Development of Lichen Response Indexes Using a Regional Gradient Modeling Approach for Large-Scale Monitoring of Forests

Development of Lichen Response Indexes Using a Regional Gradient Modeling Approach for Large-Scale Monitoring of Forests
Author: United States Department of Agriculture
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 72
Release: 2015-02-14
Genre:
ISBN: 9781506120218

Development of a regional lichen gradient model from community data is a powerful tool to derive lichen indexes of response to environmental factors for large-scale and long-term monitoring of forest ecosystems. The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service includes lichens in its national inventory of forests of the United States, to help monitor the status of forested ecosystems. Development of a model for a specific region to calculate lichen response indexes that are correlated with air quality and major climate factors, and are also independent of each other, is a critical step in achieving program goals. These indexes are the primary lichen bioindicators used in FIA for assessing regional patterns and monitoring trends of lichen response to environment over time. This general approach is also applicable to other monitoring efforts. A first step in the modeling process is to identify an appropriate geographic region for a model. Unconstrained ordination alone, or combined with indicator species analysis followed by regression analysis, are two approaches borrowed from plant ecology that have been shown to generate successful regional lichen gradient models. Calculation of lichen response indexes for new plots not part of the original model is necessary to support long-term monitoring. We explain the rationale for recommended approaches, describe in detail the recommended steps in the modeldevelopment process, and explain how to document and evaluate results, all to support successful application of a model for monitoring. A template is included for documenting a model and archiving all products necessary to understand and apply it, as is required for each FIA model.

Development of Lichen Response Indexes Using a Regional Gradient Modeling Approach for Large-scale Monitoring of Forests

Development of Lichen Response Indexes Using a Regional Gradient Modeling Approach for Large-scale Monitoring of Forests
Author: Susan Will-Wolf
Publisher:
Total Pages: 65
Release: 2010
Genre: Forest biodiversity
ISBN:

Development of a regional lichen gradient model from community data is a powerful tool to derive lichen indexes of response to environmental factors for large-scale and long-term monitoring of forest ecosystems. The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service includes lichens in its national inventory of forests of the United States, to help monitor the status of forested ecosystems. Development of a model for a specific region to calculate lichen response indexes that are correlated with air quality and major climate factors, and are also independent of each other, is a critical step in achieving program goals. These indexes are the primary lichen bioindicators used in FIA for assessing regional patterns and monitoring trends of lichen response to environment over time. This general approach is also applicable to other monitoring efforts. A first step in the modeling process is to identify an appropriate geographic region for a model. Unconstrained ordination alone, or combined with indicator species analysis followed by regression analysis, are two approaches borrowed from plant ecology that have been shown to generate successful regional lichen gradient models. Calculation of lichen response indexes for new plots not part of the original model is necessary to support long-term monitoring. We explain the rationale for recommended approaches, describe in detail the recommended steps in the model development process, and explain how to document and evaluate results, all to support successful application of a model for monitoring. A template is included for documenting a model and archiving all products necessary to understand and apply it, as is required for each FIA model

Forest Monitoring

Forest Monitoring
Author: Borys Tkacz
Publisher: Elsevier Inc. Chapters
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2013-03-16
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0128055170

Different monitoring initiatives have been undertaken in Canada and the United States since the 1980s at national and regional scales. In the United States, starting in 1990, partners from federal and state agencies established the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program with the goal of monitoring and evaluating the status, conditions, and trends in indicators of forest health. The FHM program has evolved into a system where FHM plots are integrated with the national Forest Inventory and Analysis program. In Canada, early attempts can be traced back to the 1980s with the Acid Rain Early Warning System. After its ending, Canadian forest monitoring was mostly carried out within the redesigned National Forest Inventory, Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network, and regional initiatives. One of them, implemented in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region of Alberta since 1997, is presented here.

