Journal Article

Estimating Dead Wood During National Forest Inventories: A Review of Inventory Methodologies and Suggestions for Harmonization

Woodall, Christopher W, Rondeux, Jacques, Ståhl, Göran, Verkerk, Pieter J

2009

Overview

Efforts to assess forest ecosystem carbon stocks, biodiversity, and fire hazards have spurred the need for comprehensive assessments of forest ecosystem dead wood (DW) components around the world. Currently, information regarding the prevalence, status, and methods of DW inventories occurring in the world's forested landscapes is scattered. The goal of this study is to describe the status, DW components measured, sample methods employed, and DW component thresholds used by national forest inventories that currently inventory DW around the world. Study results indicate that most countries do not inventory forest DW. Globally, we estimate that about 13% of countries inventory DW using a diversity of sample methods and DW component definitions. A common feature among DW inventories was that most countries had only just begun DW inventories and employ very low sample intensities. There are major hurdles to harmonizing national forest inventories of DW: differences in population definitions, lack of clarity on sample protocols/estimation procedures, and sparse availability of inventory data/reports. Increasing database/estimation flexibility, developing common dimensional thresholds of DW components, publishing inventory procedures/protocols, releasing inventory data/reports to international peer review, and increasing communication (e.g., workshops) among countries inventorying DW are suggestions forwarded by this study to increase DW inventory harmonization.

• Publisher: New York : Springer-Verlag,Springer-Verlag,Springer Nature B.V,Springer
• Subject: Agricultural management / Agriculture & agronomie / Agriculture & agronomy / Annual reports / Aquatic Pollution / Biodiversity / Biologie végétale (sciences végétales, sylviculture, mycologie...) / Carbon / carbon sequestration / Climate change / Conservation of Natural Resources / Data Collection / Dead wood / Downed dead wood / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecology / Ecosystem / Ecosystem assessment / Ecosystems / Environment / Environmental Management / Environmental Monitoring - methods / Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data / Environmental Sciences / Estimating / Fire hazards / Forest / Forest ecosystems / forest inventory / Forestry / Forestry Management / Forests / Greenhouse gases / Harmonization / Inventories / Inventory / Life sciences / methodology / Miljövetenskap / National forests / Nature Conservation / Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...) / Questionnaires / sampling / Sciences du vivant / Standing dead wood / Stockpiling / surveys / Thresholds / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control / Wood