Session BG3.9

[Programme]

BG3.9 | Natural Disturbances in a Changing World: detecting, modelling and managing novel threats in forest ecosystems

Natural Disturbances in a Changing World: detecting, modelling and managing novel threats in forest ecosystems

Convener: Davide MarangonECSECS | Co-conveners: Giulia ManteroECSECS, Maximiliano Costa, Tommaso BaggioECSECS, Donato MorresiECSECS

Orals

| Fri, 19 Apr, 10:45–12:10 (CEST)

Room 2.17

Posters on site

| Attendance Fri, 19 Apr, 16:15–18:00 (CEST) | Display Fri, 19 Apr, 14:00–18:00

Hall X1

Natural disturbances are one of the most important factors that shape the structure and composition of forests. Climate and land use changes are deeply altering forest disturbance regimes, potentially impacting ecosystems balance and structure, increasing hazard and risk for human health and threatening the provision of many ecosystem services (ES). Given the multitude of functions and services required from forests, it is crucial to understand the impact of recent natural disturbances on forests, especially with the alterations introduced by different global change drivers. Such modifications in the environmental conditions trigger new interactions among biotic, abiotic, and anthropogenic disturbances, which in turn can lead to increased severity and significant alterations of post-disturbance environment. Compound disturbances and cascading processes are increasing in frequency and raising their importance as limiting factors in the provision of forest ES. Therefore, higher attention is needed to analyze these phenomena. Despite the increasing awareness of the fundamental ecological role of natural disturbances, scientifically sound practices for increasing the resistance and resilience of forests and promoting natural regeneration are still lacking. A focus on post-disturbance management is needed to choose the more appropriate intervention, in terms of intensity and timing, that promotes effective forest recovery. Moreover, first place must be given to forest restoration and regeneration strategies, to reduce the loss of ES provisioning and re-establish the targeted forest function. This complex scenario requires solid scientific input, calling for multidisciplinary and multiscale analytical approaches. Remote sensing, in-field surveys, statistical and mechanistic models are some of the tools required for the detection, quantification, and management of forest disturbances and their effects on forest functions, ecosystem dynamics, and ecosystem services provisioning. In this session, we invite contributions from all the fields to promote knowledge and new methodologies to assess forest disturbances, from detection and mapping to the investigation of ecological processes and post-disturbance management, also through the use of numerical models. Particular attention will be paid to multiscale and multidisciplinary analysis dealing with the spatiotemporal characteristics of the processes and their interaction with climate, land use, and ES provisioning.