Influence of different sludge compositions on understorey vegetation in an amended Pinus pinatser forest plantation.

The present study reports on the influence of sludge application on understory abundance and species richness in an eight year-old maritime pine forest. Four types of sludge (liquid, dewatered, limed and composted sludge) were applied at a rate equivalent to 3 tons dry weight per ha-1 per year-1. Understorey vegetation was monitored before treatment and for three successive years following initial sludge application. Species richness, the biodiversity index and naturally occurring plant community cover in maritime pine forests were measured. Results showed a significant increase in species richness two years following initial sludge application. In fact, compared to the unamended plot, eighteen additional species (Aira caryophyllea, Cerastium glomeratum, Conyza canadensis, Danthonia decumbens, Geranium robertianum, Gnaphalium sylvaticum, Hypericum humifusum, Hypericum perforatum ssp. perforatum, Jasione montana, Lonicera periclymenum ssp. periclymenum, Ornithopus compressus, Phytolacca americana, Rhamnus frangula, Teesdalia nudicaulis, Veronica arvensis, Vicia sativa angustifolia and Vulpia myuros) appeared after sludge application. Most of these species were observed with the solid limed or composted sludge treatments. The new species then declined the following year, highlighting the temporary effect of sludge treatment on species diversity. However, the cover by these eighteen new species was low and did not exceed 1%, except for Hypericum perforatum and Jasione montana for the limed sludge treatment and Vulpia myuros for the liquid sludge treatment. Additionally, sludge significantly reduces bare soil percentage, which ranged from 5 to 18% compared to the control (38%). According to sludge type, treatment also led to a significant change in species dominance of the understorey plant communities. Indeed, the cover of Molinia caerulea decreased in spite of an increase in Agrostis capillaris and/or Holcus lanatus following application of solid limed, liquid or composted sludge.

The sustainable management and protection of forests: analysis of the current position globally.

The loss of forest area globally due to change of land use, the importance of forests in the conservation of biodiversity and in carbon and other biogeochemical cycles, together with the threat to forests from pollution and from the impacts of climate change, place forestry policy and practice at the center of global environmental and sustainability strategy. Forests provide important economic, environmental, social, and cultural benefits, so that in forestry, as in other areas of environmental policy and management, there are tensions between economic development and environmental protection. In this article we review the current information on global forest cover and condition, examine the international processes that relate to forest protection and to sustainable forest management, and look at the main forest certification schemes. We consider the link between the international processes and certification schemes and also their combined effectiveness. We conclude that in some regions of the world neither mechanism is achieving forest protection, while in others local or regional implementation is occurring and is having a significant impact. Choice of certification scheme and implementation of management standards are often influenced by a consideration of the associated costs, and there are some major issues over the monitoring of agreed actions and of the criteria and indicators of sustainability. There are currently a number of initiatives seeking to improve the operation of the international forestry framework (e.g., The Montreal Process, the Ministerial Convention of the Protection of Forests in Europe and European Union actions in Europe, the African Timber Organisation and International Tropical Timber Organisation initiative for African tropical forest, and the development of a worldwide voluntary agreement on forestry in the United Nations Forum on Forests). We suggest that there is a need to improve the connections between scientific understanding, policy development, and forestry practice, and also the cooperation between the various international initiatives and processes, so that the international framework is more effective and its influence is extended geographically.

Metal concentrations in edible mushrooms following municipal sludge application on forest land.

In the context of biosolids utilisation in forestry, effects of sludge application on mushroom metal concentration were studied in six sites of maritime pine forests in the South-West of France. Municipal sludge were applied at a rate of 6 T dry matter per hectare. Edible mushrooms were collected two years after sludge application. As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se and Zn concentrations were determined. Results showed a high variability for trace element concentrations in mushrooms collected from control areas. No significant correlation was found between soil parameters (pH and trace elements concentrations) and mushroom trace element concentrations. Even if the concentration of trace metals increased in the soils, sludge application did not affect As, Cu, Se and Zn concentrations in carpophores but slightly increased Cd, Pb and Hg concentrations on some sites. This effect is dependent on sludge type and sites.