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Forestry operations focusing on different types of felling related to carbon and economic efficiencies
Plch, Radek ; Pecháček, O. ; Vala, V. ; Pokorný, Radek ; Cudlín, Pavel
Assessments of carbon and economic efficiencies, completed by an environmental load computation using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, could be a useful tool for assessing sustainable forest management (e.g. Berg & Lindholm 2005, Michelsen et al. 2008). The purpose of this study was to compare forestry operations focused on manually operated (chainsaw) and fully mechanized (harvester) felling in Norway spruce monocultures and mixed forests within the Novohradské Mts. (Czech Republic) using the methods of carbon efficiency (including LCA) and economic efficiency. In general terms, these methods consist of comparing quantified human inputs (e.g. fossil fuels, electricity, used machinery, and fertilizers, converted into emission units of carbon in t C in CO2 equivalent or EUR) with quantified ecosystem outputs (biomass production in t C or EUR). Forest operations were modelled for one rotation period. The results showed the main differences in carbon emissions and carbon efficiency related to forest operations with different types of felling. In contrast, the economic efficiency results did not differ much with different types of felling. Differences between Norway spruce monocultures and mixed forests using the same type of felling were relatively small for carbon efficiency but large for economic efficiency (Norway spruce monocultures recorded higher economic efficiency).
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Comparison of forestry reclamation and spontaneous succession from plant diversity, production, and economic perspectives
Cudlín, Ondřej ; Faigl, T. ; Plch, Radek ; Cudlín, Pavel
The aim of our study was to determine whether the values of plant community diversity, the volume of wood, and the partial economic efficiency of plots left to spontaneous succession have yet reached similar values as those recorded on forestry reclaimed plots. Six forestry reclaimed plots and six plots with spontaneous succession were established at the Great Podkrušnohorská spoil heap and selected tree biometric characteristics were measured. Plots’ economic efficiency was calculated as the difference between the costs to level the spoil heap as well as establish and manage the forest reclamation and the theoretical profit from wood. The numbers of tree species, numbers of individuals, wood volume, and Simpson diversity index values did not differ significantly between plots with spontaneous succession and reclaimed plots. The economic efficiencies of both types of plots were too burdened with high initial investments for levelling, which can theoretically be returned within 300 years for reclamation plots and 180 years for succession plots. According to our results and those of some other authors, values for diversity and wood production are similar or higher on plots resulting from spontaneous succession in comparison to values on reclaimed plots. For this reason, both types of management should be used to establish a new suitable mosaic of ecosystems in the post-mining landscape.
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The importance of hydromorphological analysis in evaluating floodplain disturbances – an upper Stropnice River case study
Jakubínský, Jiří ; Pelíšek, I. ; Cudlín, Pavel
This contribution deals with a comparative analysis of the hydromorphological state of a river network and the ecological status of a neighbouring floodplain area. The issue has gained great importance especially in addressing the causes and effects of flood events, which are an increasingly frequent manifestation of global environmental change at the local level. The area of interest was the upper part of the Stropnice River basin in Southern Bohemia with an area of about 100 km2. The basin is characterized by wide variability of natural conditions and human activities. The main objective was to analyse how the river’s morphological status affects habitat type naturalness. We endeavoured to determine the extent to which hydromorphological modifications contributed to transforming riparian natural habitats into more human-influenced habitats. Based on the results, we can conclude that within the area of interest the direct link between rivers and their close surroundings was only minimal. A significant role in shaping this relationship was played by a large anthropogenic modification of the entire floodplain area as well as the actual riverbed, which often causes completely different results. In areas where the floodplain ecosystem displayed relatively favourable environmental values, the relevant channel reach was degraded significantly, and vice versa. These facts point to longterm effects from anthropogenic pressure, which are manifested in the mutually and not well coordinated management of the river network and land-use system within the watershed.
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The relationships of soil CO2 flux with selected Norway spruce root parameters and sterol content in the soil
Holub, Filip ; Fabiánek, Tomáš ; Večeřová, Kristýna ; Moos, Martin ; Oravec, Michal ; Tříska, Jan ; Marková, I. ; Edwards, Magda ; Cudlín, Pavel
The flow of CO2 from the soil is a very important part of the carbon cycle in an ecosystem. The aim of our work was to determine how roots and rhizospheric fungi contribute to CO2 flux from the soil. Preliminary results from two years of research are presented. The research on how root biomass as well as ergosterol and phytosterol contents in roots and soil affected CO2 flux from the soil was conducted in a 108-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forest in the Drahany Highlands during 2010 and 2011. CO2 flow was measured using a LI-8100 portable closed gasometric system (Li-Cor, USA). The dry weight and volume of individual root categories (< 1 mm, 1–2 mm, 2–5 mm, > 5 mm), C and N contents in the roots, as well as ergosterol, β-sitosterol, and campesterol contents in the soil and roots were determined from root-containing soil samples located in the circular measurement chamber. In addition, sterol content was determined in the soil only. Our soil respiration results correspond with the findings of Buchman (2000) who found respiration values between 5–7 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 in a 111-year-old spruce forest. A significant influence on soil respiration was proven only for sitosterol content in the soil. The relationships among soil CO2 flux, root characteristics, and nitrogen and sterol contents in the roots and soil are discussed.
