The scientific publication “Combining Tree Species Composition and Understory Coverage Indicators with Optimization Techniques to Address Concerns with Landscape-Level Biodiversity” addresses the critical problem of managing forest landscapes for conflicting objectives such as the provision of biodiversity, wood production and wildfire vulnerability which are the utmost importance for improving the decision-making processes of stakeholders in the Northwestern of Portugal.
The research presents a novel framework that allows the application of linear programming-based (LP) optimisation techniques to guide forest actors in seeing optimal forest management practices to safeguard future biodiversity. The authors explore the potential to help assess the impact landscape-level plans by integrating an effective stand-level biodiversity indicator that reflects the interaction between tree species composition, stand age and understory cover, under divergent climate conditions.
Researchers emphasised that the implementation of alternative forest management models (native species) in practice appears to be a real chance to provide a promising path to support the provision of various ecosystem services. The article has been published in Land science journal as part of the Special Issue Climate Adaptation and Biodiversity Conservation. The publication is available both online and in PDF formats:
Full Reference
Botequim, B., Bugalho, M. N., Rodrigues, A. R., Marques, S., Marto, M., & Borges, J. G. 2021. Combining Tree Species Composition and Understory Coverage Indicators with Optimization Techniques to Address Concerns with Landscape-Level Biodiversity. Land, 10(2), 126.
