A1 Journal article (refereed)
Contrasting Norway spruce disturbance dynamics in managed forests and strict forest reserves in Slovakia (2023)
Potterf, M., Svitok, M., Mezei, P., Jarčuška, B., Jakuš, R., Blaženec, M., & Hlásny, T. (2023). Contrasting Norway spruce disturbance dynamics in managed forests and strict forest reserves in Slovakia. Forestry, 96(3), 387-398. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpac045
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Potterf, Mária; Svitok, Marek; Mezei, Pavel; Jarčuška, Benjamín; Jakuš, Rastislav; Blaženec, Miroslav; Hlásny, Tomáš
Journal or series: Forestry
ISSN: 0015-752X
eISSN: 1464-3626
Publication year: 2023
Publication date: 08/11/2022
Volume: 96
Issue number: 3
Pages range: 387-398
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpac045
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/83882
Abstract
We investigated recent disturbance intensities in Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) forests in Slovakia (Central
Europe) with different management objectives in 2000–2017 based on Landsat imagery. We focused on 122
strict reserves without any management, their actively managed surroundings (500 m and 2000 m buffers),
and managed production forests beyond the buffer areas. We used generalized additive mixed models to test
for differences in temporal trends of disturbance intensity among these management categories. We found that
disturbance intensity was increasing in all management categories during the studied period. The increase was
more pronounced in the managed forests (compound annual disturbance rate 1.76% year−1) and the 2000 m
buffer (2.21% year−1) than in the strict reserves (0.58% year−1). The predicted cumulative disturbance during the 18-year period was 9.9% in the reserves and 30.5% in the 2000 m buffer. We found that forests in nature reserves can be more resistant to disturbances than forests managed for timber production, despite management efforts to control disturbances in managed forests. Our findings can help reconcile the different perceptions of natural disturbances and their management in Central Europe and support climate-adapted management strategies that consider natural disturbances as an indispensable component of ecosystem dynamics.
Keywords: forests; protected areas; nature reserves; nature conservation; nature-based recreation
Free keywords: Norja; Slovakia
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
VIRTA submission year: 2022
JUFO rating: 2
