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Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World
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Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Apr 06, 2020

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Page 1: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World

Page 2: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Approaches to interpreting landscapes in a region

• Basic determinants of landscape pattern

• Geophysical template

• Biota

• disturbances

Page 3: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Physical template and Macroclimate (including gradients)

To what degree does the physical environment exert control over the landscape pattern?

Page 4: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Bedrock

Page 5: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Landforms and Topography and their effects on the operational environment

Page 6: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Hydrologic Regime

• Type, density, definition of drainage networks 

Page 7: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Topography as it effects ponding of water and air

Page 8: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

BiotaNatural and Introduced

Page 9: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Introduced biota may result in homogenized landscapes

Page 10: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Disturbances• To what degree has the disturbance regime modified the landscapes reflection of the geophysical template?

Page 11: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Disturbances• What do we need to consider?

• Type• Frequency• Scale• Intensity

Page 12: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Human Disturbances• What do we need to consider?

• Conversion of landscape

Page 13: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Human Disturbances• What do we need to consider?

• Modification of landscape

Page 14: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Aspects of landscape form and function

• Focus on analyzing landscapes in terms of the basic quantitative and qualitative aspects of the ecosystem

• 1. Types (content) of patches• 2. Size, shape, and distribution of patches• 3. Matrix patch type• 4. Level of contrast among patches

Page 15: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Aspects of landscape form and function

• Focus on analyzing landscapes in terms of the basic quantitative and qualitative aspects of the ecosystem

• 5. Overall grain and extent of patchwork• 6. Edges – amount of edge, structure of edges, and level of contrast• 7. Overall connectivity and apparent pathways for movement of organisms

• 8. Importance of topography/landform as a determinant of pattern

Page 16: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Aspects of landscape form and function

• Focus on analyzing landscapes in terms of the basic quantitative and qualitative aspects of the ecosystem

• 5. Overall grain and extent of patchwork• 6. Edges – amount of edge, structure of edges, and level of contrast• 7. Overall connectivity and apparent pathways for movement of organisms

• 8. Importance of topography/landform as a determinant of pattern

Page 17: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Distinctive macroclimate which is important in influencing the physical template, biota, and disturbance regimes

Page 18: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Even subalpine regions are relatively warm but very snowy which has consequences for tree line patterns and parkland mosaics.

Page 19: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Strong east/west gradient

• North/south trends

• East winds

• Unique features (Columbia Gorge, plateau regions)

Page 20: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Biota• Dominated by evergreen conifer forests• Hardwoods are a relatively minor component of the forests

Page 21: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Disturbance regimes

• Fire as the primary natural disturbance with contrasting fire regimes on the west and east sides of the Cascades

Page 22: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.
Page 23: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Disturbance regimes

• Wind a primary natural disturbance on the west side particularly close to the coast

• 1921 storm• Columbus day storm

Page 24: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Forest Landscapes Around the World• Pacific Northwest

• Human disturbance

• Conversion of most of the low elevation forestland to intensively managed tree farms

• Conversion of low elevations into farmland mosaics

• Creation of urban areas 

• Dispersed patch clearcutting

• Alteration of fire regime

Page 25: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere

• eastern United States, western Europe, eastern and northeastern China, and Japan

Page 26: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere• Geophysical Template

• Precipitation is well distributed throughout the year

• Nutrient regime is often considered more important than moisture

• Highly varied geologies/topographies:

Page 27: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere

• Biota• Typically dominated by deciduous hardwood

• Very rich in tree diversity

• Conifers are generally a minor component of natural forests and they dominate in early succession

Page 28: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests in other parts of the Northern HemisphereDisturbance regimes

‐small wind dominates but large episodic hurricanes, cyclones, thunderstorms DO occur

Page 29: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests in other parts of the Northern HemisphereHuman Disturbance

Long period of human alteration to these landscapes

‐most of the NE is forest despite heavily populated urban areas

‐most of the NE is secondary forest that was cleared

Page 30: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests of the Southern Hemisphere

• Australia• Mediterranean climate• Dominated by Eucalyptus species• Large long‐lived species• Infrequent stand replacement fire• Extensive plantations of radiata pine

Page 31: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Moist Temperate Forests of South America• Seasonal precipitation except in Tierra del Fuego • Generally hardwood dominated: genus = Nothofagus spp.• Wind and geomorphic processes as disturbance regime• Extensive creation of plantations (Douglas‐fir, radiate pine, ponderosa pine)

Page 32: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

They do have unique conifers though!

Page 33: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Xeric Forests• Montane forests of more arid regions• Often mosaics of forest and grassland• Controlled by topography and nutrient limitations• Fire (all severity) and insects are dominant disturbance regime

Page 34: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Woodlands• Dry/hot environments creating a partially forested area• Strong patterning within the woodlands related to riparian areas and soil chemistry

• Fire is dominant• Grazing and fire suppression

Page 35: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Subalpine forests

Page 36: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.
Page 37: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Deserts‐high degree of variability – American deserts are considered to be “too” wet!‐Macroclimate is very important‐physical and chemical processes dominate, much less control by vegetation‐strongly differentiated riparian zones

Page 38: Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the Worldcourses.washington.edu/esrm441/Lectures/Freund_foresttypes.pdf · Characteristics of Forest Landscapes Throughout the World.

Deserts