Tasks and basic methods


  1. Biotope mapping

    Tasks:
    • Analysis of fund materials. Drawing up preliminary map-scheme, differentiating the territory according to whole complex of ecological conditions and outlining of key transects (sample plots) for observations in nature.
    • Route observation of the territory and biotope mapping on the base of preliminary map-scheme and data from key transects (sample plots).
    Basic methods:
    • On the first step, the data bank, incorporating cartographical and descriptive data on the territory in question, is to be compiled. Different cartographic materials - forestry, topographic and thematic (geomorphological, hydrographic, soil, geobotanic etc.) maps of different scale with concomitant information are used in this step. Aerial photographs are preliminary decoded. The biotope map of experimental area in the scale 1:10000-1:15000 is mounted via combining of all available data on the topographic base. A series of plots for future transects (sample plots), comprehensively reflecting biotope diversity in the study area, is outlined.
    • On the second step, a network of pilot routs is layed down so, that they cross every of preliminary established biotopes. The biotope borders and their conformity with preliminary designation are revised in the field. As a result, the final version of the biotope map is to be prepared.
  2. Complex characteristic of biotopes and forest communities in different stages of anthropogenic successions

    The key objects selected among the secondary forest communities, absolutely dominated in the area, including those in the stages of phytocoenosis formation (10-20 years), maximal phytomass increase (60-80 years) and relative stability in the processes of structural changes (over 120 years). Secondary communities after selective cuttings and artificial forest communities (cultures) will be taken into account as well.
    General tasks:
    • Analysis of historical aspect of the territory economic utilisation (type and scale of cuttings, agricultural peculiarities etc.)
    • Selecting the key transects or sample plots for quantitative and qualitative studies of forest ecosystems in natural state and different stages of anthropogenic succession.
    • Field observations on the key transects (sample plots) with detailed description of whole range of biotopes, presented in the study area.
    General methods:
    Collecting and analysis of the archive materials (basically from the funds of Central State Archive of Republic of Karelia), dealing with the history of territory economic utilisation. Modern state of forest cover is analysed, basing on the forestry data, and plots in different stages of reforestation after clear and selective cuttings are marked out. After field study of selected plots, their selection is revised for detailed coordinated ecological studies with special methods appropriate to every ecosystem element as follows.
    Relief, soil-forming rocks and soils
    Geology- geomorphological profilling (on the key transects) of the relief and mesoform characteristic (genesis, constituent and power of Quaternary deposits).
    Methods:
    • Soil cover will be examined on the territory to reveal the existing soil taxons and to compile a 1:10 000 scale soil genetic map. Mapping technique suggests that a laboratory soil map is prepared on the basis of aerial survey and key plots are then established on the site. Quantity of soil profiles determined method (Geography and mapping of forest soils, 1982). Morphological description of soil in profile includes: profile form, thickness of horizons, their colour accourding to the Mansel scale, density, degree of rockiness, neoformations, root saturatuon. Physical characteristics will be found and soil samples for chemical analysis will be collected for each genetic horizon. Granulometric composition, acidic-alkaline characteristics, humus, nutrient and pollutants levels will be determined in the samples.
    One legend of soil map will be compiled according to " Soil classificaton of USSR, 1976", accepted in Russia, but second legend - according to FAO UNESCO soil classification ( Rome, 1990).
    Forest stands and live ground cover
    Methods:
    Description of the forest vegetation on the sample plots is conducted using conventional methods ( Programme and methods ..., 1974). Forest vegetation should be in detail characterised with common methods of descriptions and measuriments. The selection of microgroups - structural units of biogeocoenoses (forest types) is done on the base of structural peculiarities of their phytoelement: number, height and density of the layers, plant species composition, abundance, relative cover, type of growth, dominants of live ground cover, dominant trees of overstory and their age classes. Species composition of microgroups is defined.