Lichen Response to the Environment and Forest Structure in the Western Cascades of Oregon

Lichen Response to the Environment and Forest Structure in the Western Cascades of Oregon
Author: Erin P. Martin
Publisher:
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2005
Genre: Lichen communities
ISBN:

Lichens are an important part of the biota in western Oregon forests, where they perform valuable ecological roles and contribute significantly to biodiversity. Lichens in western Oregon are threatened by a number of factors including air pollution and land use practices. If we wish to maintain the persistence of lichens in future landscapes it is critical that we understand the responses of lichen communities and individual lichen species to the environment and forest structure. This dissertation explores factors that are related to differences in lichen community composition and the distributions of individual lichen species in the western Cascades of Oregon, using a large landscape scale data set. I sought to relate major gradients in lichen community composition to environmental factors, and describe differences in lichen communities with respect to forest age (Chapter 2). I found three major gradients in lichen communities at a landscape scale in the western Oregon Cascades. These gradients were related to climate as expressed by elevation and annual temperature, air quality, north-south position, the richness of epiphytic macrolichens, and forest age. I developed a rarity score, which can be used to identify hotspots of rare species diversity at a landscape scale (Chapter 3). I then built descriptive models of this rarity score to identify abiotic and biotic factors associated with the occurrence of rarity hotspots. I found that models of rarity score that used explanatory variables based on lichen community composition performed better than models that used explanatory variables based solely on environmental factors. I narrowed my focus to the level of individual species responses to the environment and forest structure by developing habitat models for 11 lichen species in the western Cascades (Chapter 4). We selected these species because they performed important ecological roles, were rare across the landscape and associated with old growth forests, or because their distributions were poorly understood. These models can be used to increase the efficiency of landscape level surveys for rare species, predict the response of these species to forest management practices, and understand factors associated with the distributions of these lichens.

Analyzing Lichen Indicator Data in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

Analyzing Lichen Indicator Data in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program
Author: Will-Wolf
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 70
Release: 2015-01-03
Genre:
ISBN: 9781505907261

Lichens are one of several forest health indicators sampled every year for a subset of plots on the permanent grid established by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. This report reviews analysis procedures for standard FIA lichen indicator data. Analyses of lichen data contribute to state, regional, and national reports that evaluate spatial pattern and temporal trends in forest biodiversity, air quality, and climate. Data collection and management follow standard national protocols. A lichen species richness index (the number of species per FIA plot) is available for all areas soon after data collection. Air quality and climate indexes (for defined regional gradients and based on lichen species composition at plots) are developed from an FIA lichen gradient model. Critical steps in standard data analysis include screening plots to exclude biased data, selection of appropriate populations, then analysis, presentation, and interpretation of data.

Analyzing Lichen Indicator Data in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

Analyzing Lichen Indicator Data in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program
Author: Susan Will-Wolf
Publisher:
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2010
Genre: Air
ISBN:

Lichens are one of several forest health indicators sampled every year for a subset of plots on the permanent grid established by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. This report reviews analysis procedures for standard FIA lichen indicator data. Analyses of lichen data contribute to state, regional, and national reports that evaluate spatial pattern and temporal trends in forest biodiversity, air quality, and climate. Data collection and management follow standard national protocols. A lichen species richness index (the number of species per FIA plot) is available for all areas soon after data collection. Air quality and climate indexes (for defined regional gradients and based on lichen species composition at plots) are developed from an FIA lichen gradient model. Critical steps in standard data analysis include screening plots to exclude biased data, selection of appropriate populations, then analysis, presentation, and interpretation of data. Analysis of ranked indexes is recommended as the default data option, to compensate for frequent failure of indexes to meet assumptions for parametric statistical tests. Analysis of variance is the recommended default tool for standard analysis of both spatial pattern and trends across time. Because plot density is low, dot maps are currently recommended for display. Lichen data from the Southeast Lichen Model Region illustrate all steps in standard analysis. Lichen indicator data can also contribute to analyses of regional issues that may include specialized or experimental analysis techniques. Further development of analysis approaches is needed in several areas, including calibration between lichen gradient models for adjacent regions and better mapping techniques.

