Abstract
Safeguarding biodiversity has been one of the most important issues in the environmental and forest policies since 1990s. The problem remains in terms of decisions and knowledge on where to set appropriate conservation targets. Hence, we need detailed and reliable information about forest structure and composition and methods for estimating this information over the whole spatial domain. The approach presented aims to develop a practical tool for conservation planners and foresters to evaluate alternative conservation plans to expand and connect protected areas while identifying key forest habitats and its associated biodiversity value. In order to reach this goal and learn more about habitat quality for woodland species in boreal forests and spatial characteristics of forest landscape, we used a combination of remote sensing and field data derived from the Multi-source Finnish National Forest Inventory (MS-NFI) Habitat quality assessment and suitability maps constitute a useful approach for designing management plans to improve biodiversity conservation. In this chapter, we present an approach and tools for assessing biodiversity values in both managed and protected forest areas. The approach is intended to assist decision-making concerning protection of valuable habitats and management of natural resources. The different habitat quality models presented are used as a surrogate for biodiversity value. The indicators and the models developed reflect a sound scientific basis that can be implemented in other European countries that invest in national forest inventories. Within this framework, focusing on forests in Finland and on end-user needs, this effort constitutes the first attempt undertaken at the landscape level to use National Forest Inventory data for forest biodiversity monitoring and management.
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference
Alanen A, Leivo A, Lindgren L, Piri E (1995) Lehtojen hoito-opas. Metsähallituksen luonnonsuojelujulkaisuja, sarja B, no 26, pp120
Andrén H (1994) Effects of habitat fragmentation on birds and mammals in landscapes with different propositions of suitable habitat: a review. Oikos 71:355–366
Andrén H (1997) Habitat fragmentation and changes in biodiversity. Ecol Bull 46:171–181
Angelstam P, Anderson L (2001) Estimates of the needs for forest reserves in Sweden. Scand J For Res Supplement 3: 38–51
Angelstam P, Pettersson B (1997) Principles of present Swedish forest biodiversity management. Ecol Bull 46;191–203
Bartha D, Ódor P, Horváth T, Tímár G, et al (1997) Relationship of tree stand heterogeneity and forest naturalness. Acta Silv Lign Hung, 2:7–22
Burgess RL, Sharpe DM (eds) (1981) Forest island dynamics in man-dominated landscapes. Springer Verlag, New York
Burrough P, McDonnell A (1998) Principles of geographical information systems. Oxford University Press, New York
Cajander AK (1926) The theory of forest types. Acta Forest Fenn 29:1–108
CBD (2002) Convention on Biological Diversity. Conference of the Parties (COP) http://www.biodiv.org/convention/cops.sht
Esseen PA, Ehnström B, Ericson L, Sjöberg K (1997) Boreal forests. Ecol Bull 46:16–47
Fahrig L (1998) When does fragmentation of breeding habitat affect population survival? Ecol Model 105:273–292
Fahrig L (2003) Effects of habitat fragmentation on Biodiversity. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 34: 487–515
Finnish Forest Research Institute (2006) Finnish Statistical Yearbook of Forestry. Vammalan Kirjapaino Oy, Vammala, Finland.
Finnish Statistical Yearbook of Forestry (2001) Finnish Statistical Yearbook of Forestry, 2001. Finnish Forest Research Institute, pp374
Gigord L, Pico, F, Shykoff J (1999) Effects of habitat fragmentation on Dombeya acutangula (Sterculiaceae), a native tree on La Réunion (Indian Ocean). Biol Conserv 88 43–51
Guisan A, Zimmermann ZE (2000) Predictive habitat distribution models in ecology. Ecol Model 135:147–186
Guisan A, Theurillat JP, Kienast F (1998) Predicting the potential distribution of plant species in an alpine environment. J Veg Sci 9: 65–74
Hanski, I. 2000. Extinction debt and species credit in boreal forests: modelling the consequences of different approaches to biodiversity conservation. Annales Zoologici Fennici 37: 271–281.
