Conservation of Biodiversity in Managed Forests: Developing an Adaptive Decision Support System

Abstract

Forest ecosystems provide several goods and services, but strategies for the conservation of biodiversity are missing in traditional forest management schemes. In this paper we developed a decision support system to optimize the conservation of biodiversity in managed forests, taking as a case study area Dadia National Park, a Mediterranean local hotspot of biodiversity in northeastern Greece. Using environmental niche factor analysis, we produced a series of spa- tially explicit habitat suitability models for plants, amphibians, passerines and rap- tors and an overall model for local biodiversity. Further, we produced maps re- lated to timber production and investigated potential conflicts between conservation of biodiversity and wood production. A decision support system based on a conflict assessment was created using three management scenarios. It enables the establishment of integrated management strategies and the assessment of their effects on biodiversity and timber production. Habitat suitability models for selected groups of organisms were found very effective to investigate the im- pact of the management on forests and wildlife. Further evaluation of key indica- tor taxa on these models could improve decision support systems and the sustain- able management of forests.