To examine ecologically sustainable forest management, studies of the effects of forest management on plant species diversity were reviewed. For ecologically sustainable forest management, the harvesting methods must mimic the natural disturbance regime of the corresponding forest type. Clear cutting affects plant species diversity more than partial cutting methods (e.g., shelterwood logging and selection logging), and since forest management eliminates coarse woody debris and snags from stands, this greatly influences any species that favor such a habitat. The distance between patches in a fragmented landscape is an important factor for seed dispersal and establishment in each patch. In addition to using the species diversity index, and indicator, umbrella, and keystone species to evaluate the effects of forest management on plant species diversity, plant functional types and stand structural variables have been proposed. Basic and applied research (e.g., population ecology, landscape ecology, and conservation ecology) is required to achieve ecologically sustainable forest management that conserves natural ecological processes.
抄録全体を表示