Article
Environmental Sciences
Shu-yao Shan, Hao-jie Xu, Xiao-lian Qi, Tian Chen, Xu-dong Wang
Summary: By using satellite remote sensing and socio-economic statistical data, this study identified the controlling factors for the spatial and temporal patterns of ecological carrying capacity in the Qilian Mountain National Park. The results showed that the ECCI was low in the south and west but high in central and eastern regions, and its distribution was constrained by soil resources, ecosystem quality, land use/cover, and water environment. The temporal variability of ECCI was mainly influenced by forest and grassland coverage, soil and water conservation, waste water treatment amount, and terrestrial water reserves.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristina Villanova-Solano, Cintia Hernandez-Sanchez, Francisco Javier Diaz-Pena, Javier Gonzalez-Salamo, Miguel Gonzalez-Pleiter, Javier Hernandez-Borges
Summary: Human activities have led to the introduction of significant amounts of microplastics (MPs) into the atmosphere, which can travel long distances and deposit in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through precipitation. This study examined the presence of MPs in snow samples from El Teide National Park, revealing similar pattern profiles and composition among sampling sites. However, significant differences in MPs concentrations were found between samples collected in pristine areas and those obtained in places with anthropogenic activity, indicating the influence of both atmospheric transport and local human outdoor activities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Beatriz Rios-Fuster, Montserrat Compa, Carme Alomar, Salud Deudero
Summary: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are crucial for conserving ecosystems, but recent reports indicate the presence of marine debris within these areas. A survey conducted in Cabrera Natural Park (Cabrera MPA) between February and July 2021 revealed an average of 6.94 items/km of marine debris, with no significant differences observed between areas or months. Stranded debris accounted for 77% of the total, while floating debris made up the remaining 23%. The most common items were small plastic pieces and large nets. This study emphasizes the need for mitigation measures to prevent marine debris in ecologically significant areas.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dimitrios I. Raptis, Vassiliki Kazana, Nikolaos Onisiforou, Christos Stamatiou, Angelos Kazaklis
Summary: This study aimed to explore the biological processes related to tree height allometry of Black pine and develop a generalized mixed-effects model for tree height prediction. The proposed model, with three additional basic covariates and two random parameters, explained almost 96% of the height variance. The results showed that while competition and site-connected variables affected total height, crown base height was a significant factor in height expression.
Article
Forestry
Jeannine Fluri, Pia Anderwald, Fraenzi Korner-Nievergelt, Sonja Wipf, Valentin Amrhein
Summary: Browsing by wild ungulates has significant effects on forest structure and composition. In the Swiss National Park, the high density of red deer, ibex, and chamois is attributed to strict protection and absence of large predators. Analysis of count data from 1991 to 2021 reveals an increase in saplings and young trees despite the presence of wild ungulates. Browsing probability is highest for larch saplings at a height of 10-40 cm and increases with elevation.
Article
Forestry
Vincent Maicher, Connie J. Clark, David J. Harris, Vincent P. Medjibe, John R. Poulsen
Summary: Anthropogenic disturbances, such as hunting and logging, are impacting tree communities in tropical forests, with forests near human settlements showing richer, more heterogeneous, and dynamic species compositions. Once-logged forests have the highest stem density and intermediate species richness, with an increase in shade-bearing species over time. Tree species spatial turnover and tree recruitment are greatly affected by proximity to human settlements.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Van Viet Nguyen, Thi Thanh Thuy Phan, Arockia E. J. Ferdin, Chun-Hung Lee
Summary: This paper presents a conceptual framework of human-elephant conflict management in a National Park in Vietnam, incorporating community aspects gleaned from the importance-performance analysis. Different perceptions of importance and performance of HEC indicators were found between farmers and non-farmers, indicating the need for tailored management strategies. The study also identifies factors influencing local residents' participation behavior towards HEC management, emphasizing the importance of addressing demographic, awareness, and behavioral factors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jean-Luc Kouassi, Lucien Diby, Dieudonne Konan, Allegra Kouassi, Yeboi Bene, Christophe Kouame
Summary: This study examines the adoption of cocoa agroforestry by smallholder farmers near the Tai National Park in Cote d'Ivoire. Results show that most farmers use agroforestry practices, and some are adopting improved agroforestry techniques. Factors influencing cocoa agroforestry adoption include gender, length of residency, number of cultivated cash crops, and incidence of black pod attacks. These findings have important implications for promoting sustainable agriculture practices and biodiversity conservation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jeanne Portier, Jan Wunder, Golo Stadelmann, Juergen Zell, Meinrad Abegg, Esther Thuerig, Brigitte Rohner
Summary: In Europe, the task of characterising, understanding and modelling natural forests is highly challenging due to centuries of forest management. National Forest Inventories offer a unique opportunity to investigate hidden natural forests, with 'latent reserves' showing more signs of naturalness than managed forests. However, more time may be required for these forests to fully detach from past management effects.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jhael A. Ortega, Jorge Brito, Santiago R. Ron
Summary: This article describes six new species of the genus Pristimantis from Amazonian cloud forests in Ecuador and presents a phylogeny showing their relationships. Additionally, the osteology of two new species is described using high-resolution x-ray computed tomography.
