Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests (Ecological Studies, 180)

This work analyzes vegetation and soils, and investigates the influence of climate change, insect pests, grazing pressure by sheep and reindeer, construction of roads and other consequences of increasing tourism in the Nordic mountain birch forests. An accompanying CD-ROM contains additional material, including tables, illustrations, and model presentations. 3540229094......Page 1 Ecological Studies,Vol. 180......Page 2 Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests......Page 4 Preface......Page 6 Contents......Page 10 Contributors......Page 21 Section 1 History, Environment and Plant Science......Page 25 1 History and Environment of the Nordic Mountain Birch......Page 26 2 Soils and Nutrients in Northern Mountain Birch Forests: A Case Study from Finnmarksvidda, Northern Norway......Page 42 3 Vegetation of the Mountain Birch Forest in Northern Fennoscandia......Page 57 4 Biomass and Production on a Landscape Level in the Mountain Birch Forests......Page 75 5 Mountain Birch Growth in Relation to Climate and Herbivores......Page 93 6 Effects of Temperature Changes on Survival and Growth in Mountain Birch Populations......Page 109 7 Phenology and Performance of Mountain Birch Provenances in Transplant Gardens: Latitudinal, Altitudinal and Oceanity–Continentality Gradients......Page 121 8 Synthesis Section 1: A Dynamic Forest in a Changing Environment......Page 138 Section 2 Herbivory......Page 144 9 Forest Defoliation Risks in Birch Forest by Insects Under Different Climate and Land Use Scenarios in Northern Europe......Page 145 10 Birch Sapling Responses to Severity and Timing of Domestic Herbivore Browsing – Implications for Management......Page 159 11 Effects of Reindeer Grazing on Pastures – A Necessary Basis for Sustainable Reindeer Herding......Page 176 12 Long-Term Influence of Herbivores on Northern Birch Forests......Page 184 13 Synthesis Section 2: Herbivory in Northern Birch Forests......Page 201 Section 3 Human Impact......Page 208 14 Rates and Processes of Natural Regeneration in Disturbed Habitats......Page 209 15 Recreation at Tree Line and Interactions with Other Land-Use Activities......Page 219 16 Economic Limits and Possibilities for Sustainable Utilization of Northern Birch Forests......Page 234 17 The Vegetation Changes and Recent Impact on the Mountain Birch Forest During the Last 40 Years......Page 249 18 Sámi Approaches to Mountain Birch Utilization in Northern Sápmi (Finland and Norway)......Page 268 19 Sustainable Reindeer Herding in Mountain Birch Ecosystem......Page 282 20 Competition Over Nature, Space,Resources and Management in the Mountain Birch Forest Ecosystem in Northernmost Fennoscandia: A Synthesis......Page 287 Section 4 Modelling Dynamics of Mountain Birch Forests, Management and Future......Page 293 21 Landscape-Scale Model Relating the Nordic Mountain Birch Forest Spatio-Temporal Dynamics to Various Anthropogenic Influences,Herbivory and Climate Change......Page 294 22 Scenarios for Future Development of the Mountain Birch Ecosystem......Page 312 23 Managing the Nordic Mountain Birch Ecosystem: Local Communities and the State in Finland’s Forestry......Page 323 24 Policies and Developing Plans Towards Sustainability of Mountain Birch Ecosystems in Scandinavia......Page 337 Section 5 Integration and Conclusion......Page 351 25 The Nordic Mountain Birch Ecosystem – Challenges to Sustainable Management......Page 352 Subject Index......Page 366 The successful long-term sustainable management of forests is dependent on our knowledge of their history, present state, and responses to changing environmental conditions. In this light, the text evaluates the Nordic mountain birch ecosystem with examples from different sites in the Nordic countries and Scotland. The authors analyse vegetation, soils and nutrients, and investigate the influence of climate change, insect pests, grazing pressure by sheep and reindeer, construction of roads and other consequences of increasing tourism. The possibilities for a sustainable use of the Nordic mountain birch forests are discussed in various models. An accompanying CD-ROM contains additional material, including tables, illustrations, and model presentations. TOC:History and environment of the Nordic mountain birch (NMB). Soils and nutrients in NMB forests (F). Vegetation of the NMBF in northern Fennoscandia. Biomass and production on a landscape level in the NMBF. NMB growth in relation to climate and herbivores. Responses of temperature changes on survival and growth in NMB populations. Phenology and performance of NMB provenances in transplant gardens. Forest defoliation risks in NMB by insects under different climate and land use scenarios in northern Europe. Birch sapling responses to severity and timing of domestic herbivore browsing - implications for management. Effects of reindeer grazing on pastures in a NMB ecosystem. Long-term influence of herbivores on NMBF. Rates and processes of natural regeneration in disturbed habitats. Recreation at treeline and interactions with other land use activities. Economic limits and possibilities for sustainable utilization of NMBF. The vegetation changes and recent impact on the NMBF during the last 40 years. Sami approaches to NMB utilization in northern Sapmi. Sustainable reindeer herding in the NMB ecosystem. Landscape-scale model relating the NMBF spatiotemporal dynamics to various anthropogenic influences, herbivory and climate change. Scenarios for future development of the NMB ecosystem. Managing the NMB ecosystem. Local communities and the state in Finlands forestry. Policies and developing plans towards sustainability of NMB ecosystems in Scandinavia. The NMB ecosystem-challenges to sustainable management This Volume Contains Results From The Eu Hibeco Project. It Was Performed From 2000 To 2003 To Investigate The Mountain Birch Ecosystem In Northern Fennoscandia. The Accompanying Cd-rom Contains Additional Material To A Number Of Chapters, Including Tables, Illustrations, And Model Presentations. F.e. Wielgolaski (ed.) ; P.s. Karlsson, S. Neuvonen, D. Thannheiser (ed. Board). Includes Bibliographical References And Index.