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Members of the examination committee: Dr. Benedetto Rugani Public Research Center Henri Tudor (CRPHT)/Resource Centre for Environmental Technologies (CRTE), Luxembourg Prof. dr. ir. Wouter Achten The Institute for Environmental Management and Land-use Planning, Gestion de l’Environnement (IGEAT), Société et Territoire (GESTe), Université libre de Bruxelles Prof. dr. ir. Joris Van Acker Laboratory of Wood Technology (Woodlab), Department of Water and Forest Management, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University Dr. ir. Hans Verbeeck (Secretary) Laboratory of Plant Ecology, Department of Applied Ecology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University Prof. dr. ir. Filip Tack (Chairman) Laboratory for Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University Promotors: Prof. dr. ir. Jo Dewulf Research Group Environmental Organic Chemistry and Technology (Envoc), Department of Sustainable organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University Prof. dr. ir. Kris Verheyen Forest & Nature Lab (Fornalab), Department of Water and Forest Management, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University Prof. dr. ir. Bart Muys Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven Dean Prof. dr. ir. Guido Van Huylenbroeck Rector Prof. dr. Anne De Paepe Faculty Bioscience engineering Ir. Thomas Schaubroeck Including man-nature relationships in environmental sustainability assessment of forest-based production systems Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor (PhD) in Applied Biological Sciences 2014 Nederlandse vertaling: Het includeren van verhoudingen tussen mens en natuur in duurzaamheidsanalyse van op bos gebaseerde productiesystemen Funding: This work is supported by a research project (number 3G092310) of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen). Cover illustration: Picture taken of the studied Scots pine stand in Brasschaat by the ―Instituut voor Natuur- en BosOnderzoek (INBO)‖. There is a Dutch saying which can be linked to this picture: ―door de bomen het bos niet meer zin‖ (literally translated: ―because of the trees not seeing the forest anymore‖). It means, by focussing too much on detail one may forget the bigger picture. On the other hand, the reverse Dutch saying is also used: ―Door het bos de bomen niet meer zien‖ (literally translated, ―because of the forest not seeing the trees anymore‖). Consequently implying the opposite, by looking too much at the bigger picture, one may lose sight of details. For this PhD, a balance needed to be struck between details and the complete picture, thus a balance between both latter sayings. Research had to be performed on the overall best management and services of a forest but this without losing attention for details. To refer to this thesis: Schaubroeck, T. (2014) Including man-nature relationships in environmental sustainability assessment of forest-based production systems. PhD thesis, Ghent University, Belgium. ISBN: 978-90-5989-730-4 The authors and the promotors give the authorization to consult and to copy parts of this work for personal use only. Every other use is subject to the copyright laws. Permission to reproduce any material contained in this work should be obtained from the author. Table of Contents List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ ix Abstract/summary ................................................................................................................... xi Samenvatting ........................................................................................................................ xv Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 A need for a sustainable relationship between nature and mankind ..................... 2 1.2 Tools to assess the environmental sustainability of the mankind-nature relation ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Tools to quantify dynamic responses of and their induced indirect effects between mankind and nature ....................................................................................... 6 1.4 Forests and their ecosystem services, with focus on particulate matter removal ............................................................................................................................ 7 1.5 Objectives and outline of the work ............................................................................. 8 1.6 The Scots pine stand..................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2 Quantifying the environmental impact of an integrated human/industrial-natural system using life cycle assessment; a case study on a forest and wood processing chain .................................... 17 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 19 2.2 Material and methods .................................................................................................. 23 2.2.1 Framework ........................................................................................................ 23 2.2.2 Case study .......................................................................................................... 24 2.3 Results & discussion ..................................................................................................... 27 2.3.1 Case study .......................................................................................................... 27 2.3.2 Framework for LCA on techno-ecological systems ..................................... 31 2.4 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... 34 2.5 Supporting information ............................................................................................... 34 2.5.1 Mathematical model ........................................................................................ 34 2.5.2 Additional information on system description ........................................... 37 2.5.3 Additional information on life cycle inventory ........................................... 40 2.5.4 Additional discussion of case study results .................................................. 44 v Chapter 3 Multilayered modelling of particulate matter removal by a growing forest over time, from plant surface deposition to washoff via rainfall ........................................................................................................... 55 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 57 3.2 Methods .......................................................................................................................... 59 3.2.1 Modelling framework and integration into ANAFORE ............................... 59 3.2.2 Wind speed calculations .................................................................................. 61 3.2.3 Interception modelling ................................................................................... 62 3.2.4 Particulate matter modelling ......................................................................... 65 3.2.5 Integration into the ANAFORE model ........................................................... 67 3.2.6 Case study .......................................................................................................... 67 3.3 Results and discussion ................................................................................................. 72 3.3.1 Case study results for 2010, validation and interpretation ........................ 72 3.3.2 Predictions for future scenarios until 2030 .................................................. 76 3.3.3 Associated health/economic benefit ............................................................. 77 3.3.4 Future perspectives.......................................................................................... 78 3.4 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... 79 3.5 Supporting information............................................................................................... 79 3.5.1 Limitations and assumptions .......................................................................... 80 3.5.2 Additional information on the ANAFORE model ......................................... 81 3.5.3 Scots pine stand input for ANAFORE ............................................................. 82 3.5.4 The R-ratio ......................................................................................................... 83 3.5.5 Sensitivity analysis ........................................................................................... 84 3.5.6 Derivation of the health cost value per kg PM2.5 removal .......................... 89 Chapter 4 Environmental impact assessment and ecosystem service valuation of a forest ecosystem under different future environmental change and management scenarios ........................................................................