Lichen Bioindication of Biodiversity, Air Quality, and Climate

Lichen Bioindication of Biodiversity, Air Quality, and Climate
Author: Sarah Jovan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2008
Genre: Air
ISBN:

Lichens are highly valued ecological indicators known for their sensitivity to a wide variety of environmental stressors like air quality and climate change. This report summarizes baseline results from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Lichen Community Indicator covering the first full cycle of data collection (1998-2001, 2003) for Washington, Oregon, and California. During this period, FIA conducted 972 surveys of epiphytic macrolichen communities for monitoring both spatial and long-term temporal trends in forest health. Major research findings are presented with emphasis on lichen biodiversity as well as bioindication of air quality and climate. Considerable effort is devoted to mapping geographic patterns and defining lichen indicator species suitable for estimating air quality and climate.

Monitoring with Lichens - Monitoring Lichens

Monitoring with Lichens - Monitoring Lichens
Author: Pier Luigi Nimis
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 395
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401004234

A comprehensive, up-to-date review of lichens as biomonitors of air pollution (bioindication, metal and radionuclide accumulation, biomarkers), and as monitors of environmental change (including global climate change and biodiversity loss) in a wide array of terrestrial habitats. Several methods for using lichens as biomonitors are described in a special section of the book.

Forest Monitoring

Forest Monitoring
Author:
Publisher: Newnes
Total Pages: 537
Release: 2013-03-16
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0080982255

The demand for comparable, long-term, high quality data on forest ecosystems' status and changes is increasing at the international and global level. Yet, sources for such data are limited and in many case it is not possible to compare data from different monitoring initiatives across space and time because of methodological differences. Apart from technical manuals, there is no comprehensive multidisciplinary, scientific, peer-reviewed reference for forest monitoring methods that can serve and support the user community. This book provides in a single reference the state-of-the-art of monitoring methods as applied at the international level. The book present scientific concepts and methods that form the basis of the transnational, long-term forest monitoring in Europe and looks at other initiatives at the global level. Standardized methods that have been developed over two decades in international forest monitoring projects are presented. Emphasis is put on trans-nationally harmonized methods, related data quality issues, current achievements and on remaining open questions. A comprehensive overview of needs, requirements, organization and possible outcomes of an integrated monitoring program Tested and quality assured, internationally harmonized methodologies based on a complete revision of existing methods carried out in 2009-2011 Connection with monitoring results allows assessment of the potential of the monitoring method

Lichens to Biomonitor the Environment

Lichens to Biomonitor the Environment
Author: Vertika Shukla
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 195
Release: 2013-08-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 8132215036

The book embodies the detailed account about unique symbionts i.e. LICHENS in ecosystem monitoring. The first chapter deals with unique characteristics features of lichens which facilitate their survival in extreme climates and makes them an ideal organism for ecosystem monitoring. Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites are known to protect lichens against increasing environmental stresses therefore second chapter provides insight into various chromatographic and modern spectroscopic techniques involved in separation and characterization of lichen substances. The third chapter elaborates the criteria for selection of biomonitoring species and characters of host plant that influences lichen diversity and details about different lichen species utilized for biomonitoring. One can retrieve preliminary information about the air quality based on the lichen community structure and distribution of bioindicator species as lichen communities/indicator species provides valuable information about the natural/anthropogenic induced changes in the microclimate and land-use changes due to human activity. Therefore, for identification of species, a key to genera and species provides concise information to identify the lichen species based on their morphological and anatomical characters and chemicals present. Keys provided in Chapter 4 will help the beginners to identify some common lichen species based on the distribution in different climatic zones of India. The section also provides comprehensive information about the bioindicator communities and bioindicator species from India. Chapter 5 provides the details of factors affecting the ecosystem (natural as well as anthropogenic disturbances) and role of lichens in ecosystem monitoring in India has been discussed in detail. Chapter 6 discusses the need and utility of indicator species especially lichen biomonitoring data in sustainable forest management and conservation. The content about lichens in biomonitoring will be a valuable resource for researchers from different fields and will provide an essential reference for people interested in lichens and its role in ecosystem monitoring. The book will also hopefully popularize lichenological studies in India and will generate more active participation of lichen biomonitoring studies in management and conservation of natural resources in India.