The influence of abiotic and biotic disturbances on the protective effect of alpine forests against avalanches and rockfalls
Vpliv abiotskih in biotskih motenj na varovalni učinek alpskih gozdov pred snežnimi plazovi in skalnimi podori

english

2020

abiotic disturbances   avalanche   biotic disturbances   natural disturbances   natural hazards   protection forests   protective effect   rockfall   stand parameters

Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

Abiotic and biotic disturbances in alpine forests can reduce forest cover or change the structure of the forest and consequently reduce the protective effect of forest against natural hazards such as avalanches and rockfalls. In this review article, the effect of the main abiotic (forest fire, windthrow, ice break, snow break, avalanche and rockfall) and biotic (insects and pathogens) disturbances in protection forests are presented along with their potential influence on the protective effect of forest against avalanches and rockfalls. In general, natural disturbances negatively affect the protective effect of forest, especially in the case of large-scale and severe events, which in alpine areas are mostly caused by storms, bark beetle outbreaks, avalanches and forest fires. Climate change induced interactions between disturbances are expected to present challenges in the management of protection forests in the future.

29.06.2020