    Flora and Vertebrate fauna (excluding micromammals)
    Methods:
    • Investigation of flora and ornitofauna will be done by both route method throughout the whole territory and detail study of every type of biotopes and communities (Yurtsev, Kamelin, 1987). Census of breeding land birds will be done by line transects method (Jarvinen, et al., 1991). One permanent (4-5 census per breeding season) and several temporal (1 census per breeding season) transects will be chosen.
    • For every vascular plant species will be determined hemerobity (Linkola, 1916; Jalas, 1953, 1955; Ilminskih, 1993). All species are combining into four groups: hemerophobes (agemerobes, evanthropophobes), hemiradiophobes (oligogemerobes, hemianthropophobes), hemianthropophiles (mesohemerobes), evanthropophiles (euhemerobes) according to the factor of hemerobity.
    • Structure of coenopopulations will be done according to usual Russian methods (Rabotnov, 1945; Plant coenopopulations, 1976; Plant coenopopulations dynamics, 1985).According to the results of this investigations, some places will be choosen for patch dynamic studies.
    • More exact measurements of pattern's changes can be done on permanent plots. Permanent plots provide information on spatio-temporal patterns in plant communities, which could be analysed to correlated changes in pairs of species and information on species replacements in space.
    • Literature data and our experience show that the best dimensions of permanent plots are 50 m2 according to the patch scale. In the forests it is better to have several such plots close to each other. Some base plots should have frame (or transects) of at least 10 small permanent plots (0.1 - 1 m2) for receiving of most accurate data. We will widely use statistical methods for data interpretation and modelling of processes.
    Fungi and insects associated with wood-decomposing system
    Saproxylic organisms, as a whole, form a fundamental part of the forest ecosystems. The living habits of them are very vulnerable to forest practices and, therefore they are excellent bioindicators of the natural conditions of the primeval forests. It seems quite probably that habitat requirements of wood-growing fungi and saproxylic insects coincide with the main criteria of biodiversity of forest ecosystems in general. The reduction of dead wood in forests does not reduce the numbers of all saproxylics equally but for certain species declining due to a consequence of forest environment is now well proved. There are lists of the fungi and insect species accepted as indicators of conservation value of biotopes in the all North European countries and in Russian Karelia as well. Presence of these communities should be used as a tool for estimating biodiversity values even in the small patches of forests as against big mammals, which need in rather big study areas or higher vascular plants, most of which does not obligatory depend on particular characteristics of primeval forests such as amount of deed wood on different stages of decay.
    Tasks:
    • Species composition of saproxylic insects and wood growing fungi in forest habitats characterised with different management history within the experimental forest area.
    • Habitat distribution of rare and threatened species. Indicating and mapping of the most valuable biotopes in terms of harbouring biodiversity.
    • Evaluation of the ecological factors influencing forest health state and population changes of rare and threatened species of saproxylic insects and wood-growing fungi
    Sampling methods:
    Observation of the whole territory. Selecting of key sample sites characterised with different management history, as follows:
    • primeval coniferous forests with no or few signs of previous logging (if present. If not, we will use for comparison data obtained outside the experimental forest area, e.g. in Kivach Nature Reserve);
    • old growth coniferous forests with signs of logging made more than 50 years ago;
    • secondary mixed and deciduous forests formed after clear cuttings in the last 50 years.
    Window flight insect trapping. To put on a series of twenty window traps (ten standard window traps and ten trunk window traps) in the each sample plot. The traps must be operated through the growing seasons of 1997, 1998 and 1999 (desirable). The traps must be exposed from not later than the beginning of May and emptied once a month until the beginning of September.
    Identification of collected insects and fungi. Creation the species lists and a computer database of distribution of indicator species of saproxylic insects and wood-growing fungi within the experimental forest area.
    Forest health and sanitary state of the experimental area
    Among foresters there is a strong opinion that areas of natural forests may harbour large numbers of potential forest pests and act as dispersal centres for these. As Karelia is situated in non-epidemic zone of the owerbreaks of forest pests, this problem has not been specially studied there. However, in conditions of the planning sustainable forestry concerning to leave dead wood in the cut or managed areas, the study of the risk of pests damages seems actual. Special attention should be paid to the so-called "carantine" species used as indicators of the timber which are sending abroad in the state borders.
