Analysis on spatial distribution of forest disasters in China

ObjectiveForest fires, diseases, pests and rodents are important influencing factors in forest ecosystem, and have important influence on the stability and balance of forest ecosystem. It is of great significance to study the risk of forest disasters to improve the management ability and countermeasures of forest resource risk.

MethodRelevant data on the number of forest disasters in China from 2003 to 2016 were collected in this study, and the spatial distribution of China ’s forest disasters was analyzed using the principal component cluster analysis method.

ResultFrom 2003 to 2016, Hunan and Guizhou provinces ranked first top two provinces in terms of the total number of forest fires. Concerning total fire area, Heilongjiang Province was much higher than other provinces, while Beijing and Tianjin municipalities had the least total. In terms of the total area of affecting forests, Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region were relatively serious, which was dozens or even hundreds of times of other provinces and cities. In terms of affecting stand volume loss, Heilongjiang Province was also the most serious one, with an average annual forest fire loss of 686 100 m³. According to the degree of fire disaster, the spatial distribution of forest fires can be divided into three types, which are mild, moderate and severe fire zones, especially Heilongjiang Province was the most prominent. On the spatial distribution of forest diseases, pests and rodents disasters were divided into four categories based on the extent of the damage. Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region fell into the IV category, where a large area diseases, pests and rodents occurred with a high proportion of moderate and severe ones. Other provinces and cities were belonging to the I –III category, where smaller (Beijing, Shanghai, etc.), moderate (Hainan Province) and larger (Heilongjiang Province, etc.) area diseases, pests and rodents happened.

ConclusionThe number of forest fires and the area of forest damage were generally decreasing in 2003 to 2016, but the area of forest diseases and insect pests occurrence overall rised in recent years in China, especially in the proportion of forest insect and rodent, moderate and severe disaster area increased, and this should be paid more attention to. The study also discusses relevant issues, and provides a reference for the risk management of forest disasters.