gain increasing popularity. It is realized that biological methodologies need to be used in urban planning, otherwise the quality of life will be more threatened. In order to discover the meaning and importance of green corridors in urban areas, a literature review was undertaken. Boulevards, as green corridors, are very important linear parts in the structures of dense modern cities. If planned and designed properly, they mitigate the negative effects of densely built urban environment. Green corridors provide numerous environmental benefits, they are an essential factor of sustainability and have a significant impact on biodiversity. Green corridors also provide social benefits, by enhancing well-being through contact with nature. They decrease health problems and improve the quality of life. The importance of urban green corridors was observed and presented on the example of Blvd. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Blvd. Hristijan Todorovski Karposh, which form an important ecological network in the northern part of Skopje, North Macedonia. The emphasis is on planning, designing and improving green corridors in urban areas like Skopje. Although these two boulevards are well designed as green corridors, with preserved old line greenery, planted with many different plant species (trees, shrubs, perennials), covered by grass, with bicycle and pedestrian paths, there is still potential for improvement. Linear parks on both sides of the new part of the Blvd. Hristijan Todorovski Karposh would be a great idea.
Background and Purpose: Genetic diversity is the basis for adaptation and survival of tree species under changing environmental conditions, representing the key issue of stability and productivity of ...forest ecosystems. This paper studies the marginal population characteristics and stand dynamics of aspen tree (Populus tremula L.) in natural, pure and mixed forest stands with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). These populations were observed on founding sites between Timarli Valley and Timan Plateau located in Pasinler in the Erzurum Province in Turkey.
Materials and Methods: Three replicated sample sites were established according to a randomised block design with a spacing of approximately 200 m in altitude starting from 1,890 m, which is the natural distribution area of P. tremula, up to 2,460 m, above which this species can no longer thrive. Timarlı Valley, Pasinler Erzurum Province, which is the area of research, is located enroute to Timan Plateau, where Scots pines form the alpine tree line ranging up to 2,680 m a.s.l.
Results: In this context, aspen trees in this region are the second closest tree species to the tree line after Scots pine, which are found in the subalpine and war zones. In addition, as a result of this study, it has been found out that this species, notwithstanding its natural area of occupancy across Turkey, could thrive up to 2,460 m in altitude and extent of occurrence.
Conclusions: A new marginal natural population related to aspen has been found in Pasinler in the Erzurum Province, Turkey, which at the same time indicates that the timberline value in the vertical natural distribution of these species should be updated. Aspen trees, which as pioneer trees play a vital role in the rebuilding or restoring of the ecological balance in forests that over time become degraded because of excessive cutting of trees and erroneous silvicultural interventions should be used in the reclamation of broadleaved and mixed forests in a planned manner. Genetic resources that represent marginal and peripheral populations, both within and outside the natural distribution area, should be established and protected.
Aims
Primary forests are critical for forest biodiversity and provide key ecosystem services. In Europe, these forests are particularly scarce and it is unclear whether they are sufficiently ...protected. Here we aim to: (a) understand whether extant primary forests are representative of the range of naturally occurring forest types, (b) identify forest types which host enough primary forest under strict protection to meet conservation targets and (c) highlight areas where restoration is needed and feasible.
Location
Europe.
Methods
We combined a unique geodatabase of primary forests with maps of forest cover, potential natural vegetation, biogeographic regions and protected areas to quantify the proportion of extant primary forest across Europe's forest types and to identify gaps in protection. Using spatial predictions of primary forest locations to account for underreporting of primary forests, we then highlighted areas where restoration could complement protection.
Results
We found a substantial bias in primary forest distribution across forest types. Of the 54 forest types we assessed, six had no primary forest at all, and in two‐thirds of forest types, less than 1% of forest was primary. Even if generally protected, only ten forest types had more than half of their primary forests strictly protected. Protecting all documented primary forests requires expanding the protected area networks by 1,132 km2 (19,194 km2 when including also predicted primary forests). Encouragingly, large areas of non‐primary forest existed inside protected areas for most types, thus presenting restoration opportunities.