    Tasks:
    • Species composition, habitat distribution and population densities of potential fungal and insect pests.
    • Evaluation of the ecological factors influencing forest health state and distribution of potential pest species of saproxylic insects and wood-growing fungi
    Methods:
    • General examination of weakened and dead trees on the transects crossing the whole area. Detailed examination of trees in the key sample plots. Hand picking of polypore fungi and saproxylic beetles.
    • Identification of collected insects and fungi. Creation species lists and a computer database of distribution of fungal and insects pest species within the experimental forest area.
  3. Selection the different biotope categories and assesment of ecological consequences of forest practices
    Tasks:
    • Compilation the biotope list with their quantitative and qualitative characteristic, accounting all complex of ecological parameters (basing on typological principle). Finding out the quantitative ratio, territory preference and modern state of biotopes.
    • Comparative assessment of different types of biotopes in the term of species and coenosis diversity against the background of studied territory and middle taiga subzone of Eastern Fennoscandia
    • Outlining the different biotope categories
    • Comparative analysis of the state of floristic and faunistic complexes, changes of ecological functions of taiga communities before and after anthropogenic disturbance (on the different stages of reforestation)
    Basic methods:
    • Biotopes are classified, analysed and grouped into following categories: a) dominated (basic), b) harbouring rare and threatened species of plants and animals c) vulnerable to anthropogenic pressure concerning coenosis criteria (biotopes, which can not be re-established to natural state under random development).
    • As even small fragments of primeval forests are practically absent on the territory in question, archive data, accumulated in Forest Research Institute and recent experimental data from identical landscape conditions will be involved for their characteristic. Finally, the comprehensive comparative analysis of floristic and faunistic complexes and their coenotic structure is conducted.
    • On the base of extensive literature data, possible changes in ecological situation in connection with anthropogenic transformation of forest cover are analysed, using methods developed in Russia. In this connection, the figures of environment forming and protecting functions of forest communities in natural state and different stages of anthropogenic successions are compared.
    • The effect of alternative management options will be studied experimentally. The treatments to be studied and used will reveal how alternative management strategies affect the biota. We will use so-called Before-After-Control-Impact design where areas will first be thoroughly inventoried before the management and then both types of areas will be inventoried after the tree cuttings. The experiment requires that no action will be taken in the experimental areas before all the necessary inventories are completed.
    • The experiment is designed to show the management impacts both in the thinning cut and the final cut of the forest. The management options represent the major currently available rules and regulations used in the Russian and Scandinavian forestry. The treatments to be compared (both in the thinning and final cut) follow the rules and regulations according to the following statements (these represent the treatments to be compared):
      • Russian Forestry Law
      • Silvicultural recommendations of Enso Ltd
      • Standards set by WWF Sweden in their forest ecosertification procedure
      • Control (no treatments)
    • To reach more general results it is probably necessary to add one more factor representing the major forest site types. Initially we plan to include two categories (fertile vs. non-fertile) but this will be decided only after the forest inventories are completed. The size of the experimental units should preferably be 9 ha squares (300 x 300 m). This allows an edge of 100 m as a buffer zone against other treatments if the size of the actual impact area is 1 ha. If we use five replicates per treatments the whole experiment requires 2 management phases x 2 forest types x 4 treatments x 5 replicates = 80 units. If each unit is 9 ha the total area required to complete the experiment is 80 x 9 = 720 hectares.
    • Based on the results of the experiment we will be able to evaluate the ecological consequencies of alternative management options. However, some of the consequencies will probably not be revealed in the first 3-year part of the study and re-inventoring of the plots also later is absolutely necessary to use the experimental area as efficiently as possible. The experimental areas can naturally be used (and they should be used) also in the context of economical and social sub-programs of the project

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