2,248 research outputs found
A novel empirical approach for determining the extension of forest development stages in temperate old-growth forests
No full textRegeneration Dynamics Following the Formation of Understory Gaps in a Slovakian Beech Virgin Forest
No full textThe frequency and size of canopy gaps largely determine light transmission to lower canopy strata, controlling structuring processes in the understory. However, quantitative data from temperate virgin forests on the structure of regeneration in gaps and its dynamics over time are scarce. We studied the structure and height growth of tree regeneration by means of sapling density, shoot length growth and cumulative biomass in 17 understory gaps (29 to 931 m2 in size) in a Slovakian beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) virgin forest, and compared the gaps with the regeneration under closed-canopy conditions. Spatial differences in regeneration structure and growth rate within a gap and in the gap periphery were analyzed for their dependence on the relative intensities of direct and diffuse radiation (high vs. low). We tested the hypotheses that (i) the density and cumulative biomass of saplings are higher in gaps than in closed-canopy patches, (ii) the position in a gap influences the density and height growth of saplings, and (iii) height growth of saplings increases with gap size. Sapling density and biomass were significantly higher in understory gaps than under closed canopy. Density of saplings was positively affected by comparatively high direct, but low diffuse radiation, resulting in pronounced spatial differences. In contrast, sapling shoot length growth was positively affected by higher levels of diffuse radiation and also depended on sapling size, while direct radiation intensity was not influential. Conclusively, in this forest, regeneration likely becomes suppressed after a short period by lateral canopy expansion in small gaps (<100 m2), resulting in a heterogeneous understory structure. In larger gaps (≥100 m2) saplings may be capable even at low plant densities to fill the gap, often forming a cohort-like regeneration layer. Thus, gaps of different sizes imprint on the resulting canopy structure in different ways, enhancing spatial heterogeneity
Classifying development stages of primeval European beech forests: is clustering a useful tool?
No full textAbstract Background Old-growth and primeval forests are passing through a natural development cycle with recurring stages of forest development. Several methods for assigning patches of different structure and size to forest development stages or phases do exist. All currently existing classification methods have in common that a priori assumptions about the characteristics of certain stand structural attributes such as deadwood amount are made. We tested the hypothesis that multivariate datasets of primeval beech forest stand structure possess an inherent, aggregated configuration of data points with individual clusters representing forest development stages. From two completely mapped primeval beech forests in Albania, seven ecologically important stand structural attributes characterizing stand density, regeneration, stem diameter variation and amount of deadwood are derived at 8216 and 9666 virtual sampling points (moving window, focal filtering). K-means clustering is used to detect clusters in the datasets (number of clusters (k) between 2 and 5). The quality of the single clustering solutions is analyzed with average silhouette width as a measure for clustering quality. In a sensitivity analysis, clustering is done with datasets of four different spatial scales of observation (200, 500, 1000 and 1500 m2, circular virtual plot area around sampling points) and with two different kernels (equal weighting of all objects within a plot vs. weighting by distance to the virtual plot center). Results The clustering solutions succeeded in detecting and mapping areas with homogeneous stand structure. The areas had extensions of more than 200 m2, but differences between clusters were very small with average silhouette widths of less than 0.28. The obtained datasets had a homogeneous configuration with only very weak trends for clustering. Conclusions Our results imply that forest development takes place on a continuous scale and that discrimination between development stages in primeval beech forests is splitting continuous datasets at selected thresholds. For the analysis of the forest development cycle, direct quantification of relevant structural features or processes might be more appropriate than classification. If, however, the study design demands classification, our results can justify the application of conventional forest development stage classification schemes rather than clustering
