| Stiftelsen Oscar och Lili Lamms Minne |
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| Titel | One size does not fit all: Towards science based recommendations for best forest management practice | |
| No | DO2015-0029 | |
| Universitet | SLU Sveriges Lantbruksuniveristet | |
| Institution | Skogens ekologi och skötsel | |
| Huvudsökande | Hjalmar Laudon | |
| Beviljat belopp | 2 000 000 | |
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| Sammanfattning |
| The overarching objective of this project is to test the hypothesis that the use of hydrologically adapted riparian buffer widths in forest management will result in an improved protection of surface water quality following clear-cut harvesting. In the project we will test if less water quality perturbation will occur in adjacent streams by maintaining wider riparian buffers in areas where groundwater is accumulating although they only make up 10% of the riparian zone. Our research team has previously successfully demonstrated that riparian groundwater discharge hotspots have higher species richness of plants and have a distinct soil texture and soil chemistry compared to adjacent non-discharge riparian areas. Therefore these hotspots likely embody substantially larger control over stream water quality but are also more sensitive to perturbation. We have through our work developed hydrological mapping tools that are needed to implement these findings into conventional forest management and shown that the cost for the land-owner can be kept at the same level and hence improving the overall protection ambition without additional cost. Many forestry managers, authorities and scientists have requested us to also evaluate the water quality aspects of this new riparian buffer management strategy before it can be fully implemented into practice. Therefore we seek resources for a PhD student to perform groundwater biogeochemical measurements across discharge and non-discharge riparian sites situated along the same stream network established as part of our previous work. We will utilize available high resolution hydrological models of the catchment to mechanistically link the hydrology and biogeochemistry of groundwater in the riparian zone to understand the regulation of stream water quality. In combination with our previous results about riparian biodiversity and functioning, our project team will be able to provide holistic recommendations for best management practice of riparian buffers. This project is directly related to the objectives of Stiftelsen Oscar och Lili Lamms minne with respect to protection, conservation and management of natural and water resources. |