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Forests
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Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental...
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Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Inventory, Modeling and Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 7400

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei Shui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Interests: ecogeography; land use/cover change and ecological effects; remote sensing and geographic information technology applications; urban and rural planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Junyu Qi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CMNS—Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
Interests: environmental impact assessment; hydrological modeling; watershed hydrology; water resources management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests are of interest for environmental construction banks, water conservation, climate regulation, biodiversity conservation and other benefits. Due to the warming climate and extensive human activities, forest ecosystems have suffered significant damage. The "Global Forest Cover Status and Change" report highlights that forest cover has decreased since the 21st century. The ecological benefits of forest cover for human health and sustainable social development are immense. Consequently, new theoretical perspectives, interdisciplinary approaches, and multi-source data are urgently required to explore the inherent issues, hypotheses, and themes in the field of forest cover and its ecological environmental effects.

The debate on the intrinsic link between forest cover changes and the environment continues. We invite you to share your innovative research in this field to this Special Issue of Forests, "Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects". The main objective of our Special Issue is to collect and disseminate the latest advances in forest cover change and its ecological and environmental effects. We encourage scholars from around the world to submit research papers investigating the relationship between forest cover and ecological environment using field surveys, experiments, remote sensing applications, GIS, geostatistical techniques, intelligent computing, forecasting, and simulations. We hope to highlight the latest advances in the field of conserving the environment and outline possible issues requiring further exploration to better provide a solid scientific basis and technological support for global and regional sustainable development.

Prof. Dr. Wei Shui
Dr. Junyu Qi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • forest land cover
  • environmental factors
  • ecological effects
  • environmental effects
  • biodiversity
  • ecological geography

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 7863 KiB  
Article
Informing Sustainable Forest Management: Remote Sensing Strategies for Assessing Soil Disturbance after Wildfire and Salvage Logging
by Sarah A. Lewis, Peter R. Robichaud, Vince A. Archer, Andrew T. Hudak, Jan U. H. Eitel and Eva K. Strand
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2218; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112218 - 10 Nov 2023
Viewed by 996
Abstract
Wildfires have nearly become a guaranteed annual event in most western National Forests. Severe fire effects can be mitigated with a goal of minimizing the hydrologic response and promoting soil and vegetation recovery towards the pre-disturbance condition. Sometimes, post-fire actions include salvage logging [...] Read more.
Wildfires have nearly become a guaranteed annual event in most western National Forests. Severe fire effects can be mitigated with a goal of minimizing the hydrologic response and promoting soil and vegetation recovery towards the pre-disturbance condition. Sometimes, post-fire actions include salvage logging to recover timber value and to remove excess fuels. Salvage logging was conducted after three large wildfires on the Lolo National Forest in Montana, USA, between 2017 and 2019. We evaluated detrimental soil disturbance (DSD) on seven units that were burned at low, moderate, and high soil burn severity in 2022, three to five years after the logging occurred. We found a range of exposed soil of 5%–25% and DSD from 3% to 20%, and these values were significantly correlated at r = 0.88. Very-high-resolution WorldView-2 imagery that coincided with the field campaign was used to calculate Normal Differenced Vegetation Index (NDVI) across the salvaged areas; we found that NDVI values were significantly correlated to DSD at r = 0.87. We were able to further examine this relationship and determined NDVI threshold values that corresponded to high-DSD areas, as well as develop a model to estimate the contributions of equipment type, seasonality, topography, and burn severity to DSD. A decision-making tool which combines these factors and NDVI is presented to support land managers in planning, evaluating, and monitoring disturbance from post-fire salvage logging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects)
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26 pages, 12363 KiB  
Article
Using Medium-Resolution Remote Sensing Satellite Images to Evaluate Recent Changes and Future Development Trends of Mangrove Forests on Hainan Island, China
by Chengzhi Yu, Binglin Liu, Shuguang Deng, Zhenni Li, Wei Liu, Dongqing Ye, Jiayi Hu and Xinyu Peng
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2217; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112217 - 10 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1147
Abstract
Mangroves are endemic forest communities in tropical and subtropical coastal zones. China’s Hainan Island is very rich in mangrove plant species. In recent years, due to climate change and human disturbance, the living environment of many mangrove distribution areas has been seriously threatened. [...] Read more.
