Evaluating the ecological impacts of salvage logging: can natural and anthropogenic disturbances promote coexistence?

Royo, Alejandro A.; Peterson, Chris J.; Stanovick, John S.; Carson, Walter P.

doi:10.1890/15-1093.1

Cited by 84 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 112 publications

(254 reference statements)

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“…, Royo et al. ). Roberts () developed a three‐dimensional continuous model, with ecological response to harvesting varying as a function of both overstory and ground layer disturbance severity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, changes in both overstory and forest floor must be used in assessing disturbance severity (Royo et al. ). Other research shows that analyzing biomass harvests using broad treatment severity categories fails to account for within‐treatment diversity in residual stand structure (Littlefield and Keeton , Klockow et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although biomass harvesting prescriptions often emphasize legacy retention to meet ecological objectives (i.e., retaining a specified number or percentage of live trees and/or deadwood on the site), they may actually increase disturbance severity by removing large amounts of biomass components that would have been retained in traditional harvests (Achat et al 2015). As a result, changes in both overstory and forest floor must be used in assessing disturbance severity (Royo et al 2016). Other research shows that analyzing biomass harvests using broad treatment severity categories fails to account for within-treatment diversity in residual stand structure (Littlefield andKeeton 2012, Klockow et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the ecological impacts of biomass harvesting along a disturbance severity gradient

Kurth

D’Amato

Bradford

et al. 2019

Ecological Applications

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Disturbance is a central driver of forest development and ecosystem processes with variable effects within and across ecosystems. Despite the high levels of variation in disturbance severity often observed in forests following natural and anthropogenic disturbance, studies quantifying disturbance impacts often rely on categorical classifications, thus limiting opportunities to examine potential gradients in ecosystem response to a given disturbance or management regime. Given the potential increases in disturbance severity associated with global change, as well as shifts in management regimes related to procurement of biofuel feedstocks, there is an increasing need to quantitatively describe disturbance severity and associated responses of forest development, soil processes, and structural conditions. This study took advantage of two replicated large‐scale studies of forest biomass harvesting in Populus tremuloides and Pinus bansksiana forests, respectively, to develop and test the utility of a continuous, quantitative, disturbance severity index (DSI) for describing postharvest response of plant communities and nutrient pools to different levels of biomass removal and legacy retention (i.e., live trees and coarse woody material). There was a high degree of variability in DSI within categorical treatments associated with different levels of legacy retention and regression models using DSI as a predictor explained a portion of the variation (>50%) for many of the ecosystem‐ and community‐level responses to biomass harvesting examined. Nutrient losses associated with biomass harvesting were positively related to disturbance severity, particularly in P. tremuloides forests, with postharvest nutrient availability generally declining along the gradient of impacts. Consistent with expectations from ecological theory, species richness and diversity of woody plant communities were greatest at intermediate disturbance severities and regeneration densities of dominant trees species were most abundant at highest levels of disturbance. Although categorical benchmarks will continue to be the primary way through which management guidelines are conveyed to practitioners, evaluation of their effectiveness at sustaining ecosystem functioning should be through continuous analyses, such as the DSI approach used in this study, to allow for the more precise identification of thresholds that ensure a range of desirable outcomes exist across managed landscapes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the ecological impacts of biomass harvesting along a disturbance severity gradient

Kurth

D’Amato

Bradford

et al. 2019

Ecological Applications

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“…, but see Royo et al. ) and reduce the value of the ecosystem service of natural regeneration by increasing reforestation needs.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ecosystem services approach to the ecological effects of salvage logging: valuation of seed dispersal

Leverkus

Castro

2017

Ecological Applications

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Abstract. Forest disturbances diminish ecosystem services and boost disservices. Because post-disturbance management intends to recover the greatest possible value, selling timber often prevails over other considerations. Ecological research has shown diverse effects of salvage logging, yet such research has focused on the biophysical component of post-disturbance ecosystems and lacks the link with human well-being. Here we bridge that gap under the ecosystem services framework by assessing the impact of post-fire management on a non-timber value. By employing the replacement cost method, we calculated the value of the post-fire natural regeneration of Holm oaks in southern Spain under three post-fire management options by considering the cost of planting instead. The value of this ecosystem service in nonintervention areas doubled that of salvage-logged stands due to the preference for standing dead trees by the main seed disperser. Still, most of the value resulted from the resprouting capacity of oaks. The value of this and other ecosystem services should be added to traditional cost/benefit analyses of post-disturbance management. We thus call for a more holistic approach to salvage logging research, one that explicitly links ecological processes with human well-being through ecosystem services, to better inform decision-makers on the outcomes of post-disturbance management.

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“…, Turner , Royo et al. ) and may be sensitive to varying spatial scales of disturbance (Svoboda et al. , Jogiste et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is initial post‐disturbance regeneration indicative of longer‐term trajectories?

et al. 2017

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Abstract. The ability to estimate and model future vegetation dynamics is a central focus of contemporary ecology and is essential for understanding future ecological trajectories. It is therefore critical to understand when the influence of initial post-disturbance regeneration versus stochastic processes dominates long-term post-disturbance ecological processes. Often, conclusions about post-disturbance dynamics are based upon initial regeneration in the years immediately after disturbances. However, the degree to which initial post-disturbance regeneration indicates longer-term trends is likely to be contingent on the types, intensities, and combinations of disturbances, as well as pre-disturbance ecosystem structure and composition. Our relatively limited understanding of why initial post-disturbance regeneration is sometimes a poor predictor of future ecosystem trajectories represents a critical gap in post-disturbance ecological forecasting. We studied the composition and density of regeneration of tree species following wind blowdown in 1997, wildfire in 2002, and compounded disturbances by blowdown and wildfire in subalpine forests of Colorado. We examined regeneration of Picea engelmannii, Abies lasiocarpa, Pinus contorta, and Populus tremuloides in 180 permanent plots across 12 sites (classified by pre-disturbance age and composition) in 2003, 2010, and 2015. At sites that were blown down but not burned, regeneration was dense and dominated by Picea and Abies. At these sites, regeneration observed from 2003 to 2005 (hereafter initial regeneration) was also highly predictive of regeneration 5-10 yr later. In contrast, at sites that were burned and sites that were blown down and burned, regeneration was less dense and dominated by a mix of species. At these sites, initial regeneration was a poor predictor of longer-term trends as species dominance and overall density fluctuated over the 13-yr period. These findings call into question our ability to confidently predict ecosystem trajectories based upon observations made in the years immediately after large, severe disturbances such as wildfires and compounded disturbances. As compounded disturbances become more common under climatically driven changes in disturbance regimes, post-disturbance ecosystem trajectories may become increasingly stochastic and unpredictable.

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Evaluating the ecological impacts of salvage logging: can natural and anthropogenic disturbances promote coexistence?

Cited by 84 publications

References 112 publications

Assessing the ecological impacts of biomass harvesting along a disturbance severity gradient

Assessing the ecological impacts of biomass harvesting along a disturbance severity gradient

An ecosystem services approach to the ecological effects of salvage logging: valuation of seed dispersal

Is initial post‐disturbance regeneration indicative of longer‐term trajectories?

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