Forests in Serbia as the Factor of Forests in Serbia as the Factor of Environment Protection in the Environment Protection in the Conditions of Global Climate Conditions of Global Climate

ChangesChangesStanimir Kostadinov Stanimir Kostadinov

Belgrade University, Faculty ofBelgrade University, Faculty of ForestryForestry Kneza Višeslava 1, 11030 Belgrade, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11030 Belgrade,

SerbiaSerbia

E-mail: stanimir.kostadinov@sfb.bg.ac.rsE-mail: stanimir.kostadinov@sfb.bg.ac.rs

In the study ''Regional climate model: impact of climate change for soil erosion and conservation in central Serbia'' (Kadović et al., 2013), using CRCM (Coupled Regional Climate Model) was analysed climat in different periods :

Годишња промена температуре +1,0-1,1oC Годишња промена падавина +5-10%

CLIMATE CHANGES IN SERBIA

• Period 2001-2030

• Period 2071-2100

Годишња промена падавина -5-10%

Годишња промена температуре +3,6-3,8oC

Based on the climate changes which could be expected, it is almost certain that in the near future in our geographic latitudes it would come to:

• increase in the air temperature;• decrease of precipitation;• aggravation of physical characteristics of the soil;• increased tendency to soil erosion ;• decrease in vegetation’s protective role;• worsen conditions of natural and artificial revival of vegetation

All this will have the direct and indirect influence to the intensifying and spreading of all kinds degradation processes.

Forest ecosystems belong to the natural systems which have been estimated as to be exposed to unfavorable effects of climate changes in almost all parts of the world.

Forests in Serbia

Forests are an important component of the global carbon cycle, either as the source or accumulator of carbon. Their

potential in the efforts that are being taken to mitigate global climate change and protect the environment has been

characterized as high. Forests represent the most significant type of vegetation in terms of a net source of carbon, carbon

sequestration and retention in land.

Also forests are the most important component for soil and water protection against degradation, first of all against soil

erosion ( water and wind erosion).

Land useArea

ha %Forests 2,252,400.0 29.1Other wooded land 382,400.0 4.9Barren land 92,000.0 1.2Agricultural land 3,594,800.0 46.4Meadows and pastures 1,029,600.0 13.3Built-up area 312,000.0 4.0Inland water 85,200.0 1.1

Total 7,748,400.0 100.0

Table 1 – Land use in Serbia

According to the first reports of the Republic of Serbia to the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change (2010) regarding the emissions of CO2 from fossil fuel

combustion the effect of forests for CO2 sequestration was 11.41% in 1990.

Taking into account the data, the annual potential of forests for CO2 absorption for the

year 2012 is 18.8%, according to the baseline scenario of emissions from fossil fuel

combustion, and 19.1% according to the alternative scenario.

Assuming that the program of afforestation in Serbia is implemented by 2015, with an

increase of 100,000 hectares of new forests, the potential for CO2 absorption will have

increased to up to 14,512 Gg per year, and according to the baseline scenario of

emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels for 2015 that would amount to 21.0% and

22.8% according to the alternative scenario.

As forests are gaining increasing importance as a means of carbon sequestration, future

forest management systems are likely to be evaluated with regard to their effectiveness in

the fulfillment of this function.

This will result in the silviculture of pro-C forests (for carbon sequestration from the

atmosphere).

The adoption and implementation of such a long-term policy will create additional benefits

for other environmental goals, including the protection of biological, water and land

resources.

Table 2. Distribution of water erosion processes in Serbia

CategoryErosion Processes

Intensity

Area

km2 %

I Excessive Erosion 2,888.0 3.27

II Intensive Erosion 9,138.0 10.34

III Medium Erosion 19,386.0 21.94

IV Weak Erosion 43,914.0 49.78

V Very weak Erosion 13,035.0 14.75

Total 88,361.0 100 Source: Kostadinov et al, 2006a

NOVI SAD

BEOGRAD

NI[

REPUBLIC OF SERBIAWATER MASTER PLAN

EROSION MAP

0 50 100 k m

21°30 '

Ins titute for D evelopment of Water Res our ce "Jaroslav Cerni"19°30 '

43°00 '

42°30 '

42°00 '

21°00 '20°30 '20°00 '

45°00 '

44°30 '

44°00 '

43°30 '

19°30 '19°00 '

46°00 '

45°30 '

21°00 '20°30 '20°00 '

43°00 '

