Emulating Natural Forest Landscape Disturbances: Concepts and Applications - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0231129165 ISBN 13: 9780231129169

Publisher: Columbia University Press, 2004

Synopsis

An editorial team from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' Ontario Forest Research Institute and the Canadian Forest Service's Great Lakes Forestry Centre bring together North American forestry and ecology researchers to address questions arising from the debate over the emulation of natural forest disturbances. Twenty-two contributions address conceptual questions such as what emulation involves and the ecological reasons for engaging in emulation; case studies from across North America that detail the characterization of natural disturbances and the development of templates for their emulation through forest management (with a greater focus on fire regimes); and the expectations of stakeholders and economic, planning, and policy feasibility of emulation. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

About this title

Book Description

This comprehensive collection of provocative papers provides a scientific foundation for justifying the use of and a solid framework for examining the ambiguities inherent in emulating natural forest landscape disturbance. Contributors range from policymakers and forestry professionals to academics and conservationists, offering a balanced view of the promises and challenges of the forest management paradigm in sustaining forest landscapes.

The book opens with an overview of foundational concepts, a detailed discussion of emerging forest management paradigms and their global context, and an examination of the ecological premise for emulating natural disturbance. This section also explores the current understanding of natural disturbance regimes, including the two most prevalent in North America: fire and insects. The volume then uses several geographically diverse case studies to address the characterization of natural disturbances and the development of applied templates for their emulation through forest management. The emphasis on fire regimes reflects the greater focus that has traditionally been placed on understanding and managing fire, compared with other forms of disturbance, and utilizes several viewpoints to address the lessons learned from historical disturbance patterns. Reflecting current developments in the field, immediate challenges, and potential directions, this collection concludes with a penetrating look at practical applications, exploring the expectations for and feasibility of emulating natural disturbance through forest management.

About the Author

Ajith H. Perera is a landscape ecologist who leads the forest landscape ecology research program at the Ontario Forest Research Institute, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Lisa J. Buse is a forest biologist and coordinates the technology transfer section at the Ontario Forest Research Institute. Michael G. Weber is director of the Saskatoon Lab of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Edition details

• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0231129165
• ISBN 13: 9780231129169
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352
• Editor: Perera Ajith H., Buse Lisa J., Weber Michael G.