Analyzing deadwood volume of Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) in relation to stand and site parameters: a case study in Köprülü Canyon National Park.

The importance of deadwood (DW) in forest ecosystems is widely recognized today. Deadwood is used as a proxy indicator for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of forests. This research aims to determine the amount and spatial distribution of DW (standing dead trees, stumps, and coarse woody debris) and characterize the changes with few selected parameters in an unmanaged forest reserve of Köprülü Canyon National Park (NP).

Analyzing riparian forest cover changes along the Firniz River in the Mediterranean City of Kahramanmaras in Turkey.

Riparian forests adjacent to surface water are important transitional zones which maintain and enrich biodiversity and ensure the sustainability in a forest ecosystem. Also, riparian forests maintain water quality, reduce sediment delivery, enhance habitat areas for aquatic life and wildlife, and provide ecological corridors between the upland and the downstream. However, the riparian ecosystems have been degraded mainly due to human development, forest operations, and agricultural activities.

Spatial dynamics of carbon storage: a case study from Turkey.

Forest ecosystems have an important role in carbon cycle at both regional and global scales as an important carbon sink. Forest degradation and land cover changes, caused by deforestation and conversion to non-forest area, have a strong impact on carbon storage. The carbon storage of forest biomass and its changes over time in the Hartlap planning unit of the southeastern part of Turkey have been estimated using the biomass expansion factor method based on field measurements of forests plots with forest inventory data between 1991 and 2002.

A GIS-based decision support system for determining the shortest and safest route to forest fires: a case study in Mediterranean Region of Turkey.

The ability of firefighting vehicles and staff to reach a fire area as quickly as possible is critical in fighting against forest fires. In this study, a Geographical Information System-based decision support system was developed to assist fire managers in determining the fastest and the safest or more reliable access routes from firefighting headquarters to fire areas. The decision support system was tested in the Kahramanmaras Forestry Regional Directoratein the Mediterranean region of Turkey.

Estimation of Stand Type Parameters and Land Cover Using Landsat-7 ETM Image: A Case Study from Turkey.

Remote sensing has been considered a low-cost, large-area coverage forest information resource ideally suited to broad-scale forest inventory objectives. The objective of this study is to determine stand type parameters such as crown closure, development stage and stand types, and land cover obtained from Landsat 7 ETM image and forest cover type map (stand type map). The research also focuses on classifying and mapping the stand parameters with the spatial analysis functions of GIS.

Urbanization and forest cover change in regional directorate of Trabzon forestry from 1975 to 2000 using landsat data.

In this study, forest cover change and urbanization in the borders of Regional Directorate of Trabzon Forestry (RDTF), which is located in NE of Turkey, was investigated during a 25 year period. Spatial and temporal changes in forest cover were also analyzed using Geographical Information System (GIS) and FRAGSTATS. Forest cover changes were detected from a time series of satellite images of Landsat MSS in 1975, Landsat TM in 1987, and Landsat ETM+ in 2000 using Remote Sensing (RS) and GIS.

Forest cover change and fragmentation using Landsat data in Maçka State Forest Enterprise in Turkey.

Monitoring forest cover change and understanding the dynamic of forest cover is increasingly important in sustainable development and management of forest ecosystems. This paper uses remote sensing (RS) techniques to monitor forest cover change in Maçka State Forest Enterprise (MSFE) located in NE of Turkey through 1975 to 2000 and then analyses spatial and temporal changes in forest cover by Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and FRAGSTATStrade mark. Forest cover changes were detected from a time series of satellite images of Landsat MSS in 1975, Landsat TM in 1987, and Landsat ETM+ in 2000 using RS and GIS.

Spatial distribution and temporal change of carbon storage in timber biomass of two different forest management units.

Forests make up large ecosystems and can play an important role in mitigating the emissions of CO2, the most important greenhouse gas. However, they are sources of atmospheric carbon when they are disturbed by human or natural causes. Storage of carbon through expansion and adaptive management of forest ecosystems can assist in reducing carbon concentrations in atmosphere.

Temporal changes in forest landscape patterns in Artvin Forest Planning Unit, Turkey.

Understanding the historical dynamics, composition, and environmental disturbances of forest landscapes provides a context for monitoring changes, describing trends, and establishing reference conditions. This study analyses the temporal changes in forest ecosystem structure in Artvin Forest Planning Unit (AFPU), Turkey, during 1972-2002 period based on digitized forest stand type maps using geographic information system (GIS) and interpretation of satellite data. The results showed that there was a net decrease of 450 ha in total forested areas between 1972 and 2002.