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Treeline shift under global change - ectomycorrhizas as a limiting factor?
Vašutová, Martina ; Holub, Filip ; Čermák, Martin ; Cudlín, Pavel
It is assumed that global change will cause a treeline shift . Because competitive abilities and natural regeneration of trees are infl uenced by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbiosis and fi ne roots and ECM mycelia play a key role in belowground carbon turnover, we have studied the ECM associations of treeline ecosystems. We aim to fi nd out how resistant and resilient current ECM associations of these ecosystems are and whether the absence of appropriate ECM symbionts could be a limiting factor of an ecosystem shift . We have focused on natural mountain spruce forests and spruce forests on the treeline; dwarf pine stands with scattered spruce trees above the treeline will be studied in years to come. Ectomycorrhizas were described by morphological features and sequenced to identify fungal species. In the case of taxonomically complicated ECM fungal groups, sequences from microscopically identifi ed sporocarps were used for the identifi cation of ectomycorrhizas. A disproportion between ECM fungi diversity in spruce stands and dwarf pine stands revealed based on a literature review can indicate diff erent ectomycorrhiza patterns at the treeline. According to preliminary results from the Giant Mts. there is an adequate ECM fungal species diversity in mountain spruce forest and spruce forests on the treeline.
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Energy, carbon and economic balance of Norway spruce moncultures and near-natural forests
Plch, Radek ; Pecháček, O. ; Vala, V. ; Pokorný, Radek ; Bednář, V. ; Cudlín, Pavel
The assessment of energy, carbon and economic balances, completed by environmental load computation using the Life Cycle Assessment method, could be a useful tool for sustainable forest management examination. Th ese methods were used to compare forest stands with diff erent management in the Novohradské Mountains (Czech Republic). For this purpose, one of the main forest management set of stands in the research area was chosen. Th e diff erences between energy and carbon effi ciency were small while the diff erences between economic effi ciency were considerable for all the alternatives. From all the alternatives, higher energy, carbon and economic effi ciency for Norway spruce monoculture were achieved; however, abiotic and biotic disturbances have not been included in the calculation yet. Th e main part of energy inputs and carbon emission consists of silviculture and timber transport.
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Valutation of ecosystem services provided by habitat on the basis of biodiversity characteristics and the rate and sustainability of selected ecosystem functions
Cudlín, Pavel ; Prokopová, Marcela ; Cudlín, O.
Increasing human impacts on ecosystems result in a continuous decrease in biodiversity; scientists try to estimate the consequences in ecosystem functioning and ecosystem service (ES) provision. A suitable space framework to study this relationship could be the habitat and its relative value expressed by the monetary valuation of a selected fi nal ES. A cross connection of the methods for ecosystem functioning assessment with biodiversity valuation of habitats would enable an estimation of the role of biodiversity in ES provision. It is necessary to identify not only present functioning, described by eff ect traits, but also its sustainability under global environmental change conditions, described by response traits. Th is approach could reveal the resilience and adaptation potential of present habitats to environmental change and subsequently potential changes in ES provision.
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Influence of precipitation and temperature in the period 1961–2100 on the possibilities to grow Picea abies in the Czech Republic
Cudlín, Pavel ; Štěpánek, P. ; Macků, J. ; Kohout, M. ; Rožnovský, J.
For environmental risk estimation of Norway spruce ecosystems under climate change, the space means for each „forest vegetation degree“ in the frame of all so called „natural forest areas“ basic climatic characteristics (above all mean daily diameter, daily precipitation sum) and two climatic extremes (number of days with daily precipitation sum < 1 mm, number of days with maximum temperature > 30 oC) were computed. Aggregate typological units, as“forest type sets” and “management types” in combination with “forest stand types”, were used for environmental risk estimation at „natural forest areas“ and whole Czech Republic levels. Endangered forest stands, occurred in given “forest type set”, „forest vegetation degree“ and „natural forest area“ were estimated using comparison of basic and derived climatic parameters between all 5 time period (1961–2099). Measured data from climatic stations were used for the period A (1961–1990) and B (1991–2009); for periods C (2010–2039), D (2040–2069) and E (2070–2099) the data were modeled by climatic model ALADIN-Climate/CZ. This procedure enabled to distinguish all „natural forest areas“ into “warm” ones, which do not meet requirements for ecological conditions of Norway spruce at present period B and “cold” ones which meet them
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