Mangroves are endemic forest communities in tropical and subtropical coastal zones. China’s Hainan Island is very rich in mangrove plant species. In recent years, due to climate change and human disturbance, the living environment of many mangrove distribution areas has been seriously threatened. This study used land satellite series remote sensing images from 1990 to 2020 to monitor the coverage and area changes of mangroves on Hainan Island. The spatial distribution pattern and change trend of mangroves were explored using the standard deviation ellipse method, and the CA–Markov model was used to predict the possible changes of mangroves in the study area in 2025 and 2030. The development trend of mangroves in the future and the driving factors affecting the evolution of mangroves were also analyzed. Over the past 30 years, the area of mangroves has witnessed fluctuations. It decreased from 4578 hectares in 1990 to its lowest at 3870 hectares in 2005 and then rebounded to 4474 hectares by 2020, indicating an initial decline followed by a gradual increase. Although conservation and restoration efforts have yielded success, specific areas have witnessed a decline in mangrove coverage. From 1990 to 2020, mangrove areas in Huiwen decreased from 1055 hectares to 904 hectares, areas in Guannan decreased from 227 hectares to 167 hectares, areas in Xinyinggang decreased from 328 hectares to 298 hectares, areas in Yangpugang decreased from 747 hectares to 682 hectares, areas in Huachangwan decreased from 355 hectares to 327 hectares, and areas in Puqian decreased from 170 hectares to 141 hectares. In particular, the growth in the Eastern and Mayao port areas is especially significant. Additionally, data analysis has revealed the spatial distribution characteristics of mangroves in different regions, such as the mangrove area in Dongzhaigang, which remained relatively stable from 1990 to 2020, while in other areas like Huiwen and Guannan, the mangrove area decreased during these 20 years. By calculating the standard deviation ellipse, we observed that the overall change of mangroves on Hainan Island from 1990 to 2020 was relatively slow, mainly distributed along the northern coastal area of Hainan Island. Furthermore, the standard deviation ellipse and SDE center point of each mangrove growth area have visualized the growth trends of the mangroves. The Markov chain simulation results show that future changes in mangroves will mainly be concentrated in the marginal areas of the mangroves. These areas may be affected by rising sea levels, climate change, soil salinity, and human activities. In the future, mangrove areas are expected to display a dynamic equilibrium, experiencing periods of expansion and reduction, ultimately moving towards a more consistent state. To protect and restore mangroves, it is necessary to strengthen the monitoring and management of their ecological environment and socio-economic factors and improve their stability and diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects)
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22 pages, 14674 KiB  
Article
Scenario Simulation of Land Use and Cover under Safeguarding Ecological Security: A Case Study of Chang-Zhu-Tan Metropolitan Area, China
by Zhiwei Deng, Bin Quan, Haibo Zhang, Hongqun Xie and Ze Zhou
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2131; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112131 - 26 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1515
Abstract
Scenario-based simulation in land use and cover change (LUCC) is a practical approach to maintaining ecological security. Many studies generally set constraints of LUCC utilizing ecological patches but without consideration of corridors connecting these patches. Here, we constructed a framework to balance urban [...] Read more.
Scenario-based simulation in land use and cover change (LUCC) is a practical approach to maintaining ecological security. Many studies generally set constraints of LUCC utilizing ecological patches but without consideration of corridors connecting these patches. Here, we constructed a framework to balance urban growth and ecological security by integrating ecological security patterns (ESPs) into the PLUS model. This study selected Chang-Zhu-Tan Metropolitan Area (CZTMA) in central China as a typical case. Specifically, coupling quantitative demand with spatial constraints of multiple levels of ESPs, this study designed four scenarios, including historical tendency (HT), urban growth (UG), ecological conservation (EC), and coordinating city development and ecological protection (CCE). Then, the transformations and landscape patterns of LUCC were analyzed to evaluate the future land change from 2020 to 2050. The results show sixty-one key ecological sources in the CZTMA, mainly in higher-elevation forested areas. Forty-six ecological corridors were estimated using circuit theory. The building expansion was driven by accessibility to transportation and government locations and will contribute to the loss of forest and cropland in the future. The feature of different scenarios in alleviating the increasing fragmentation of patches and reducing the loss amount of ecological land showed EC > CCE > HT > UG. This study developed the ESP-PLUS framework and its modeling idea, which has the potential to be applied in other regions. This extension would assist decision-makers and urban planners in formulating sustainable land strategies that effectively reconcile eco-environmental conservation with robust economic growth, achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects)
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20 pages, 20200 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Variation and Pattern Analysis of Air Pollution and Its Correlation with NDVI in Nanjing City, China: A Landsat-Based Study
by Qianqian Sheng, Yaou Ji, Chengyu Zhou, Huihui Zhang and Zunling Zhu
Forests 2023, 14(10), 2106; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102106 - 20 Oct 2023
Viewed by 968
Abstract
The rapid socio-economic development and urbanization in China have led to a decline in air quality. Therefore, the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of urban air pollution, as well as its formation mechanisms and influencing factors, have become important areas of research in [...] Read more.
