NEW ADVANCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO FORESTRY RESEARCH Edited by Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research Edited by Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Ana Skalamera Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published April, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research, Edited by Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0529-9 Contents Preface IX Section 1 Whither the Use of Forest Resources 1 Chapter 1 Effects of Deforestation on Water Resources: Integrating Science and Community Perspectives in the Sondu-Miriu River Basin, Kenya 3 Frank O. Masese, Phillip O. Raburu, Benjamin N. Mwasi and Lazare Etiégni Chapter 2 Systematic Approach to Design with Nature 19 Ali Sepahi Chapter 3 Seasonal Reflectance Courses of Forests 33 Tiit Nilson, Miina Rautiainen, Jan Pisek and Urmas Peterson Chapter 4 Assessment and Mitigation of Nutrients Losses from Forest Harvesting on Upland Blanket Peat – A Case Study in the Burrishoole Catchment 59 Liwen Xiao, Michael Rodgers, Mark O’Connor Connie O’Driscoll and Zaki-ul-zaman Asam Chapter 5 Evaluation for the UMA’s of Diversified Breeding in the Mixteca Poblana, México 75 Oscar Agustín Villarreal Espino Barros, José Alfredo Galicia Domínguez, Francisco Javier Franco Guerra, Julio Cesar Camacho Ronquillo and Raúl Guevara Viera Section 2 Forest and Organisms Interactions 83 Chapter 6 The Development of a Port Surrounds Trapping System for the Detection of Exotic Forest Insect Pests in Australia 85 Richard Bashford VI Contents Chapter 7 Changes in the Relative Density of Swamp Wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) and Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in Response to Timber Harvesting and Wildfire 101 Kelly Williamson, Helen Doherty and Julian Di Stefano Chapter 8 Forest Life Under Control of Microbial Life 121 Doaa A. R. Mahmoud Chapter 9 Assessment of Lepthosphaeria polylepidis Decline in Polylepis tarapacana Phil. Trees in District 3 of the Sajama National Park, Bolivia 147 Mario Coca-Morante Section 3 Amelioration of Dwindling Forest Resource Through Plantation Development 159 Chapter 10 Research Development and Utilization Status on Jatropha curcas in China 161 Li Kun, Liu Fang-Yan and Sun Yong-Yu Chapter 11 Impact of Sustainable Management of Natural Even-Aged Beech Stands on Assortment Structure of Beech in Croatia 171 Marinko Prka Chapter 12 Use of the Pilodyn for Assessing Wood Properties in Standing Trees of Eucalyptus Clones 197 Wu Shijun, Xu Jianmin, Li Guangyou, Risto Vuokko, Lu Zhaohua, Li Baoqi and Wang Wei Chapter 13 An Overview on Spruce Forests in China 205 Zou Chunjing, Xu Wenduo, Hideyuki Shimizu and Wang Kaiyun Chapter 14 Chemical Defenses in Eucalyptus Species: A Sustainable Strategy Based on Antique Knowledge to Diminish Agrochemical Dependency 225 S. R. Leicach, M. A. Yaber Grass, H. D. Chludil, A. M. Garau, A. B. Guarnaschelli and P. C. Fernandez Preface Forestry research is the application of scientific methods to investigate and understand management and practice of forestry and to effectively and sustainably use the resources derived from the forests. This book New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research consists of 14 chapters divided into three sections and is authored by 48 researchers from 16 countries and all five continents. In the section Whither the Use of Forest Resources five chapters authored by 16 researchers from seven countries, discuss negative and positive practices in forestry. A paper on phenology by four authors from Finland and Estonia describes seasonal growth in trees that leads to wood formation and understanding of biosphere – atmosphere interactions. Two papers authored by 10 researchers from Kenya and Ireland describe how the use of forest and its resources has seen extensive harvesting which has resulted in deforestation culminating in nutrient loss from the soil and pollution of water bodies. A paper authored by four Mexicans and a Cuban, evaluates socio-economic and environmental study of white tail deer in the Mixteca region of New Mexico. The forest should be handled with care and the author from Iran describes the need to design structures including industrial parks and plantations to conform with nature. The forest is a complex habitat for man, animals, insects and other microorganisms and their activities may impact either negatively or positively on the forest. Four papers in the section Forest and Organisms Interactions are authored by six researchers from three countries. The first paper by an author from Tasmania, describes trapping systems developed in Tasmania, Australia to detect exotic forest insect pests in urban environment. Timber harvesting and wild fires in Australia, according to the four authors of a paper, have effected changes in relative density and distribution of wallabies and kangaroos, the most predominant and important mammals in the forests of Australia. What is the economic importance of the numerous microorganisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi that dominate the earth planet? This is extensively reviewed by the author from Egypt, while another researcher from Bolivia investigates decline of Potylepsis tarapacana forest, an important forest ecosystem in Bolivia, caused by a fungal disease, Leptosphaeria polylepsis. . Development of tree plantations has been man’s response to forest degradation and deforestation caused by human, other organisms and natural disasters. In this last X Preface section Amelioration of Dwindling Forest Resources through Plantation Development five papers are authored by 20 researchers from five countries. Three authors in the paper from China give a comprehensive review on research, development and utilization of Jatropha curcas, the seed to seedling, plantation establishment, chemical properties, and more importantly its use as a biofuel. Beech is an important timber tree in Europe especially in Croatia, and the author discusses ways of optimizing the quantity and quality of beech wood in a plantation setting. Judicious management practices, according to the author, can reduce incidence of false heartwood in beech trees thereby increasing the quality of wood yield from beech plantation. The four researchers from Japan and China give a world-wide review on distribution, composition and cytogenetics of spruce in China which accounts for about 43.3% of the world’s spruce forests. What is unique about the Eucalyptus tree with more than 800 species that dominate tree flora in Australia? The paper written by six authors from Brazil and Argentina discusses essential oils found in the leaves of Eucalyptus which have been demonstrated to have one of the most effective defenses against noxious organisms. The applications of these oils for use as insecticide, medicine, pest control, perfumes and pharmaceuticals are fully discussed. The use of a pilodyn to determine the basic density and strength properties in Eucalptus timber tree grown in China, is discussed in a comprehensive paper by seven authors from China. New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research will appeal to forest scientists, researchers and allied professionals. It will be of interest to all those who care about forest and subscribe to the adage that the last tree on our planet dies with the last man on the earth. This publication was only possible with kind contributions made by 48 very hardworking international forest researchers and scientists from 16 countries and five continents. They deserve my congratulations for a job very well done! I am grateful to INTECH for giving me the opportunity to be the Editor of this innovative but challenging project. I am thankful to Mrs. Ana Skalamera, my Publishing Process Manager, for continuously prompting me on the project deadlines. I cannot help being grateful to the Director and my colleagues of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, for providing me conducive working environment for the project. Finally, my greatest appreciation to the Almighty God to whom be the Glory! I recommend the book to you and entreat all to purchase or download a copy of the publication for your library, enjoy reading it and contribute to save our forests and save life. Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako, Ph. D. Emeritus Chief Research Scientist, Forest Research Institute of Ghana, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Kumasi, Ghana . NEW ADVANCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO FORESTRY RESEARCH Edited by Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research Edited by Andrew. China. New Advances and Contributions to Forestry Research will appeal to forest scientists, researchers and allied professionals. It will be of interest to all those who care about forest and. Guarnaschelli and P. C. Fernandez Preface Forestry research is the application of scientific methods to investigate and understand management and practice of forestry and to effectively