42°30 '

42°00 '

23°00 '22°30 '22°00 '21°30 '

44°00 '

43°30 '

44°30 '

45°00 '

46°00 '

23°00 '22°30 '22°00 '

SPECIFIC PRODUCTI ON Wsp> 3300 m / km / year

SPECI FI C PRO DUCTIO N Wsp= 80 m / km / year

SPEC IFI C PRODUCTIO N Wsp= 400 m / km / year

SPEC IFI C PRODUCTIO N Wsp= 950 m / km / year

SPECIFIC PRODUCTI ON Wsp= 1800 m / km / year

MINIM UM ERO SION Z=0.10

SMALL ERO SION Z=0.30

MED IUM ERO SION Z=0.55

STRONG ERO SION Z=0.85

EKSC ESI VE ERO SION Z=1.25

V

IV

I II

II

I

EROSIO N CATEGORY

LEGEND

23

23

23

3

3

2

2

a) General damages

- Soil loss- Water loss- Disturbance of runoff regime ( torrential

floods)- Reservoir siltation- Irrigation and drainage systems siltation

b) Ecological effects

On-site effects- Environment degradation Off-site effects - Mechanical pollution of water

in the streams and reservoirs - Chemical pollution of water

by manures and fertilizers - Chemical pollution

by pesticides

Damages caused by erosion and torrents

Rill erosion on arable land

The researches were caried out in three small experimental watersheds in West Serbia: Dubošnički Potok, Lonjinski Potok and Đurinovac Potok. All the three experimental watersheds are the right tributaries of the river Drina and they are torrential streams. The watersheds are situated on the territory of the community Ljubovija in West Serbia. The main watershed parameters are given in Table 4 (Kostadinov, 1994, 1996).

Effect Of Forest Cover On The, Soil Erosion And Sediment Transport In Mountainous Watersheds

Table 4. Parameters of the watershed areas

Parameters Symbol Dubošnički Potok

Lonjinski Potok

Đurinovac Potok

Watershed area F – km2 1.2464 0.7656 0.544

Watershed perimetre

O – km 5.25 3.60 3.55

Watershed length Lgl – km 2.48 1.40 1.40

Drainage density G – km·km–2 3.26 2.38 4.04

Mean elevation of the watershed area Nsr – m 487.90 363.90 299.70

Mean slope of the watershed area Isr – % 47.24 38.87 43.59

Stream-bed slope It – % 18.37 18.94 12.63

Erosion coefficient Z 0.56 0.34 0.49

The vegetative cover, i.e. land use, is different in the three experimental watersheds. As it can be seen, in the Lonjinski Potok watershed 70.35% area is under well-stocked forests, in the Dubošnički Potok watershed 48.52%, and in the Đurinovac Potok watershed 39.5%. The vegetative cover in all the three watersheds has the same characteristics. Significant areas are covered by very degraded forests transformed into very thin brushwood of eastern hornbeam, ash and oak, where very strong rill erosion occurs.

NAME OFNAME OFDRAINAGE DRAINAGE

BASINBASINYEARYEAR

PRECIPITATIONPRECIPITATION SEDIMENT TRANSPORTSEDIMENT TRANSPORT

HHyearyear hhmaxmax MMRR MMVV MMGG

mmmm mm33kmkm-2-2

DUBOŠNIČKIDUBOŠNIČKIPOTOKPOTOK

19801980 1020.31020.3 47.547.5 57.9157.91 225.10225.10 283.01283.01

19811981 984.5984.5 42.342.3 81.5581.55 30.9130.91 112.46112.46

19821982 794.8794.8 31.531.5 76.4676.46 34.8634.86 111.32111.32

19831983 687.3687.3 28.228.2 28.2628.26 14.6914.69 42.9542.95

19841984 705.5705.5 45.045.0 254.22254.22 52.4552.45 306.67306.67

19851985 509.5509.5 42.242.2 44.3344.33 256.65256.65 300.98300.98

19861986 722.6722.6 32.032.0 32.6732.67 33.7633.76 66.4366.43

19871987 873.0873.0 47.047.0 316.01316.01 464.55464.55 780.56780.56

19881988 602.1602.1 36.036.0 3.313.31 0.000.00 3.313.31

19891989 747.1747.1 28.028.0 106.98106.98 57.9957.99 164.97164.97

average valueaverage value 764.67764.67 38.038.0 100.17100.17 117.10117.10 217.27217.27

