Deforestation patterns and their effects on forest patches |
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| Authors: | Wayne C Zipperer |
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| Institution: | (1) USDA Forest Service NEFES, c/o SUNY-CESF, 13210 Syracuse, NY, USA |
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| Abstract: | Five identifiable patterns of deforestation are recognized - internal, indentation, cropping, fragmentation, and removal - and each has a distinct effect on habitat quality of forest patches in the eastern United States. By overlaying land use maps from 1973 and 1981 for three counties in the State of Maryland (Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, and Wicomico), changes in the interior core area and edge length of individual patches were measured. Forest interior declined by 23.8 km2 in Anne Arundel, 16.3 km2 in Prince Georges, and 8.4 km2 in Wicomico. Within Anne Arundel and Prince Georges Counties, deforestation increased edge length by 52.1 km and 31.2 km, respectively, whereas, within Wicomico, it decreased edge length by 8.7 km. Differences among counties resulted from current land use patterns, percentage of forest cover, and the dominant deforestation pattern. |
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| Keywords: | deforestation fragmentation forest edge forest interior |
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