Númer:
508
Skógvist – IceWoods
Flokkur:
Skógrækt og landgræðsla
Upphafsár:
Tengiliður:
Bjarni Diðrik Sigurðsson
Netfang:
bjarni@lbhi.is
The project is a combined effort by the Agricultural University of Iceland, Iceland Forest Service and the Icelandic Institure of Natural History. The results of the study have been bublished both in English and Icelandic as ca. 30 scientific research articles and book chapters, and some aspects of it are still being written up. PI is prof. Bjarni D. Sigurdsson (bjarni@lbhi.is).
ICEWOODS focused on changes in species composition and population densities of birds, soil invertebrates, insects, vascular plants and fungi that occur following afforestation with the introduced Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and the native downy birch (Betula pubescens), as well as the changes in carbon sequestration, NPP and soil efflux of carbon.
Afforestation sites with Siberian larch, 10, 20, 35, 55 years of age, were selected for the study, as well as comparable treeless lands and two sites covered by the native birch. Parallel studies where also done for four afforestation sites with Sitka spruce and lodgepole pine and comparable treeless sites and old-growth downy birch forests. Together these three tree coniferous species account for about 75% of the annual afforestation in Iceland.
ICEWOODS was the first project in Iceland that tried to bring together studies on forest production (carbon sequestration) and biodiversity. Understanding which factors control the age-related dynamics of the plantation ecosystems is the key for sound environmental assessment of afforestation programs that are foreseen to increase in near future. Such information is also essential for integrating forest carbon budgets across space and time, which Iceland needs to do after having ratified the Kyoto-protocol.
Helstu samstarfsaðilar:
Iceland Forest Service
The Icelandic Institute of Natural History
|