LONJINSKILONJINSKIPOTOKPOTOK

19801980 1054.71054.7 41.541.5 16.0316.03 0.000.00 16.0316.03

19811981 1011.21011.2 45.245.2 38.0138.01 0.000.00 38.0138.01

19821982 779.6779.6 41.541.5 48.1648.16 0.000.00 48.1648.16

19831983 768.0768.0 49.449.4 40.2640.26 0.000.00 40.2640.26

19841984 906.1906.1 46.246.2 64.3164.31 0.000.00 64.3164.31

19851985 591.3591.3 26.026.0 13.4613.46 0.000.00 13.4613.46

19861986 612.2612.2 27.127.1 3.013.01 0.000.00 3.013.01

19871987 995.5995.5 76.976.9 119.84119.84 0.000.00 119.84119.84

19881988 737.1737.1 54.154.1 90.9890.98 0.000.00 90.9890.98

19891989 875.2875.2 38.038.0 32.6332.63 0.000.00 32.6332.63

19901990 700.0700.0 35.535.5 12.9712.97 0.000.00 12.97412.974

19911991 1159.01159.0 64.164.1 101.49101.49 0.000.00 101.49101.49

average valueaverage value 849.16849.16 45.545.5 48.4348.43 0.000.00 48.4348.43

DJURINOVACDJURINOVACPOTOKPOTOK

19811981 1011.21011.2 45.245.2 44.2744.27 110.98110.98 155.25155.25

19821982 779.6779.6 41.541.5 101.47101.47 76.8276.82 178.29178.29

19831983 734.1734.1 48.348.3 10.7810.78 0.000.00 10.7810.78

19841984 906.1906.1 46.846.8 24.6424.64 18.8318.83 43.4743.47

19851985 591.3591.3 26.026.0 11.8711.87 22.3122.31 34.1834.18

19861986 703.0703.0 31.631.6 30.8530.85 63.5363.53 94.3894.38

19871987 674.6674.6 52.752.7 129.44129.44 263.26263.26 392.70392.70

19881988 889.1889.1 60.460.4 152.38152.38 295.46295.46 447.84447.84

19891989 916.6916.6 40.840.8 72.7572.75 123.34123.34 196.09196.09

average valueaverage value 800.62800.62 43.743.7 64.2764.27 108.28108.28 172.55172.55

Table 6. Annual characteristics of rainfall and sediment transport

Discussion of the Results

The results of the research show that forest cover has a considerable effect on the formation of the runoff regime from the watershed. With all the other conditions being equal or similar (rainfall, relief, parent rock, soil) in Lonjinski Potok (70% of the watershed area under well-stocked forest) there is a balanced regime of runoff whereas the torrents Đurinovac Potok (39.5% of watershed under forest) and Dubošnički Potok (48.5% under forest) have unbalanced regime of runoff. Runoff in those two watershed was discontinuous with large intervals of drought and the discharge was mainly in the form of flood waves.

The specific mean annual transport of total sediment transport in the Lonjinski Potok (70% of watershed under well-stocked forest) was 4.5 times lower than in the Dubošnički Potok (48.5% under forest) and 3.5 times lower than in the Đurinovac Potok (39.5% under forest). Such a degree of forest cover in a watershed dominates, energetic potential of the watershed (relief) and the erosion activity of rainfall, which has been proved by the example of the Lonjinski Potok watershed.All the above proves that forest cover is a powerful means of flood peaks control (water conservation), soil erosion intensity and sediment transport in the small mountainous watershed.

Effect of afforestation of bare land in the Vlasina river watershed

Conclusion

Woodland area in Serbia equals 29.6% of total territory, which is considerably less than optimum woodiness of 41.4%. Insufficient afforestation is one of the reasons for intensive degradation of soil and water (water and wind erosion) in Serbia.

Researches conducted in experimental watersheds in Serbia confirmed that forests are powerful when it comes to obtaining balanced runoff regime and successful erosion control.

Forests in Serbia, as well as other ecosystems, are under the influence of global climate changes which are present in the last years, and they could present even greater danger according to some scenarios. In order to mitigate the influence of global changes in Serbia, it is necessary to improve the existing woodland, afforest greater areas until optimum woodiness (41.4%) is reached and to afforest areas around cities and industrial zones. Increase in woodland areas will reduce soil erosion, sediment transport and all the damages caused by these processes to agriculture, water management and other branches of the economy.

Thank You!