Main conclusion
Europe's primary forests are in a perilous state, as also acknowledged by EU's “Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.” Yet, there are considerable opportunities for ensuring better protection and restoring primary forest structure, composition and functioning, at least partially. We advocate integrated policy reforms that explicitly account for the irreplaceable nature of primary forests and ramp up protection and restoration efforts alike.
Primary forests, defined here as forests where the signs of human impacts, if any, are strongly blurred due to decades without forest management, are scarce in Europe and continue to disappear. ...Despite these losses, we know little about where these forests occur. Here, we present a comprehensive geodatabase and map of Europe's known primary forests. Our geodatabase harmonizes 48 different, mostly field-based datasets of primary forests, and contains 18,411 individual patches (41.1 Mha) spread across 33 countries. When available, we provide information on each patch (name, location, naturalness, extent and dominant tree species) and the surrounding landscape (biogeographical regions, protection status, potential natural vegetation, current forest extent). Using Landsat satellite-image time series (1985-2018) we checked each patch for possible disturbance events since primary forests were identified, resulting in 94% of patches free of significant disturbances in the last 30 years. Although knowledge gaps remain, ours is the most comprehensive dataset on primary forests in Europe, and will be useful for ecological studies, and conservation planning to safeguard these unique forests.
The sweet chestnut (
Castanea sativa
Mill.) is a widely spread and important multipurpose tree species in the Mediterranean area, which has played an important role in human history. Natural events, ...such as glaciations, and human influence played significant roles in the distribution and genetic makeup of the sweet chestnut. In order to better understand how natural and human-mediated past events affected the current genetic diversity and structure of the sweet chestnut, we analysed populations from Central Europe and the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, utilizing ten polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers. The study revealed the existence of three genetically and, to a large extent, geographically distinct and well-defined groups of sweet chestnut populations. Two not entirely separated groups of populations were detected in the northern part of the studied area and one in the southern. Our results indicate that the genetic structure of sweet chestnut populations in Central Europe and the western part of the Balkan Peninsula is the result of both natural colonization events and significant and lengthy human impact. Furthermore, it has been proven that the gene flow between cultivated/grafted trees’ and wild chestnut stands can influence their genetic structure. However, our results reveal that cultivated-to-wild introgression in the sweet chestnut is dependent on the close proximity of chestnut orchards and naturally occurring populations.
Subject of research in this article is the urban dendroflora of the Macedonia Park, situated on about 50,000 m2 in the Macedonian capital city of Skopje, i.e., identification and presence of the ...recent woody plants. Thus, observed are morphological and ecological features of the woody plants and their current state in this urban environment. The investigation relates to a seven-year period (since the establishment of
the Park in 2012 up to late 2019). After the field research and the inventorisation of the woody plants in the Park, 82 taxa were identified, represented in 1,318 individuals. Most represented tree species is the hybrid Platanus × hispanica Mill. ex Münchh. with 103 individuals (7.81% of the overall urban dendroflora). Most frequent tree
including infraspecific taxa is Fraxinus excelsior L. (including F. e. ‘Globosa’, F. e. ‘Jaspidea’, and F. e. ‘Pendula’) with a total number of
146 individuals (11.08%). Concerning other growth form, the mini and small tree roses of hybrid Rosa Floribunda Group outnumber all ornamental woody species with 225 bushes (17.07%). Climbers are represented with 3 taxa (3.66% of identified taxa) in pergolas (Wisteria
sinensis /Sims/ Sweet, Parthenocissus quinquefolia /L./ Planch.), and wire cage topiary (Hedera helix L.). Likewise, 87 individuals (6.60%) of
10 species (12.19%) occur as remnants of the greening in the past of which 3 species are used as a green core of a small sacral architecture:
Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis (Mill.) Loudon (with 10 trees), Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco (3), and Pinus nigra J.F.Arnold (1). In general, the urban dendroflora is properly selected and used for greening, although certain species and individuals are withering (e.g. Betula pendula ‘Youngii’, Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’, F. e. ‘Jaspidea’) or unsuitably used for avenue and in small alpine-like garden.
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