Adaptive forest management through EMEND (Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance)

EMEND(基于生态系统的管理模拟自然干扰)是位于艾伯塔省西北部的一项关于北方森林动态的大规模和长期的实验。该项目在四种覆盖类型的作业大小的块上实施了四种创新的收获处理、标准的加拿大皆伐和两种规定的火灾处理，代表了北方混交林的演替顺序。自1999年以来，一直在跟踪骚乱后的恢复。我们的目标是将可变保留收获后的系统恢复与采伐和自然干扰后观察到的系统恢复进行比较，与通过监测从未砍伐的森林建立的基线条件有关。修正结果改善了一)对西部北方森林生物多样性的了解(我们认为这是加拿大最完整的单一地点调查)，二)这些物种如何相互作用，以及三)这些联系产生的生态系统动态以及与非生物环境的联系。我们应用这些知识来帮助我们的合作伙伴更可持续、更高效地管理树冠林地。这项提案研究了植物、微生物、无脊椎动物和脊椎动物的生物多样性如何对自然和人为干扰做出反应，以及这些影响又如何与野火、养分循环、碳储存和森林生产力等自然过程联系在一起。这里提出的次级项目都侧重于加拿大森林部长理事会制定的加拿大可持续森林管理六项标准中的一项或多项。这项工作将帮助我们的合作伙伴制定和实施符合这些标准的森林管理计划。次级项目为研究生和本科生提供接受教育的机会，同时在多学科环境中产生有用的研究，其特点是研究提供者和来自几个机构的用户之间进行广泛互动。结果将有助于合作伙伴努力确保他们的业务被公众接受，并赢得和保持可持续生产的木材产品的市场份额。因此，这项研究有助于维护加拿大人珍视的森林价值和生态系统服务，并帮助加拿大的旗舰行业保持全球竞争力。

EMEND (Ecosystem-based Management Emulating Natural Disturbance) is a large-scale and long-term experiment about boreal forest dynamics located in NW Alberta. The project has imposed four innovative harvest treatments, standard Canadian clear-cuts and two prescribed fire treatments on operational-sized blocks in four cover-types representing the successional sequence of the boreal mixedwood. Post-disturbance recovery has been followed since 1999. We aim to compare system recovery after variable retention harvest with that observed after both clear-cutting and natural disturbance, in relation to baseline conditions established by monitoring never-cut forest. EMEND results improve i) understanding of biodiversity in the western boreal forest (we believe it is the most complete single site inventory in Canada), ii) how these species interact with each other, and iii) the ecological system dynamics that result from these connections and from linkage to the abiotic environment. We apply this knowledge to help our partners manage crown forest lands more sustainably and efficiently. This proposal couples work about how plant, microbial, invertebrate, and vertebrate biodiversity responds to both natural and anthropogenic disturbance and how these effects, in turn, are linked to natural processes like wildfire, nutrient cycling, carbon storage and forest productivity. The subprojects proposed here are all focused on one or more of the six criteria for sustainable forest management in Canada, as laid out by the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers. The work will help our partners develop and implement forest management plans that satisfy these criteria. The subprojects provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to be educated while generating useful research in a multidisciplinary environment characterized by extensive interaction among research providers and users from several agencies. Results will contribute to partner efforts to ensure public acceptance of their operations, and to win and maintain market share for sustainably produced wood products. Hence the research contributes to maintaining forest values and ecosystem services prized by Canadians, and helps a flagship Canadian industry remain globally competitive.