Article
Environmental Studies
Olivia FitzGerald, Catherine Matilda Collins, Clive Potter
Summary: The study shows widespread enthusiasm for woodland expansion among stakeholders, with significant differences in terms of scale and approach. Stakeholders focus on topics such as biodiversity gain, climate change mitigation, while expressing caution regarding target setting and its place in the national debate.
Article
Forestry
Kaidi Li, Guangfu Zhang
Summary: The research in Jiangsu Province showed that there is a rich diversity of heritage trees, with most ancient trees having good growth performance. Heritage trees are mainly found in villages, farmlands, parks, and gardens. Species diversity among cities is influenced by climate, topography, and human factors.
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Fitri Rahmafitria, Puspita Dirgahayani, Heru Purboyo H. Putro, Arief Rosyidie, Delik Hudalah
Summary: This study explores the dimensions of accessibility that impact tourists' decisions to visit protected islands and encourages tourism. The findings show that destination accessibility, individual accessibility, and protected island accessibility all have significant influence on tourist decision-making.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Decky Indrawan Junaedi, Imawan Wahyu Hidayat, Muhammad Efendi, Zaenal Mutaqien, Musyarofah Zuhri, Taufikurrahman Nasution, Fitri Kurniawati, Muhammad Imam Surya, Lily Ismaini, Aisyah Handayani, Andes Hamuraby Rozak
Summary: This study in Indonesian mountain forests found that leaf thickness and habitat elevation were key factors influencing the abundance-weighted species richness of naturalized alien plant species, while leaf traits and environmental factors did not have a significant impact on the number of individuals per exotic species per plot.
JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alexander Chidakel, Brian Child, Shylock Muyengwa
Summary: The study demonstrates that despite high leakage, tourism accounts for approximately 40% of local household income and at least half of business growth in the gateway community. Results also reveal that the GDP contributions from tourism are an order of magnitude higher than park management costs. Circumstances promoting the park's economic performance include key access infrastructure and commercial autonomy in management.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Davit Marikyan, Savvas Papagiannidis, Eleftherios Alamanos
Summary: This study addresses the outcomes of technology use when it falls short of expectations and the coping mechanisms users may use in such circumstances. By adopting Cognitive Dissonance Theory, the study explores how negative disconfirmation of expectations can result in positive outcomes and how negative emotions impact the selection of dissonance reduction mechanisms. The study finds that post-disconfirmation dissonance leads to feelings of anger, guilt, and regret, which correlate with dissonance reduction mechanisms, ultimately affecting satisfaction and well-being.
INFORMATION SYSTEMS FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Alexis Achim, Guillaume Moreau, Nicholas C. Coops, Jodi N. Axelson, Julie Barrette, Steve Bedard, Kenneth E. Byrne, John Caspersen, Adam R. Dick, Loic D'Orangeville, Guillaume Drolet, Bianca N. Eskelson, Cosmin N. Filipescu, Maude Flamand-Hubert, Tristan R. H. Goodbody, Verena C. Griess, Shannon M. Hagerman, Kevin Keys, Benoit Lafleur, Miguel Montoro Girona, Dave M. Morris, Charles A. Nock, Bradley D. Pinno, Patricia Raymond, Vincent Roy, Robert Schneider, Michel Soucy, Bruce Stewart, Jean-Daniel Sylvain, Anthony R. Taylor, Evelyne Thiffault, Nelson Thiffault, Udaya Vepakomma, Joanne C. White
Summary: Climate change is rapidly altering forest ecosystems, leading to a diversification of public expectations regarding sustainable forest resource use. Silviculturists are transitioning from empirically derived scenarios to new approaches, focusing on observe, anticipate, and adapt. Utilizing remote sensing, developing state-of-the-art models, and implementing spatially explicit guidance are key strategies to ensure adaptive silvicultural actions in rapidly changing environments.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Andrew J. Chadwick, Nicholas C. Coops, Christopher W. Bater, Lee A. Martens, Barry White
Summary: This study assessed the performance of classifying lodgepole pine and white spruce using RGB and NIR imagery. The results showed that models trained on NIR imagery slightly outperformed those trained on RGB imagery, and models trained on spectral bands outperformed those trained on spectral indices. However, the minor difference in performance between the two sets of imagery indicated that accurate classification can be achieved using conventional RGB imagery.
IEEE GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Daniele Marinelli, Nicholas C. Coops, Douglas K. Bolton, Lorenzo Bruzzone
Summary: Monitoring forest dynamics is crucial for sustainable forest management and conservation. This study proposes an unsupervised change detection method for lidar data based on polar change vector analysis. The method effectively discriminates between different classes of lidar change.
