Environmental Effects of Afforestation in North-Western Europe: From Field Observations to Decision Support

ISBN-13: 9781402045677 / Angielski / Twarda / 2007 / 332 str.

Gerrit W. Heil; Bart Muys; Karin Hansen

Opis

Afforestation of former arable land is currently a common change in land use in many European countries. In addition to wood production, the new forests will provide a variety of environmental services, such as carbon sequestration or improved water quality. At the same time there may be negative impacts, such as reduced groundwater recharge. The contents of the book aims at developed techniques to estimate the environmental impacts, and guidelines and decision support systems (DSS) to enable national and international policy makers, but also forest managers, to maximize the benefits and minimize the adverse effects of afforestation. This book will describe afforestation research and shows the application of the developed decision support system. The results should be applicable throughout northwest Europe and could be extended elsewhere. This book considers three of the most important environmental issues - carbon sequestration in soils and biomass, water surplus and nitrate leaching. The book describes the research to quantify these effects in the field and model them into the future. It will explain how the more detailed models were reduced to "metamodels" suitable for implementation within a real-time management system.

Spis treści

Preface.- 1. Introduction: demand for afforestation management in north-western Europe; G.W. Heil et al.- 2. Carbon sequestration in soil and biomass following afforestation: experiences from oak and Norway spruce chronosequences in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands; L. Vesterdal et al.- 3. Interception and water recharge following afforestation: experiences from oak and Norway spruce chronosequences in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands; C. van der Salm et al.- 4. Nitrogen deposition and nitrate leaching following afforestation: experiences from oak and Norway spruce chronosequences in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands; L. Rosenqvist et al.- 5. Modelling the nitrogen deposition to afforested systems; A. Bleeker, W.P.A. van Deursen.- 6. Effects of light and N availability in forests on plant species diversity in the field layer: a plant ecological and modelling approach; M. Elemans, G.W. Heil.- 7. Modelling the afforested system: the forest/tree model; G.W. Heil et al.- 8. Modelling the afforested system: the soil and water compartment; H. Kros et al.- 9. METAFORE: The afforest deposition-soil-water-vegetation metamodel; W. van Deursen et al.- 10. Support of decisions on afforestation in north-western Europe with the AFFOREST-sDSS; J. van Orshoven et al.- 11. Guidelines for planning afforestation of former arable land; K. Hansen et al.- 12. The lessons learned from AFFOREST – a synthesis; K. Hansen et al.- Color plates.- Index.

Blurb

As issues of water quality and carbon emissions have moved up the political agenda, the afforestation of former arable land has become an increasingly common practice throughout much of Europe.

In addition to wood production these new forests can provide a range of environmental services – including carbon sequestration. Yet, like any land-use change, afforestation may also bring negative impacts, such as reduced groundwater recharge.

Recognising the need for effective decision making in relation to land-use change, this timely book develops a series of tools for estimating the environmental impacts of afforestation. It also presents guidelines and decision support systems (DSS) to enable both policy makers and forest managers to maximize the benefits and minimize the adverse effects of afforestation.

Focusing on three key issues – carbon sequestration, water surplus and nitrate leaching, the book presents clear examples of afforestation research to develop detailed models and reduced ‘metamodels’ suitable for implementing in a real-time management system. It then goes on to illustrate the application of the decision support system developed in the text, demonstrating the applicability of the method throughout northwest Europe and beyond.

This book will provide a valuable resource for both graduate students and researchers in forest, environmental and biological sciences, as well as for landscape planners and policy makers involved in afforestation projects at local, regional and international levels.