Human Interactions with the Mountain Birch Forest ECOsystem:
Implications for Sustainable Development (HIBECO) as a NARP
activity Oddvar Skre 1,7), Kari Laine 1), Frans E. Wielgolaski 2),
Staffan Karlsson 3), Seppo Neuvonen 4), Alison Hester 5) and
Dietbert Thannheiser 6) 1) University of Oulu, Finland, 2)
University of Oslo, Norway, 3) Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences,
Sweden, 4) University of Turku, Finland, 5) Macaulay Land Use Res.
Institute, Scotland, 6) University of Hamburg, Germany 7) Skogforsk
Bergen, Norway; Contact: [email protected] and/or
[email protected]@[email protected]
Summary abstract The HIBECO project has focussed on the human
dimensions and natural conditions of the mountain birch forest
ecosystem and will formulate management scenarios and development
plans which will ensure future sustainability of these ecosystems.
These aims has been achieved in an interdiciplinary manner,
combining productivity, herbivory and socio- economics. Among the
preliminary results from the project may be mentioned: (a)Soil
factors were found to be as important as climatic factors in
determining the performance of northern Betula pubescens trees.
There were also marked differences among provenances in foliage
senescense and frost hardiness, i.e. southern and lowland
provenances were later and less hardy against winter damage than
northern and alpine relatives, on the other hand northern
provenances were found to be more sensitive to spring frost damage
and increased winter temperatures. (b)Both variations in topography
(winter temperature) and latitudinal as well as oceanity gradients
were found to determine the geometrid defoliation risk model for
Fennoscandian birch forests. Early leafing birch provenances seemed
to be preferred. Remote sensing studies and earlier investigations
have shown substantial overgrazing by reindeer in northern
Fennoscandia, and by sheep in Scotland and Iceland. Experiments on
simulated browsing indicate that the timing of damage is decisive.
Comparative studies in the Maze region in Finnmark county in
northern Norway show a dramatic reduction in the lichen cover and a
subsequent increase in the Cornus suecica and moss cover in the
birch forests, probably related to a stronger grazing pressure and
a warmer and more humid climate. (c)A dynamic model has been
developed within the HIBECO project, to study the interactive
effects related to various anthropogenic and herbivory responses.
The output from this model show the overall consequences within six
100 x 100 km study areas for birch forest structure and dynamics on
a landscape scale. Traditional use of birch forests has been
investigated by interviews of the local population in these areas.
Mean numbers of leaves produced per birch sapling one season after
simulated browsing damage at two sites in Scotland, August 2001.
Pre- clip data are also shown on left side of graph. Means plus
standard errors are given. General objectives The projects will
focus on the human dimensions and natural conditions of the
mountain birch forest ecosystem and will formulate management
scenarios and development plans which will ensure future
sustainability of these ecosystems Responses of humus, birch
foliage and stem biomass, shrub and seedling density and lichen
cover to reindeer grazing in northern Finland. Mean values with
standard error (left) and single plots of stem and foliage biomass
and lichen cover (below). PART B. Birch forestry productivity.
Specific objectives: - To determine mountain birch forest biomass
and productivity at the landscape/regional level, using equations
relating biomass to remote sensing data - To identify and assess
the major environmental factors controlling biomass and
productivity of the mountain birch forests - To clarify the
responses and adaptation of mountain birch to climatic changes,
with emphasis on winter temperature and frost hardiness studies -
To select and identify birch genotypes/provenances suitable for
forest regeneration at different climate scenarios - To quantify
the upper limit of birch forest resource harvesting by human
communities at different climate and land use scenarios PART C.
Herbivore x birch relationships. Specific objectives: - To clarify
the interactions between birch and important domestic ungulate
grazers, reindeer and sheep - To collect basic knowledge of
three-way interactions between mountain birch, domestic ungulate
grazers and insect herbivores - To strengthen the knowledge of
insect population outbreaks in northern European birch forest
ecosystems, in order to enhance methods of management, protection
and restoration of the mountain birch ecosystem - To contribute
towards the larger or regional scale of the project PART A. Human
interactions. Specific objectives - To describe and understand the
intense human-environmental interactions with regards to mountain
birch ecosystems - To strengthen the knowledge of mountain birch
forests to secure appropriate levels of quality of life and
employment - To estimate the overall land cover change and the
percentage of woody canopy change in order to distinguish the birch
vegetation component and to provide evidence and impact of
biophysical vs. human influence - To work out management plans
according to climate and land use scenarios, to maintain, restore
and enhance land use practices, sustainable multifunctional
management and use of forest resources and the biological diversity
of the mountain forest ecosystem PART D. Integration. Specific
objectives: - To link information on anthropogenic influence and
disturbance to the studies of herbivore- birch relationships and on
climate impact and biomass studies - to estimate the potential for
sustainable human use at different management and climate scenarios
- to work out and verifiy forest simulation models, taking into
account the value of birch as a renewable resource in
socio-economic terms as well as in physical and economic terms and
in terms of employment generated, using the standard cost/benefit
methodology - To develop management plans according to different
climate and land use scenarios to ensure appropriate management of
forest resources taking into account the socio-economic and
political conditions amoung local residents Research areas General
documentation and publications related to the project, available on
http://www.hibeco.org, e.g.http://www.hibeco.org - Nordic Mountain
Birch Ecosystems (ed. F. E. Wielgolaski). MAB Series vol. 27. This
book published by UNESCO/MAB contains some of the present and past
studies of the Northern Subarctic-Subalpine Ecology research group
(NSSE) on birch forest ecology. - Annual progress report 2000-02
for the first two years of the HIBECO project - Program and
abstracts from the NSSE symposium in Aberdeen 13 June 2001. -
Program for the HIBECO workshop in Kevo 6-7 October 2001 - Program
and abstracts from the NARP/NSSE/HIBECO symposium in Narsarsuaq
Sept 2002 - The HIBECO project and related NARP funded network
activities was presented at the NARP annual meeting in Oulu,
Finland,12 May 2001. NARP Project partners from other Nordic
countries: University of Oulu University of Turku University of
Oslo University of Tromsa Swedish Agricultural University Royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences Icelandic Institute of Natural History
Greenland Agricultural Advisory Service Utsjoki municipality Gaisa
Sami Resource Center and Network Vardhus Museum (Finmark Country)
Human Impact and Sustainable Utilization of Subarctic Birch Forests
in a Changing Environment (NARP) Introduction: What can a model do
for the HIBECO project? General model structure: Exploring
spatiotemporal birch forest dynamics under influence from forestry
in a homogeneous environment Adding realism I: Age-structured
forest dynamics at scale 1 Ha Adding realism II: Dynamics in a
heterogeneous landscape Adding realism III: Climate change
scenarios Adding realism IV: Influences from herbivores grazing
ungulates and leaf-eating insects Outline of the model Percentage
change in cover of main vegetatiopn types in Masi in 1961-2000 See
more http://www.hibeco.org Change in Classified Land Cover Maps for
Mze Region in Northern Norway from LandSat (TM) 6700 meters 6700
August 1987July 2000 Greenland Scotland Cutting trees for fencing
against sheep grazing in Greenland Study sites