IEEE GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Remote Sensing
Martin Queinnec, Nicholas C. Coops, Joanne C. White, Verena C. Griess, Naomi B. Schwartz, Grant McCartney
Summary: In this study, dominant species groups in a large boreal forest were mapped by combining area-based and individual tree metrics derived from LiDAR data with multispectral information from Sentinel-2 imagery. The study found that variables such as reflectance in the red edge region, tree crown area and volume, and cumulative distribution of LiDAR returns in the canopy were important for discriminating between species groups.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gonzalo Carrasco, Auro C. Almeida, Mark Falvey, Guillermo Federico Olmedo, Peter Taylor, Fernando Santibanez, Nicholas C. Coops
Summary: The 3-PG model was used to predict the future productivity of Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus radiata forest plantations in Chile. The results indicated a potential increase in stand volume over the next 50 years, driven by higher atmospheric CO2 levels and improved air temperatures and tree water use efficiency. However, other factors such as soil nutrient availability, droughts, extreme temperatures, competing vegetation, and pests and diseases may compromise these potential gains.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Yangqian Qi, Nicholas C. Coops, Lori D. Daniels, Christopher R. Butson
Summary: This study explored the use of drone laser scanning (DLS) and mobile laser scanning (MLS) data individually and combined to estimate tree attributes under various canopy cover levels. The research found that weighted data improved modelling efficiency by around 20% compared to fused and MLS data. Fused and weighted data achieved comparable results and outperformed DLS/MLS data in estimating tree attributes across different canopy cover levels.
ISPRS JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Article
Remote Sensing
Levi Keay, Christopher Mulverhill, Nicholas C. C. Coops, Grant McCartney
Summary: The advent of CubeSat constellations has revolutionized the ability to observe Earth systems through time. This study developed and implemented a method for the spatial and temporal detection of forest harvest operations using images from the PlanetScope constellation. Results indicate that forest harvesting can be detected with relative accuracy, providing previously unavailable levels of spatial and temporal detail for forest stakeholders.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Thomas Miraglio, Nicholas C. Coops
Summary: This paper introduces a Python package called SUREHYP for processing Hyperion hyperspectral images to derive surface reflectance. Results show that SUREHYP produces results comparable to commercial software, while being completely open-source and usable globally.
Article
Remote Sensing
Alexandre Morin-Bernard, Alexis Achim, Nicholas C. Coops
Summary: Non-stand-replacing disturbances play a significant role in northern hardwood forest dynamics, but are more difficult to characterize using satellite imagery than stand-replacing events. This study proposes a hurdle approach that attributes disturbance causal agents to specific sample plots, achieving an overall accuracy of 82.9%. Disturbance-specific models were then developed to assess the severity of partial harvests and damage from ice storms, with r-squared values of 0.57 and 0.59, respectively. These models provide important information for future silvicultural planning by capturing within-stand variability in disturbance severity.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Spencer Dakin Kuiper, Nicholas C. C. Coops, Scott G. G. Hinch, Joanne C. C. White
Summary: Remote sensing technology has the potential to revolutionize freshwater fish habitat monitoring by providing information across large geographic areas, but the overwhelming number of platforms, sensors, and software available may hinder its widespread use. This review examines the fundamental characteristics of remote sensing technologies used for freshwater habitat characterization, reviews studies that have utilized these technologies, and identifies key habitat features, fish species, and regions that have been examined. The review also highlights the strengths and weaknesses of different remote sensing technologies, suggests future research directions, and provides important considerations for those interested in utilizing these technologies for freshwater fish habitat characterization.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Forestry
A. R. Wotherspoon, A. Achim, N. C. Coops
Summary: This study examines the future climate trends in eight ecozones in Canada that contain managed forests. The projections suggest a warming trend and an overall increase in precipitation. The study highlights the potential impacts on dominant species and wood volume for Canada's forestry industry.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Jose Riofrio, Joanne C. White, Piotr Tompalski, Nicholas C. Coops, Michael A. Wulder
Summary: By developing age-independent height growth models, using multi-temporal airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, a comprehensive indicator of site quality for complex and irregular stand structures is provided. This approach leverages the accurate, spatially detailed characterization of canopy heights afforded by ALS data and is independent of stand age, increasing the possible geographic extent of height growth estimates.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Saverio Francini, Txomin Hermosilla, Nicholas C. Coops, Michael A. Wulder, Joanne C. White, Gherardo Chirici
Summary: Remote sensing is a major source of information for monitoring forest dynamics, but accurate surface reflectance data is often difficult to obtain. Pixel-based composites are used to generate complete coverage of the area of interest from multi-temporal images, but a comprehensive methodology for assessing the quality of these composites is currently lacking. In this study, a pixel-based composite assessment methodology based on five criteria was introduced and tested on Landsat images over Europe. The results showed that the assessment approach was effective for evaluating the quality of pixel-based composites and could be applied in various applications.
ISPRS JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Margaret E. Andrew, Douglas K. Bolton, Gregory J. M. Rickbeil, Nicholas C. Coops
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of niche-based mechanisms, including environmental filtering, niche availability, and niche packing, on biodiversity patterns. The results show that the importance of these mechanisms varies with scale, position on environmental gradients, and taxonomic group.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)