University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - Research portal
Gewählte Doctoral Thesis:
Alois Simon
(2021):
Spatial Modelling Methods for Forest Site Classification in Mountain Areas:
Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.
Doctoral Thesis - Institut für Waldökologie (IFE),
BOKU-Universität für Bodenkultur,
pp 100.
UB BOKU
obvsg
FullText
- Abstract:
- The individual publications of the cumulative thesis address different current topics and methods of forest site classification related to climate change. These range from a simple forest site classification approach of subdividing mountainous landscapes into vegetation zones along elevational transects (Publication I), individual-based statistical methods for identifying site features driving forest regeneration patterns (Publication II), to the spatial prediction of soil characteristics for forest site information systems (Publications III, IV). Furthermore, different levels of field recordings and modelling scales, from microsites to stand level, are considered. Publication I shows an unimodal distribution of soil organic carbon stock along elevation and indicates a peak in highly productive forest types. Regarding the aspect of climate change mitigation, identifying sites with a high soil organic carbon storage capacity will be of interest. Publication II indicates, that long regeneration periods in combination with suppressed mixed species tree regeneration due to ungulate browsing, will increase the vulnerability of mountain forests growing on Leptosols to climate change. The temporal pattern of the relative growth rate is interpreted as a response to heat waves and drought. In Publication III, the value of newly developed quantitative information on parent material for soil development is shown. In addition, the characterisation of physical and geochemical soil properties in Publication IV results in practical recommendations for forest management in terms of sustainable biomass use and the risk of soil compaction. The thesis shows different aims of forest site classification, which have in common that they support the sustainable management of forest ecosystems. Herein, the thesis on spatial modelling methods for forest site classification in mountain areas attempts to close the gap between sophisticated statistical methods and practical applications.
- Betreuer: Katzensteiner Klaus
- 1. Berater: Gratzer Georg