Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry

Forestry systems, including afforestation and reforestation land uses, are prevalent in drylands and aimed at restoring degraded lands and halting desertification. However, an increasing amount of literature has alerted potentially adverse ecological and environmental impacts of this land use, riski...

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Main Author: Ilan Stavi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-08-01
Series:Forests
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/9/737
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spelling doaj-2bc3c0302467484888523fa1fa3d609a2020-11-24T21:31:59ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072019-08-0110973710.3390/f10090737f10090737Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland ForestryIlan Stavi0Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Yotvata 88820, IsraelForestry systems, including afforestation and reforestation land uses, are prevalent in drylands and aimed at restoring degraded lands and halting desertification. However, an increasing amount of literature has alerted potentially adverse ecological and environmental impacts of this land use, risking a wide range of ecosystem functions and services. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the potentially adverse implications of dryland forestry and highlight the caution needed when planning and establishing such systems. Wherever relevant, establishment of low-impact runoff harvesting systems is favored over high-impact ones, which might cause extensive land degradation of their surroundings. Specifically, both in hillslopes and channels, scraping, removal, or disturbance of topsoil for the construction of runoff harvesting systems should be minimized to prevent the decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity and increase in water overland flow and soil erosion. In order to negate suppression of understory vegetation and sustain plant species richness and diversity, low-density savanization by non-allelopathic tree species is preferred over high-density forestry systems by allelopathic species. Wherever possible, it is preferable to plant native tree species rather than introduced or exotic species, in order to prevent genetic pollution and species invasion. Mixed-species forestry systems should be favored over single-species plantations, as they are less susceptible to infestation by pests and diseases. In addition, drought-tolerant, fire-resistant, and less flammable tree species should be preferred over drought-prone, fire-susceptible, and more flammable species.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/9/737anthropogenic factorsclimate changeherbaceous vegetationlandform functioning vs. dysfunctioningland use changenatural factorsprolonged droughtsrunoff ratiosoil qualitysource–sink relations
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Ilan Stavi
spellingShingle Ilan Stavi
Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry
Forests
anthropogenic factors
climate change
herbaceous vegetation
landform functioning vs. dysfunctioning
land use change
natural factors
prolonged droughts
runoff ratio
soil quality
source–sink relations
author_facet Ilan Stavi
author_sort Ilan Stavi
title Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry
title_short Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry
title_full Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry
title_fullStr Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry
title_full_unstemmed Seeking Environmental Sustainability in Dryland Forestry
title_sort seeking environmental sustainability in dryland forestry
publisher MDPI AG
series Forests
issn 1999-4907
publishDate 2019-08-01
description Forestry systems, including afforestation and reforestation land uses, are prevalent in drylands and aimed at restoring degraded lands and halting desertification. However, an increasing amount of literature has alerted potentially adverse ecological and environmental impacts of this land use, risking a wide range of ecosystem functions and services. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the potentially adverse implications of dryland forestry and highlight the caution needed when planning and establishing such systems. Wherever relevant, establishment of low-impact runoff harvesting systems is favored over high-impact ones, which might cause extensive land degradation of their surroundings. Specifically, both in hillslopes and channels, scraping, removal, or disturbance of topsoil for the construction of runoff harvesting systems should be minimized to prevent the decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity and increase in water overland flow and soil erosion. In order to negate suppression of understory vegetation and sustain plant species richness and diversity, low-density savanization by non-allelopathic tree species is preferred over high-density forestry systems by allelopathic species. Wherever possible, it is preferable to plant native tree species rather than introduced or exotic species, in order to prevent genetic pollution and species invasion. Mixed-species forestry systems should be favored over single-species plantations, as they are less susceptible to infestation by pests and diseases. In addition, drought-tolerant, fire-resistant, and less flammable tree species should be preferred over drought-prone, fire-susceptible, and more flammable species.
topic anthropogenic factors
climate change
herbaceous vegetation
landform functioning vs. dysfunctioning
land use change
natural factors
prolonged droughts
runoff ratio
soil quality
source–sink relations
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/9/737
work_keys_str_mv AT ilanstavi seekingenvironmentalsustainabilityindrylandforestry
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