Lecture 1 - Intro to Forest Ecosystems Flashcards
In the past, what did forests traditionally provide for humans?
- shelter
- protection
- food
- medicine
- building materials
- primary fuel source (wood)
Forests were/are vital in human survival!
What did collecting wood look like in the past?
Settlements would extract most of the local forests, causing them to move farther out each year. It was very difficult to move timber due to terrain and distance (longer distances to travel with limited transportation) Still an issue in developing countries today
What is the use of forests in today’s society?
Over 10, 000 products are made from wood
- furniture
- building materials
- paper
- non-timber products (jewellery, cooking utensils, etc.)
What are the ecosystem services forests provide (benefits)?
- control erosion
- carbon sequestration
- windbreak
- flood prevention
- aesthetic value
- recreational activities
- conservation of flora and fauna
Diff services overlap and forests can be managed to meet all needs (ex. timber industry with biodiversity)
Why is carbon sequestration important?
B/c it provides some mitigation of climate change in comparison of the releasing of carbon by cutting down trees
What is an example of country that moved to sustainable forestry?
*hint Kyoto protocol
Costa Rica cut down majority of forests and after Kyoto protocol, replanted trees and manages sustainably. They are paid by other countries for sequestering their C.
Why is there much conflict over the managing of forests?
There are conflicting viewpoints on how forests should be managed appropriately, usually between conservationists and forestry groups. (ex. Sierra Club vs. MacMillan-Bloedel). Management is usually shifted towards the economy though (forestry companies favoured)
What should a successful forest manager be able to do?
They should be able to understand all views to develop management plans that incorporate the values of all stakeholders.
What is the definition of forestry?
The art, science and practice of managing natural resources that occur on or in association with forest land for human benefit.
What is the definition of forestry problematic? (What doesn’t it consider?)
- the role/importance of trees
- the role of indigenous people
- the role of wildlife
- the role of the ecosystem services
- management of forests (fire, disease, overall protection)
List some facts about forests
- they cover 30% of global surface
- they are complex interactions between biotic and abiotic components (you mess with one, it’ll affect the other)
What is forest distribution/composition dependent on?
It is dependent on environmental conditions (boreal vs. tropical has diff temps and precip)
Why are forests referred to as dynamic ecosystems?
B/c they are in a continual state of change and are influenced by external factors (ex. wind, fire, disease)
What are the two major groups of tree species?
- gymnosperms (conifers/needles) - arose 365 m.y.a and only had a few 1000 species
- angiosperms (deciduous/leaves) - arose 145-65 m.y.a and has 400,000 species
What is the most important phytogeographic process/event in the history of the earth?
It is when the expansion of the angiosperms caused a decline in the gymnosperms range.
They went from 1% of pop, to 40% of pop which caused restrictions for gymnos (why they are found in boreal) - climate change currently allowing angios to move further north, issue for gymnos survival
What are some examples of angios and how they came to be where they are today?
Beech: arose in montane tropical regions and migrated to their current distribution ~60 m.y.a
Oaks: had rapid speciation and expanded to colder/drier climates & continues to respond to climate change today
What are somethings angios are better at than gymnos?
- efficient at moving water and nutrients through tissue (xylem moves water and phloem moves nutrients)
- reproduction b/c efficient at sprouting new trees which gymno can’t do (ex. jack pine cone requires fire to reproduce)
What is the gingko biloba?
It is a tree native to China & is known as living fossil b/c similar to many trees now extinct. It has fan-like leaves that it sheds annually but is classified as a gymnosperm b/c female doesn’t have fruit but instead has seeds surrounded by fleshy material (seed always determines classification)!
How did natives view forests?
They had a very close bond and relied heavily on forests for survival. They used resources sustainably and preached stewardship of the land (treated mother earth with respect)
How did early settlers view forests?
1st Euro settlement was in 1608 lead by Champlain and they relied on Canadian forests for beaver pelt trade. Forests were seen as jungles with poor tree quality and so forested land was changed to agricultural land.
What was the “forest boom”?
It was when the economy was hot and wars, railways, etc. caused large timber demand, so Europe imported wood from CAN and USA. When Canada became own nation, it became a major raw materials supplier that produced high quality planks and timber. (ex. providing masts for British navy). This caused overexploitation.
Why was the Canadian Forest Association (CFA) created?
It was created by Elihu Stewart who was the appointed chief inspector of timber & forestry in 1899 by PM Laurier and he was responsible for promoting forest conservation as well. He recognized that natural resources were being depleted at an alarming rate, so he created the CFA (now CFS - service).
What is the CFS concerned with?
- promotion of sustainable development
- competitiveness of Canadian forest sector
- involved in research of fire, disease, climate change and silviculture
