SESSION 4

SILVICULTURE, CLIMATE CHANGE, KYOTO PROTOCOL
(Coordinators: Ervedo Giordano, Giuseppe Scarascia Mugnozza)

Over the years, human influence has increased its impact on forest ecosystems, thus changing forest area distribution and forest ecosystem functionality. This process has become faster and faster, particularly with the growth of industrial society and its heavy use of fossil fuels.

It is clear that global scale environmental changes will be one of the most important scientific issues for humanity in the next decades. Global changes concern climate change and the related increase in greenhouse gas atmospheric level (carbon dioxide, methane…) and ozone concentration in the stratosphere, changes in soil use and the impoverishment of surface water resources. Forests often play a central role in these changes, as they are directly subject to human activity (cutting, fires) and indirectly subject to other effects (pollutions, greenhouse effect).

At the same time, forests and plantations play a central role in environment protection at world level, and in production of renewable resources, which are essential for many economic activities. Forest plantations and agro-silviculture aimed at increasing carbon sinks, forest management for conservation of carbon stored in forests and the use of bio-energy instead of fossil fuels, are challenges and unique opportunities for silviculture and Italian and European forestry.

Themes

1. Climate change

Climate change impact on Italian forests

Climatic vulnerability of Mediterranean vegetation

Drought impact on forest systems development

Relationship between biogeochemical cycles and productivity in agro-forest systems

Climate change and ecological and adaptation responses of forest trees in mountain environment

Impact of salinity of coastal lands on trees and forest ecosystems

Relations between atmospheric pollutants and changes in forest trees

2. Kyoto Protocol

Kyoto Protocol implementation

Forests, forest plantations and adaptive management for carbon storage

Changes in Italian forest ecosystems on the basis of INFC