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

基于生态系统的模拟自然干扰管理（EMEND）是一项大规模的长期试验，研究了加拿大北部艾伯塔省北部针叶林的动态。该项目采用了四种创新的采伐方法、标准的加拿大砍伐方法和两种规定的火灾处理方法，采用四种覆盖类型，代表北方混合木材的连续序列。自1999年以来一直遵循干扰后恢复。我们的目标是比较不同保留采伐后的系统恢复与在完全砍伐和自然干扰后观察到的系统恢复，与监测未砍伐森林建立的基线条件有关。EMEND结果提高了i)对西部北方森林生物多样性的认识（我们认为这是加拿大最完整的单点调查），ii)这些物种如何相互作用，以及iii)这些联系以及与非生物环境的联系所产生的生态系统动力学。我们运用这些知识来帮助我们的合作伙伴更可持续、更有效地管理林场。该提案结合了植物、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，以及这些影响如何反过来与野火、养分循环、碳储存和森林生产力等自然过程联系起来。这里提出的分项目都集中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。这些子项目为研究生和本科生提供了接受教育的机会，同时在多学科环境中产生有用的研究，其特点是来自几个机构的研究提供者和用户之间广泛的互动。结果将有助于合作伙伴努力确保公众接受其业务，并为可持续生产的木材产品赢得和保持市场份额。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产业保持全球竞争力。

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.