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The effect of buffer strip width and selective logging on riparian forest microclimate

Year of publication

2019

Authors

Oldén, Anna; Peura, Maiju; Saine, Sonja; Kotiaho, Janne S.; Halme, Panu

Abstract

Riparian forests have cool and humid microclimates, and one aim of leaving forested buffer strips between clear-cut areas and streams is to conserve these microclimatic conditions. We used an experimental study set up of 35 streamside sites to study the impacts of buffer strip width (15 or 30 m) and selective logging within the buffer strips on summer-time air temperature, relative air humidity and canopy openness 12 years after logging. The buffer strip treatments were compared to unlogged control sites. We found that 15-meter buffer strips with or without selective logging and 30-meter buffer strips with selective logging were insufficient in maintaining temperature, relative humidity and canopy openness at similar levels than they were in control sites. In contrast, 30-meter buffer strips differed only little from control sites, although they did have significantly lower mean air humidity. Microclimatic changes were increased by southern or southwestern aspect of the clear-cut, and by logging on the opposite side of the stream. We also tested how the cover of three indicator mosses (Hylocomium splendens, Pseudobryum cinclidioides and Polytrichum commune) had changed (from pre-logging to 12 years post-logging) in relation to post-logging air temperature, relative air humidity and canopy openness. We found that each of the species responded to at least one of these physical conditions. Air humidity was the most significant variable for explaining changes in the cover of the indicator moss species, suggesting that the changes in this microclimatic component has biological impacts. We conclude that to preserve riparian microclimatic conditions and species dependent on those, buffer strips should exceed 30 m in width, and not be selectively logged. Wider buffer strips are required if the clear-cut is towards south or southwest, or if the two sides of the stream are logged at the same time or during subsequent years.
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Organizations and authors

University of Helsinki

Olden Anna

Saine Sonja

University of Jyväskylä

Oldén Anna Orcid -palvelun logo

Kotiaho Janne Orcid -palvelun logo

Peura Maiju Orcid -palvelun logo

Halme Panu Orcid -palvelun logo

Saine Sonja

Publication type

Publication format

Article

Parent publication type

Journal

Article type

Original article

Audience

Scientific

Peer-reviewed

Peer-Reviewed

MINEDU's publication type classification code

A1 Journal article (refereed), original research

Publication channel information

Parent publication name

Forest Ecology and Management

Volume

453

Article number

117623

​Publication forum

56286

​Publication forum level

3

Open access

Open access in the publisher’s service

No

Self-archived

Yes

License of the self-archived publication

CC BY NC ND

Other information

Fields of science

Ecology, evolutionary biology; Forestry

Keywords

[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Publication country

Netherlands

Internationality of the publisher

International

Language

English

International co-publication

No

Co-publication with a company

No

DOI

10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117623

The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection

Yes