Hanski I, Hammond P (1995) Biodiversity in boreal forests. Trends Ecol Evol 10: 5–6
Hanson L, Larsson TB (1997) Conservation of boreal environments a completed research program and a new paradigm. Ecol Bull 46: 9–15
Hildén M, Auvinen AP, Primmer E (2005) Suomen biodiversiteettiohjeman arviointi. (Evaluation of the Finnish national action plan for biodiversity.) Suomen ympäristö 770. Edita, Helsinki, pp251
Johnston K, Ver hoef JM, Krivoruchko K, Lucas N (2001) Using ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst. ESRI Press, Redlands, pp300
Jongman RHG, ter Braak CJF, van Tongeren OFR (1995) Data analysis in community and landscape ecology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Salisbury, E.J., 1926. The geographical distribution of plants in relation to climatic factors. Geogr J 57:312–335
Junninen K, Simila M, Kouki J, Kotiranta H (2006) Assemblages of wood-inhabiting fungi along the gradients of succession and naturalness in boreal pine-dominated forests in Fennoscandia. Ecography 29:75–83
Kangas A, Maltamo M (eds) (2006) Forest inventory. Methodology and applications. Managing Forest Ecosystems. Vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht, pp363
Kappes H (2005) Influence of coarse woody debris on the gastropod community of a managed calcareous beech forest in western Europe. J Mollusc Stud 71: 85–91
Kouki J (1994) Biodiversity in the Fennoscandian boreal forests: natural variation and its management. Ann Zool Fenn 31:1–217
Kuusinen M, Siitonen J (1998) Epiphytic lichen diversity in old-growth and managed Picea abies stands in southern Finland. J Veg Sci 9:283–292
Löfman S (2006) Changes in forest landscape structure in southern Finland in the late 1900’s. Dissertationes Forestales 32, University of Joensuu, Finland, pp30
Löfman S, Kouki J (2001) Fifty years of landscape transformation in managed forests of southern Finland. Scand J For Res 16:44–53
Lord JM, Norton DA (1990) Scale and the spatial concept of fragmentation. Conserv Biol 4: 197–202
Luque S (2000) Evaluating temporal changes using multispectral scanner and thematic mapper data on the landscape of a natural reserve: The New Jersey pine barrens, a case Study. Int J Remote Sens. Special Issue Remote Sensing and Landscape Ecology: Landscape Patterns and Landscape Change 21(13&14):2589–2611
Luque S, Lathrop RG Jr, Bognar JA (1994) Temporal and spatial changes in the New Jersey pine barrens landscape. Landscape Ecol 9(4):287–300
Luque S, Riutta T, Joensuu J, Rautjärvi N, Tomppo E (2004) Multi-source forest inventory data for biodiversity monitoring and planning at the forest landscape level. In Marchetti M (ed) Monitoring and indicators of forest biodiversity in Europe – from ideas to operationality. EFI – IUFRO Proceedings, pp. 430–444
Magura T, Tothmeresz B, Bordan Z (2004) Effects of nature management practice on carabid assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in a non-native plantation. Biol Conserv 93:95–102
Martikainen P, Siitonen J, Punttila P, Kaila L, Rauh J (2000) Species richness of Coleoptera in mature managed and old-growth boreal forests in southern Finland. Biol Conserv 94:199–209
McCoy, J., and K. Johnston. 2001. Using ArcGIS Spatial Analyst. ESRI Press, Redlands. 240 pp.
