Global Climate Change and Human Impacts on Forest Ecosystems

"... a major contribution to forest ecosystems research ... elaborate analysis for the social sciences and for climate policy makers ... has a comprehensive list of references and a very elaborate subject index." (Naturwissenschaften) "To our knowledge, this book is among the best, if not the best, in combining information on air pollution, climate and global change, and forest history and management into one volume. Teachers and researchers in any of these areas will find the book very useful." (Forest Pathology)

• 1 Introduction.- 2 Forest-Ecosystem Fundamentals.- 2.1 The Forest Ecosystem and Its Environment.- 2.2 Space and Time Seal es of Ecosystem Processes.- 2.3 Complexity and Order in Forest Ecosystems.- 2.3.1 Hierarchy Theory.- 2.4 Process Patterns as Ecological Indicators.- 2.5 Stabilising and Destabilising Effects.- 3 Post-Glacial Development of Climate and Forest Ecosystems.- 3.1 Climate Development.- 3.2 Vegetation Development.- 3.3 Post-Glacial Changes in Nutrient Cycling and Soil Conditions.- 4 Sources and Sinks of Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants.- 4.1 Overview.- 4.2 Carbon Compounds.- 4.3 Nitrogen and Sulphur Compounds, and 03.- 4.4 Heavy Metals.- 5 Present State of Forest Ecosystems.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Forest Soil Condition.- 5.3 Forest Vegetation Condition.- 5.4 Overall Forest Carbon Reserves.- 6 Implications of Changes in Ambient and Climatic Conditions on Ecosystem Processes.- 6.1 Implications of the Deposition of Acid and Nitrogen.- 6.2 Implications of an Increase in the Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Content.- 6.2.1 Atmospheric C02 Concentrations in Earth’s History and Plant Developmental Responses.- 6.3 Additional Effects of an Increase in Temperature.- 6.4 Implications of Climatic Changes on the Water Balance.- 6.5 Implications of Catastrophic Weather Incidents.- 6.6 Implications of Increased UV-B Radiation.- 7 Scenarios of Future Changes.- 7.1 Expected Climate Changes.- 7.2 Expected Soil Changes.- 7.3 Modelling Vegetation and Its Development Under Changing Conditions.- 7.4 Expected Development of Forest Area and Wood Resources.- 7.5 Forestry Options for C02 Mitigation.- 7.6 Trends of Change in Common Forest Ecosystem Types of Central Europe.- 8 Forest Management.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Development of Forest Management in Central Europe.- 8.3Forest-Management Practices.- 8.4 Forest Practice and Management in a European Comparison.- 8.5 Management Strategies to Cope with Forest Decline.- 8.6 Forest-Management Reactions on Climate Warming.- 9 Human Impacts on Central European Forests: Summary and Conclusions.- References.