The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application
Recent emphasis on conserving the biodiversity has stressed the value of natural ecosystems in saving the species from extinction. In the Fennoscandian region the conifer-dominated boreal forests form the largest single ecosystem. The forests have been under varying intensity of human influence for...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:39ffa2f9ccf9421f90ff4afc594dd923 2023-05-15T16:13:04+02:00 The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application Rouvinen, Seppo Kouki, Jari 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.270 https://doaj.org/article/39ffa2f9ccf9421f90ff4afc594dd923 EN eng Finnish Society of Forest Science https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/270 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-4075 2242-4075 doi:10.14214/sf.270 https://doaj.org/article/39ffa2f9ccf9421f90ff4afc594dd923 Silva Fennica, Vol 42, Iss 1 (2008) Forestry SD1-669.5 article 2008 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.270 2022-12-31T12:56:38Z Recent emphasis on conserving the biodiversity has stressed the value of natural ecosystems in saving the species from extinction. In the Fennoscandian region the conifer-dominated boreal forests form the largest single ecosystem. The forests have been under varying intensity of human influence for decades or centuries. Recent attempts have tried to seek the last remaining natural forests to be included in the protection programmes. However, due to long and widespread human influence, finding and defining the natural forests has proven to be extremely difficult, not only because they are so rare but also because the concept of natural forest is vague. These difficulties are partly seen through the diverse terminology used. We first review the varying terminology as seen in recent studies. Secondly, we propose the basis for defining the natural forest and show some intriguing and challenging difficulties are involved in the concept. These difficulties are at least partly related to inherent strong and long-term dynamic component in boreal forest ecosystems that is manifested over several temporal and spatial scales. Finally, we outline a more general terminology with associated indicators and measurements that might be used in the classification and terminology. Conceptual clarification is necessary, for example, to compile ecologically justified and representative global, national and regional forest statistics. Many currently applied definitions of âforestâ and ânaturalâ that are applied in the context of forest statistics overlook ecologically important components of natural forests, and thus provide quite misleading or inadequate data of existing diversity patterns in these ecosystems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Fennoscandian Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Silva Fennica 42 1 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Forestry SD1-669.5 |
spellingShingle |
Forestry SD1-669.5 Rouvinen, Seppo Kouki, Jari The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
topic_facet |
Forestry SD1-669.5 |
description |
Recent emphasis on conserving the biodiversity has stressed the value of natural ecosystems in saving the species from extinction. In the Fennoscandian region the conifer-dominated boreal forests form the largest single ecosystem. The forests have been under varying intensity of human influence for decades or centuries. Recent attempts have tried to seek the last remaining natural forests to be included in the protection programmes. However, due to long and widespread human influence, finding and defining the natural forests has proven to be extremely difficult, not only because they are so rare but also because the concept of natural forest is vague. These difficulties are partly seen through the diverse terminology used. We first review the varying terminology as seen in recent studies. Secondly, we propose the basis for defining the natural forest and show some intriguing and challenging difficulties are involved in the concept. These difficulties are at least partly related to inherent strong and long-term dynamic component in boreal forest ecosystems that is manifested over several temporal and spatial scales. Finally, we outline a more general terminology with associated indicators and measurements that might be used in the classification and terminology. Conceptual clarification is necessary, for example, to compile ecologically justified and representative global, national and regional forest statistics. Many currently applied definitions of âforestâ and ânaturalâ that are applied in the context of forest statistics overlook ecologically important components of natural forests, and thus provide quite misleading or inadequate data of existing diversity patterns in these ecosystems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rouvinen, Seppo Kouki, Jari |
author_facet |
Rouvinen, Seppo Kouki, Jari |
author_sort |
Rouvinen, Seppo |
title |
The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
title_short |
The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
title_full |
The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
title_fullStr |
The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
title_full_unstemmed |
The natural northern European boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
title_sort |
natural northern european boreal forests: unifying the concepts, terminologies, and their application |
publisher |
Finnish Society of Forest Science |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.270 https://doaj.org/article/39ffa2f9ccf9421f90ff4afc594dd923 |
genre |
Fennoscandian |
genre_facet |
Fennoscandian |
op_source |
Silva Fennica, Vol 42, Iss 1 (2008) |
op_relation |
https://www.silvafennica.fi/article/270 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-4075 2242-4075 doi:10.14214/sf.270 https://doaj.org/article/39ffa2f9ccf9421f90ff4afc594dd923 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.270 |
container_title |
Silva Fennica |
container_volume |
42 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1765998669692141568 |