Mielikäinen K, Hynynen J (2003) Silvicultural management in maintaining biodiversity and resistance of forests in Europe–boreal zone: case Finland J Environ Manage 67:47–54
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (1994) Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Helsinki, Finland, pp20
Ministry of the Environment (2004) METSO – The forest biodiversity programme for southern Finland 2002–2007. http://wwwb.mmm.fi/metso/TIEDOTUSMATERIAALI/esitteet_ ja_kalvosarjat/metso_booklet.pdf
Moore NW (1962) The heaths of dorset and their conservation. J Ecology 50:369–391
Moretti M, Obrist MK, Duelli P (2004) Arthropod biodiversity after forest fires: winners and losers in the winter fire regime of the southern Alps. Ecography 27:173–186
MOSSE - Biodiversity and Monitoring Programme: METSO 2003–2007 (2007) Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland http://wwwb.mmm.fi/metso/ international/research/LIST_and_PRESENTATIONS_ of_RES_PROJECTS.html
Nitare J, Norén M (1992) Woodland key-habitats of rare and endangered species will be mapped in a new project of the Swedish National Board of Forestry. Sven. Bot. Tidskr. 86, pp. 219–226 (In Swedish, with English summary)
Noss RF (2001) Forest Fragmentation in the Southern Rocky Mountains. Landscape Ecol 16:371–372
Nuutinen T, Anola-Pukkila A, Haara A, Kärkkäinen L, et al (2001) Team report from Finnish Forest Research Institute, MELA Team. In Nordic Trends in Forest Inventory, Management Planning and Modelling Proceedings of SNS Meeting, Slovalla, Finland April 17–19, 2001, pp21–28
Odor P, Standovar T (2001) Richness of bryophyte vegetation in near natural and managed beech stands: the effects of management-induced differences in dead wood. Ecol Bull 49: 219–229
Pascual-Hortal, L, Saura S (2006) Comparison and development of new graph-based landscape connectivity indices: towards the priorization of habitat patches and corridors for conservation Landscape Ecol 21:959–967
Perlman DL, Adelson G (1997) Biodiversity: Exploring Values and Priorities in Conservation. Blackell Science, MA., USA.pp192
Ponge JF (2003) Humus forms in terrestrial ecosystems: a framework to biodiversity. Soil Biol Biochem 35:935–945
Pressey RL, Nicholls AO (1989) Efficiency in Conservation Evaluation: Scoring versus Iterative Approaches. Biol Conserv 50:199-218
Rassi P, Alanen A, Kanerva T, Mannerkoski I (eds) (2001) The Red List of Finnish Species. Ministry of the Environment & Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki, pp432 (English Summary)
Rautjärvi N, Luque A, Tomppo E (2001) Mapping spatial patterns from national forest inventory data: a regional conservation planning tool. Schriften aus Fortslichen Falcultät der Universität Göttingen und der Niedersächsischen Forstlichen Versuchsanstalt. band 138: 293–302. J.D. auerländer’s Verlag Frankfurt am Main, pp407
Reid WV (2006) Nature: the many benefits of ecosystem services, Nature,.443:749
ReVelle CS, Williams JC, Boland JJ (2002) Counterpart models in facility location science and reserve selection science. Environ Model Asses 7:71–80
Rodrigues ASL, Gaston KJ (2002) Optimization in reserve selection procedures-why not? Biol Conserv 107:125–19
Romero-Calcerrada R, Luque S (2006) Habitat quality assessment using weights-of-evidence based GIS modelling: the case of Picoides tridactylus as keystone species indicator of the biodiversity value of the Finnish forest. Ecol Model 196:62–76
Saura S, Pascual-Hortal L (2007) A new habitat availability index to integrate connectivity in landscape conservation planning: Comparison with existing indices and application to a case study, Landscape Urban Planning 83 (2–3): 91–103
Schmidt W (2005) Herb layer species as indicators of biodiversity of managed and unmanaged beech forests. For Snow Landsc Res 79 (1/2): 111–125
Schmiegelow FKA, Mönkkönen M (2002) Fragmentation issues in dynamic landscapes: avian perspectives from the boreal forest. Ecol Appl 12:375–389
Schuster A (1994) Regional distribution of breeding birds elaborated by a geographic information system – Possibilities and limitations. In Hagemeijer EJM, Vertrael TJ (eds) Bird Numbers 1992 – Distribution, monitoring and ecological aspects, Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen and SOVON, Beek-Ubbergen, pp493–501
