#87: What is a Forest - A Comprehensive Ecosystem Overview
During a recent discussion on Rob Lewis’s Substack, "Climate According to Life," I highlighted findings from a 2019 study by Branch & Wulfmeyer, showing how a large-scale 10,000-hectare plantation could significantly enhance regional rainfall through bioprecipitation. I have explored this aspect extensively in a series of posts from #74 onwards. These insights provide a baseline for afforestation projects, which can be further enhanced. Hence, my continued explorations delve into different aspects of these plantations, including the choice of species (needs additional discussions), water availability, elevation, moisture content (TCWV), orographic effects, soil structure, and the impact of electromagnetic fields (EMF) to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or cloud dispersal agents. Additional areas of study include bioacoustic feedback, role of fungi and P.syringae.
Rob raised an insightful question about how natural forests compare to these plantations in their ability to enhance precipitation. This is a crucial consideration as it probes the effectiveness of natural ecosystems versus human-cultivated areas in our environmental strategies. His question has prompted me to delve into the scientific literature to explore and define what constitutes a forest, scientifically. This investigative journey is critical, not just academically but also for understanding how different types of vegetation influence climate processes and for planning effective environmental strategies.
I invite you to subscribe to Rob's Substack, "Climate According to Life." Rob has a unique approach to explaining complex concepts in easy-to-understand ways, making it a valuable resource filled with engaging discussions and insights. It's a must for every regenerator who believes that natural ecosystems hold the key to the continued sustainability of life on earth.
Let’s dive in …
Comprehensive Definition of a Forest
Forests are not just areas filled with trees but complex ecosystems that serve as the earth's lungs, carbon storerooms, and biodiversity havens. Here's a deeper look into the various facets that collectively define what we call a forest.
1. Canopy Cover
Imagine walking through a forest and looking up. What you often see is a lush canopy covering more than 10% of the sky—sometimes up to 80% in mature forests. This canopy not only provides shade but also acts as a critical habitat for myriad species, orchestrating a symphony of life beneath its shelter. Sources: FAO, United Nations, Britannica.
2. Biodiversity
The true essence of a forest's life is its biodiversity. From the chirping birds and croaking frogs to the rustling insects, a high biodiversity index is a testament to a healthy forest. Statistical measures like the Shannon Index, which typically range from 3 to 5, tell us about the diversity and balance of life within these woods. In the most vibrant forests, you might encounter 20-30 different species of birds or 10-20 species of amphibians on a single walk. Sources: Huang et al., 1999; Kara & Bolat, 2008.
3. Soil Health
Diving beneath the surface, the forest's soil is teeming with life. With organic carbon content sometimes reaching up to 200 tonnes per hectare and microbial biomass buzzing in the millions, the soil's health is pivotal. An optimal pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is where this underground community thrives best. Sources: Huang et al., 1999.
4. Nutrient Cycling
Forests are nature's own nutrient recyclers. Nitrogen and phosphorus, critical for life, are cycled through these ecosystems at impressive rates, ensuring that life not only survives but flourishes. Sources: Lin et al., 2010; Krashevska et al., 2015.
5. Carbon Storage
As global warriors against climate change, forests store staggering amounts of carbon—between 150 to 300 tonnes per hectare, making them invaluable in our fight against global warming. Sources: Lin et al., 2010; Krashevska et al., 2015.
6. Water Cycle Regulation
Forests manage water like expert engineers. They significantly reduce surface runoff, enhance groundwater recharge, and even see animals like beavers playing pivotal roles in creating wetlands. Sources: Lin et al., 2010; Krashevska et al., 2015.
7. Aerosols and BVOCs
Forests also impact our climate through the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs). These natural aerosols contribute to cloud formation, potentially cooling our atmosphere. The diversity and volume of these emissions are a testament to the forest's health and its role in our global ecosystem. Sources: Reponen et al., 2007; Klarić et al., 2012.
8. Fungal Spores
Fungi in forests are not just decomposers. They are crucial in nutrient cycling and form symbiotic relationships with trees, enhancing their ability to absorb water and nutrients. The abundance and variety of fungal spores are much higher in natural settings than in managed forests. Sources: Reponen et al., 2007; Klarić et al., 2012.
9. Pseudomonas syringae
This bacterium plays dual roles, acting both as a cloud-forming agent in natural forests and a potential pathogen in plantations, showing the delicate balance of microbial life that forests manage. Sources: Krashevska et al., 2015.
10. Ground Wind Speed
Lastly, the serene calmness you feel in a forest with gentle breezes is due to the natural buffering of wind speeds by the trees, maintaining a stable and conducive microclimate. General understanding.
Summary
A forest is a complex and dynamic system, essential for the sustainability of our planet. It nurtures biodiversity, balances our climate, and continues to fascinate us with its intricate natural processes.
This definition helps us appreciate the critical role forests play in our world, underscoring the need to protect and preserve these natural resources. In my next post, I will try to compare plantations with forests in terms of impact on bioprecipitation.
I’m so excited 😆 I loved the Rob Lewis substack on the Bio Pump (I followed from your recommendations). I’m working on urban greening and I have developed a theory for microwoodlands I know it’s not the vast spaces that we need however in a Ghanaian principle I think there’s still worthy merit in bring more green spaces. Anyway I am working on a theory which you may have seen elsewhere (I hope so) that the full: annual biannuals often overlooked when planting anything now as it’s time sensitive and unpredictable - through to apex successional species. Though I do not subscribe to native solutions in ultimately barren urban landscapes where climate and peoples aesthetic would ultimately bring about failure. Love to talk more on this. Or if you think there is something I could read to build on how I can create planting plans for councils and business to enact small but incremental localised change.
Thanks so much for this! May I please use the table with a link to this post?
It seems to me that the forestry industry has co-opted the word forest for their monoculture and the public are unaware. "Managed forest" makes me cringe. As if we with our puny knowledge and experience can do "better" than hundreds of millions of years of forest evolution. It blew my mind that "Every year in British Columbia, tens of thousands of hectares of clear-cut land is sprayed with Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide known as Roundup." The assault is relentless. https://globalnews.ca/news/9918597/bc-herbicide-broadleaf-wildfire-risk/. "The end goal of all of these strategies is to grow a high density pine plantation that in the interior of B.C. is the most flammable forest type we could probably grow.” I feel we need to take back the word "forest" from industrial tree farmers.