Assessing forest cover changes and fragmentation in the Himalayan temperate region: implications for forest conservation and management  

作　　者：Kaleem Mehmood Shoaib Ahmad Anees Akhtar Rehman Aqil Tariq Qijing Liu Sultan Muhammad Fazli Rabbi Shao’an Pan Wesam Atef Hatamleh 

机构地区：[1]College of Forestry,Beijing Forestry University,Beijing 100083,People’s Republic of China [2]Institute of Agriculture Sciences and Forestry,University of Swat,Swat,Pakistan [3]Department of Forestry,The University of Agriculture,Dera Ismail Khan 29050,Pakistan [4]Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education,Beijing Forestry University,Beijing 100083,People’s Republic of China [5]Beijing Key Laboratory of Precision Forestry,Forestry College,Beijing Forestry University,Beijing 100083,People’s Republic of China [6]School of Environmental Studies,China University of Geosciences,Wuhan 430074,People’s Republic of China [7]Department of Wildlife,Fisheries and Aquaculture,College of Forest Resources,Mississippi State University,Starkville,MS 39762‑9690,USA [8]School of Management,Tianjin University of Commerce,Tianjin 300134,People’s Republic of China [9]Department of Computer Science,College of Computer and Information Sciences,King Saud University,P.O.Box 51178,11543 Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

出　　处：《Journal of Forestry Research》2024年第4期128-141,共14页林业研究（英文版）

基　　金：This research was supported by project number(RSP2024R384)King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.

摘　　要：This study comprehensively assessed long-term vegetation changes and forest fragmentation dynamics in the Himalayan temperate region of Pakistan from 1989 to 2019.Four satellite images,including Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager(OLI),were chosen for subsequent assessments in October 1989,2001,2011 and 2019.The classified maps of 1989,2001,2011 and 2019 were created using the maximum likelihood classifier.Post-classification comparison showed an overall accuracy of 82.5%and a Kappa coefficient of 0.79 for the 2019 map.Results revealed a drastic decrease in closed-canopy and open-canopy forests by 117.4 and 271.6 km^(2),respectively,and an increase in agriculture/farm cultivation by 1512.8 km^(2).The two-way ANOVA test showed statistically significant differences in the area of various cover classes.Forest fragmentation was evaluated using the Landscape Fragmentation Tool(LFT v2.0)between 1989 and 2019.The large forest core(>2.00 km^(2))decreased from 149.4 to 296.7 km^(2),and a similar pattern was observed in medium forest core(1.00-2.00 km^(2))forests.On the contrary,the small core(<1.00 km^(2))forest increased from 124.8 to 145.3 km^(2) in 2019.The perforation area increased by 296.9 km^(2),and the edge effect decreased from 458.9 to 431.7 km^(2).The frequency of patches also increased by 119.1 km^(2).The closed and open canopy classes showed a decreasing trend with an annual rate of 0.58%and 1.35%,respectively.The broad implications of these findings can be seen in the studied region as well as other global ecological areas.They serve as an imperative baseline for afforestation and reforestation operations,highlighting the urgent need for efficient management,conservation,and restoration efforts.Based on these findings,sustainable land-use policies may be put into place that support local livelihoods,protect ecosystem services,and conserve biodiversity.

关 键 词：Natural catastrophes Landsat Change detection Forest fragmentation Landscape fragmentation tool(LFT) AFFORESTATION REFORESTATION 

分 类 号：S718.5[农业科学—林学]