Аннотация:Context Urban forests provide ecosystem services
such as temperature regulation, air purification, carbon
sequestration and biodiversity conservation. It is
important to perform baseline assessment and regular
monitoring of biodiversity, vegetation dynamics
and spatial structure of urban forests. Most cities suffer
from the lack of a unified monitoring system. The
heterogeneity of Moscow territory land use determines
different functions and state of urban forests.
To what extent are the forests of modern Moscow
support natural resource and ecological potential, and
what are the risks in maintaining the social and ecological
needs of the population in the urban region?
Objectives Assessment of typological diversity, succession
status and spatial structure of Moscow forests
in the context of three sectors of different land use.
Methods This study integrates typological (cenotic),
succession and fragmentation approaches on the basis
of remote sensing data. Field relevés were used for
cenotic classification into forest formations and association
groups. Random forest algorithm was used for
cartographic modeling. Forest patches assigned with
formations and groups of associations were subject
of diversity, dynamics and spatial structure of forests
analysis.
Results Current study presents the assessment of
the composition and spatial structure of the Moscow
forests in the context of three sectors of different
anthropogenic pressure and land use. 11 forest
formations and 33 association groups were identified.
Overall accuracy of cartographic modeling was
59% for association groups, and 67% for formations.
Unsatisfactory ability of forests to support social and
ecological needs of residents was revealed especially
in the central part of the city. The combination of low
fragmentation metrics with a high proportion of longterm
derivative forest types is critical for the sustainable
existence of forest cover within city center. With
distance from the center a fairly high typological
diversity of forests is noted.
Conclusion The combination of low fragmentation
metrics with a high proportion of long-term derivative
forest types is critical for the sustainable existence
of the forest cover. Overall, the methodology and results of the work create a basis for regular
monitoring of the Moscow forests, as well as in other
urban areas.