The rapid socio-economic development and urbanization in China have led to a decline in air quality. Therefore, the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of urban air pollution, as well as its formation mechanisms and influencing factors, have become important areas of research in atmospheric environment studies. This paper focuses on nine monitoring sites in Nanjing, where concentration data for six air pollutants and vegetation index data were collected from 2013 to 2021. The objective of this study is to investigate the changes in air pollutants and vegetation index over time and space, as well as their relationship with each other, and to assess the social and environmental impacts of air pollution. The findings reveal a spatial distribution pattern of air pollution in Nanjing that exhibits significant variability, with pollutant concentrations decreasing from the city center towards the surrounding areas. Notably, the main urban area has lower air quality compared to the peripheral regions. The results obtained from best-fit linear regression models and correlation heatmaps demonstrate a strong correlation (coefficient of determination, R2 > 0.5) between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and pollutants such as SO2, NO2, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 within a radial distance of 2 km from the air pollutant monitoring sites. These findings indicate that NDVI can be an effective indicator for assessing the distribution and concentrations of air pollutants. Negative correlations between NDVI and socio-economic indicators are observed under relatively consistent natural conditions, including climate and terrain. Therefore, the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of NDVI can provide valuable insights not only into socio-economic growth but also into the levels and locations of air pollution concentrations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects)
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23 pages, 5957 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Changes in Forest Area and Its Ecosystem Service Value in Ganzi Prefecture, China, in the Period 1997–2017
by Yanru Wang, Qingquan Li, Jijin Geng, Xiaojuan Bie, Peihao Peng and Guofeng Wu
Forests 2023, 14(9), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091731 - 27 Aug 2023
Viewed by 739
Abstract
It is possible to manage the forest ecosystem and promote sustainable development by keeping track of spatio-temporal fluctuation in the forest area and its ecosystem service value (ESV). The forest ecology of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Ganzi Prefecture), which is located in the [...] Read more.
It is possible to manage the forest ecosystem and promote sustainable development by keeping track of spatio-temporal fluctuation in the forest area and its ecosystem service value (ESV). The forest ecology of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Ganzi Prefecture), which is located in the northern Hengduan Mountains region, i.e., China’s most important ecological functional area, has seen significant alteration during the past 20 years. However, little is known about how the forest and its ESV evolve. We obtained data regarding Ganzi Prefecture’s forests using visual interpretation of remote sensing images derived from 1997, 2007, and 2017, and we evaluated the spatial–temporal changes in the forest ESV from 1997 to 2017 using global value coefficients and adjusted local value coefficients. The results revealed that (1) from 1997 to 2017, the forest area of Ganzi Prefecture increased by 6729.95 km2, and the forest growth rate was 336.50 km2/a, while (2) from 1997 to 2017, the forest ESV in Ganzi Prefecture experienced an overall increase of 257.59 × 108 yuan. The primary driver of the forest ESV increase was the implementation of forestry ecological engineering and protection policies. (3) Finally, the spatial distribution of the forest ESV revealed that the forest ESV density increased during this period, with the most significant increase occurring in Yajiang. The forest ESV was scattered with the highest density in Yajiang and the lowest density in Shiqu. This study emphasizes how crucial forest ecosystems are to Ganzi Prefecture’s mechanisms for maintaining life. It provided a scientific basis for the sustainable management of the forest ecosystem in the Hengduan Mountains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects)
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29 pages, 10717 KiB  
Article
Modeling Dynamics in Land Use and Land Cover and Its Future Projection for the Amazon Biome
by Kaíse Barbosa de Souza, Alexandre Rosa dos Santos, José Eduardo Macedo Pezzopane, Henrique Machado Dias, Jéferson Luiz Ferrari, Telma Machado de Oliveira Peluzio, João Vitor Toledo, Rita de Cássia Freire Carvalho, Taís Rizzo Moreira, Emanuel França Araújo, Rosane Gomes da Silva, Adriano Pósse Senhorelo, Gizely Azevedo Costa, Vinícius Duarte Nader Mardeni, Sustanis Horn Kunz and Elaine Cordeiro dos Santos
Forests 2023, 14(7), 1281; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14071281 - 21 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1610
Abstract
The objectives were to analyze the dynamics of land use and land cover of the Amazon biome over time through spatial modeling, and project its future scenario with the Land Change Modeler (LCM) module. This analysis was based on 1985, 2014 and 2017 [...] Read more.
The objectives were to analyze the dynamics of land use and land cover of the Amazon biome over time through spatial modeling, and project its future scenario with the Land Change Modeler (LCM) module. This analysis was based on 1985, 2014 and 2017 land cover data from the MapBiomas project, which was associated with socioeconomic explanatory variables based on the Cramer-V test. Results showed that the Forest Formation class occupied 3,844,800.75 km2 (91.20%) in 1985, and in 2014, there was a reduction to 3,452,129.25 km2 (81.89%). The pasture class had an initial area of 71,046.50 km2 (1.69%), and in 2014, there was an expressive increase to 437,670.00 km2 (10.38%). The analysis made it possible to verify that Forest Formation and Pastures were the classes that suffered the most changes, followed by the Annual and Perennial Culture and Mosaic of Agriculture and Pasture. The projected land use and coverage for 2044 suggests that there will be a reduction in Forest Formation due to a significant increase in the Pasture class. The simulations foreseen in this work are an important tool that can provide subsidies for supporting territorial planning in the region, public policies, and encouragement of best practices with a reduced impact in pasture areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Forest Cover Change and Its Ecological and Environmental Effects)
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