Siitonen J (2001) Forest management, coarse woody debris and saproxylix organisms: Fennoscandian boreal forests as an example. Ecol Bull 49:1–31
Siitonen P, Tanskanen A, Lehtinen A (2002) Method for selection of old-forest reserves. Conserv Biol 16:1398–1408
Spence JR (2001) The new boreal forestry: adjusting timber management to accommodate biodiversity. Trends Ecol Evol 16(11):591–593
Store R, Jokimaki J (2003) A GIS-based multi-scale approach to habitat suitability modelling. Ecol Model 169:1–15
Store R, Kangas J (2001) Integrating spatial multi-criteria evaluation and expert knowledge for GIS-based habitat suitability modelling. Landscape Urban Plan 55:79–93
Strandberg B, Kristiansen SM, Tybirk K (2005) Dynamic oak-scrub to forest succession: effects of management on understorey vegetation, humus forms and soils. For Ecol Manage 211:318–328
Suomen ympärsitö 437 (2000) Metsien suojelun tarve Etelä-Suomessa ja Pohjanmaalla. Etelä-Suomen ja Pohjanmaan metsien suojelun tarve -työryhmän mietintö.(Forest protection in southern Finland and Ostrobothnia.) Edita, Helsinki, pp284
Sverdrup-Thygeson A (2002) Key habitats in the Norwegian production forests: A case study. Scand J For Res 17:166–178
Tomppo E (1992) Satellite image aided forest site fertility estimation for forest income taxation purposes. Acta Forestalia Fennica 229, pp70
Tomppo E (2006) The Finnish National Forest Inventory. In Kangas A, Maltamo M (eds) Forest inventory. Methodology and applications. Managing Forest Ecosystems. Vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht, pp179–194
Tomppo E, Halme M (2004) Using coarse scale forest variables as ancillary information and weighting of variables in k-NN estimation: a genetic algorithm approach. Remote Sens Environ 92:1–20
Uotila A, Kouki J (2005) Understorey vegetation in spruce-dominated forests in eastern Finland and Russian Karelia: Successional patterns after anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Forest Ecol Manage 215 (1–3): 113–137
Uotila A, Kouki J, Kontkanen H, Pulkkinen P (2002) Assessing the naturalness of boreal forests in eastern Fennoscandia. Forest Ecol Manage 161: 257–277
Väisänen R, Järvinen O (1996) How are extensive, human-caused habitat alterations expressed on the scale of local bird populations in boreal forests? Ornis Scandinavica 17:282-292
Vallauri D, André J, Dodelin B, Eynard-Machet R, Rambaud D (2005) Bois mort et à cavités : une clé pour des forêts vivantes. Lavoisier, Paris
Vellak K, Ingerpuu N (2005) Management effects on bryophytes in estonian forests. Biodiver Conserv 14:3255–3263
Virkkala R, Korhonen KT, Haapanen R, Aapala K (2000) Protected forests and mires in forest and mire vegetation zones in Finland based on the 8th National Forest Inventory. Finnish Environment Institute, Forest Research Institute. The Finnish Environment n.395
Virolainen K, Nättinen K, Siitonen J, Kuitunen M (2001) Selecting herb-rich forest networks to protect different measures of biodiversity. Ecol Appl 11:411–420
Vitousek PM, Mooney HA, Lubchenco J, Melillo JM (1997) Human domination of Earth’s ecosystems. Science 277: 494–499
Webb NR, Haskins LE (1980) An ecological survey of the Heathlands in the Poole Basin, Dorset, England. Biol Conserv 17:281-296
Wilcove DS, McLellan CH, Dobson AP (1986) Habitat Fragmentation in the Temperate Zone. In Soulé ME (ed.). Conservation Biology: The Science of Scarcity and Diversity. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts, pp237–256
Wilson EO, Willis EO (1975) Applied biogeography. In Cody ML, Diamond JM (eds) Ecology and Evolution of Communities. Belknap Press, Cambridge, MA, pp522–534
Winter S, Flade M, Schumacher H, Kerstan E, Möller G (2005) The importance of near-natural stand structures for the biocoenosis of lowland beech forests. For Snow Landsc Res 79 1/2: 127–144
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Luque, S., Vainikainen, N. (2008). Habitat Quality Assessment and Modelling for Forest Biodiversity and Sustainability. In: Lafortezza, R., Sanesi, G., Chen, J., Crow, T.R. (eds) Patterns and Processes in Forest Landscapes. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8504-8_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8504-8_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8503-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8504-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)