Biomass Stock and Productivity of Primeval and Production Beech Forests: Greater Canopy Structural Diversity Promotes Productivity
No full textOur knowledge of temperate broadleaf forest ecology is based mostly on the study of production forests, which lack the terminal stage of forest development and have a simpler stand structure than old-growth and primeval forests. How primeval and production forests differ in net primary production (NPP) is not well known. In three primeval and three nearby production forests of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in the Slovakian Carpathians, we measured aboveground biomass stocks (live and dead), aboveground NPP (ANPP) and parameters characterizing canopy structural diversity (leaf area index and its spatial variation). Our study aims were (1) to explore the role of canopy structural diversity for ANPP and (2) to assess evidence of a productivity decline in the terminal stage. While aboveground live biomass stocks were on average 20% greater in the primeval forests (386 vs. 320 Mg ha−1; insignificant difference at two sites), deadwood mass stocks were on average four times larger than in the production forests (86 vs. 19 Mg ha−1). ANPP was similarly high in the primeval and production forests (10.0 vs. 9.9 Mg ha−1 y−1) and did not decrease towards the terminal stage. Production models indicate that, in the primeval forests, about 10% of ANPP (ca. 1 Mg ha−1 y−1) was generated by effects related to leaf area heterogeneity, evidencing a positive effect of structural diversity on forest productivity, even though species diversity was low. This study helps to better understand the impact of forest management on the productivity and carbon storage in temperate woodlands
Forest management impact on soil organic carbon: A paired-plot study in primeval and managed European beech forests
No full textAccentuation of Jonas Rėza's Psalter of 1625
No full textStraipsnyje trumpai apžvelgiama dabartinių kalbų kirčio ženklų istorija – nuo Antikos kalbininko Aristofano Bizantiečio žymėtų akūto, gravio ir cirkumflekso iki Mažvydo Katekizme pažymėto į riestinį cirkumfleksą panašaus ženklo, Baltramiejaus Vilento raštų, D. Kleino gramatikos, J. Rėzos psalmyno ,,Psalteras Dowido“ kirčio ženklų. Išsamiau straipsnyje analizuojamas 1625 m. J. Rėzos psalmyno kirčiavimas, iš graikų perimti kirčio ženklai, paties autoriaus įsivestas kirčio ženklas. Straipsnyje taip pat aptariama Rėzos psalmyne vartotų kirčio ženklų funkcijos, kirčio ženklų vartojimo įvairavimas, sąsajos tarp psalmyno kirčiavimo ir D. Kleino gramatikos Reikšminiai žodžiai: Akūtas; Gravis; Cirkumfleksas; Psalmynas; Lietuvių kalbos istorija; KirčiavimasThis article gives a brief overview of the history of the accent marks of languages from Antiquity linguist Aristophanes of Byzantium marked the acute accent, grave accent and circumflex accent until the sign similar to a tilde-shaped circumflex marked in Mažvydas’ Catechism, and accent signs of Baltramiejus Vilentas’ writings, Daniel Klein‘s grammer, and Jonas Rhesa’s Psalter of David. The article gives a comprehensive analysis of the accentuation made by Jonas Rhesa in the psalter, accent marks taken from Greek, and an accent mark developed by the author himself. The article also discusses the functions of the accent marks used in Rhesa’s psalter, the variation of the usage of accent marks and the interaction between the accentuation of the psalter and D. Klein’s grammer
Jonas, Hobbes e le forme della paura
No full textThis essay aims at clarifying the concept of Jonas’s heuristic of fear. Although it has been severely criticized, fear remains an aspect of his thought which has drawn little attention, particularly regarding the role it plays in the elaboration of the imperative of responsibility. Jonas elaborates a new concept of fear, moulded by the particular form of uncertainty brought about by the technological age. Although critics have interpreted Jonas’ attempt as an ethics founded on irrationality and emotion, the present analysis shows that Jonas affirms a cognitivist theory of fear. The concept of fear he discusses in The Imperative of Responsibility is not an emotion as an immediate physical and psychological reaction, but a form of evaluative thinking that is part of responsibility. In order to illustrate form and function of fear in Jonas thought, I will refer to the meanings of fear in Hobbes, an author Jonas himself refers to
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