|
 |
Lena Gustafsson
Professor |
|
|
|
Contact:
Telephone: +4618 - 67 27 47
E-mail: Lena.Gustafsson@nvb.slu.se
Address:
Department of Conservation Biology
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Box 7002
750 07 UPPSALA
SWEDEN
|
|
Plant ecologist. Research on biodiversity in forests. Some of my research questions are:
- How the biodiversity is distributed over the landscape?
- How different forestry operations affect the flora and fauna?
- How conservations measures should be designed in order to best benefit biodiversity?
Research projects
Cost-efficiency of setting aside forests for biodiversity conservation
Cost-efficiency of retaining tree groups at final felling
Cost-efficiency of setting aside young forests for biodiversity conservation
Biodiversity-oriented guidelines for tropical forestry in SE Asia
Red-listed species in young compared with mature boreal forest
|
|
Fig. 1. A clear-cut in boreal forest. |
|
Cost-efficiency of setting aside forests for biodiversity conservation
The set-aside of forestland for biodiversity purposes is made at widely differing scales, from single trees to very large nature reserves. We have a multidisciplinary research project financed by Formas and with ecologists (Lena Gustafsson, Karin Perhans, Martin Schroeder, Sofie Wikberg Dep. Ecology, SLU, Uppsala, Line Boberg, Jan Weslien Forestry Research Institute of Sweden - Skogforsk Uppsala) and economists participating (Mattias Boman, Claes Kindstrand, Leif Mattsson Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre SLU Alnarp). The project started 2004 and will be ended in 2008. The goal is to identify cost-efficient solutions for setting aside forest, with consideration taken to the landscape context, the biodiversity level of non set-aside forest (production forest) and to the long-term dynamic aspect of biodiversity as well as economy. We have collected an extensive data set from south boreal Sweden (forest variables to have as a basis for economic estimation; bryophytes, lichens, beetles to indicate the biodiversity value). We analyse the cost-efficiency of three categories of set-asides: nature reserves (>10 ha), key habitats (>1 – 5 ha), retention groups on clear-cuts (0.1 – 0.5 ha). Production forest is included to regard the biodiversity level of non set-aside forestland. We use different analytical tools, mainly “reserve selection methods” including linear programming algorithms, and quotients between biodiversity value and economic cost. The spatial and temporal dynamic aspects of biodiversity are considered through modelling approaches. The subproject “Cost-efficiency of retaining tree groups at final felling” (see special description) is part of this project.
|
|
Fig. 2. Mature forest in the province of Hälsningland (2002).
Fig. 3. Retention tree group on clear-cut. |
|
Cost-efficiency of retaining tree groups at final felling
This project is part of our multi-disciplinary project financed by Formas and with participation of ecologists (Lena Gustafsson, Karin Perhans, Martin Schroeder, Sofie Wikberg Dep. Ecology, SLU, Uppsala, Line Boberg, Jan Weslien Forestry Research Institute of Sweden - Skogforsk Uppsala) and economists (Mattias Boman, Claes Kindstrand, Leif Mattsson Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre SLU Alnarp; see special description) According to the Swedish Forestry Act, and also in the certification standards (FSC, PEFC), the land-owners are obliged to retain trees at final felling and this is usually done by leaving groups of trees. Such groups cover on average ca. 3% of the clear-cut area and they usually are smaller than 0.5 ha. We use data from 75 retention groups on about 40 clearcuts in boreal Sweden. The economic estimation is based on a detail forest taxation and we use red-listed bryophytes and lichens to asses the biodiversity value. We will analyse how the retention groups are complementary to each other regarding species composition and link this to the economic data. We will be able to answer questions like “Which retention groups should be selected to in the cheapest way capture all species?”, “If we have 5 million SEK which retention groups should be select in order to capture as many species as possible?”.
|
| |
|
Cost-efficiency of setting aside young forests for biodiversity conservation
Young age-classes are abundant in natural forest landscapes and their biodiversity value might be underestimated. One environmental goal for Sweden states that 900 000 ha forestland shall be set aside for conservation purposes between the years 2000 and 2010. The cost for the state as well as for forest owners is very high; totally amounting to >10 billion SEK. With the help of different optimisation techniques such as linear programming and different heuristics we will analyse the cost-efficiency of the present strategy to set aside old, expensive forests and compare this with alternative strategies of setting aside younger, cheaper forests. We will use different measures to assess biodiversity and will take into consideration the importance for biodiversity of retained old trees in young set-asides. We will apply a dynamic view with consideration to biodiversity and economical consequences in a long time-perspective, and will model at landscape as well as regional levels. New data on biodiversity value of different age-classes of forest will be collected, based on species and structural variables. Data will also be collected on bryophytes and lichens growing on trees, to assess the importance of retained trees for biodiversity value of young forests, and these data will be linked to the age-class data. In order to simulate future development of the tree layer traditional stand data will also be collected. This is a new (2007) Formas-funded project which will engage a PhD-student. The project is lead by a group with representatives of ecology (Lena Gustafsson, SLU, Uppsala), forest planning (Karin Öhman, SLU, Umeå) and optimisations (Mikael Rönnqvist, Norges Handelshoyskole,Trondheim).
|
|
Fig 4. Excursion in Dipterocarpic forest, Vietnam 2004.
|
|
Biodiversity-oriented guidelines for tropical forestry in SE Asia
There is a shift in forestry methods worldwide today towards promoting sustainable forest management. The development has been most rapid in boreal and temperate regions although some good examples are emerging also in the tropics. Reduced Impact logging (RIL) is used in tropical countries to denote less damaging forest harvesting practices In the north other terms are used for the same concept, e.g. ‘best management practices’. So far biodiversity has to a very little extent been incorporated into RIL models, contrary to in northern countries where this aspect is very prominent. A literature study is conducted in cooperation between SLU and CIFOR (Centre for International Forestry Research) with its main office in Java, Indonesia, and financed by SIDA and the Swedish research council Formas. The aim is to gather basic knowledge that gives an understanding of critical factors and habitats for the forest flora in SE Asia, with a special focus on dipterocarp forests. Such factors might be related to soil, water, the age and structure of the forest and the disturbance regimes. The synthesis is mainly performed by compilation and analysis of articles published in scientific journals but workshops will also be arranged with experts specialising on the plant ecology of SE Asian rainforests. The study is made in cooperation with Robert Nasi, CIFOR.
|
|
Fig. 5. Bryoria nadvornikiana. |
|
Red-listed species in young compared with mature boreal forest One earlier study has shown that the number and density of red-listed bryophytes and lichens is very high in boreal forests, at least in some areas. The reasons for this are not clear. One explanation can be errors in the Red Lists due to underestimation of population sizes or overestimation of future population decreases. Another reason could be that boreal forests mature for final felling generally have high values for red-listed species, due to their management with selective fellings, ensuring a tree continuity. In this sense they differ from the young stands of today which have regenerated after clearcutting, which started to be practiced in the 1950ies. If the young stands are poor in red-listed species and if the colonisation of such species is scarce during the succession, there will be a rapid decrease in the red-list populations in the forest landscape in the future. We have surveyed red-listed lichens and bryophytes in 20 young and in 20 adjacent mature stands and are now in the process of analysing the data. The project is performed in cooperation with Jörgen Rudolphi, PhD-student, Department of Ecology, SLU, Uppsala.
| |
