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Applying Indigenous Knowledge to the Restoration of Degraded Tropical Rain Forest Clearings Dominated by Bracken FernbackgroundThe indigenous Lacandon Maya people of southern Mexico use a rotational agriculture system known in Spanish as the milpa for production of maize and other crops. This system rotates production to different plots, allowing the forest and soil to recover in the fallow years between production periods. In some cases, the Lacandon people actively manage forest recovery, sowing Balsa trees to prevent plots from being taken over by the invasive Bracken fern. Available with subscription or purchase |
Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria: A Potential Tool for Arid Mangrove ReforestationbackgroundMicrobes (bacteria and fungi) play a crucial role in nutrient recycling in mangrove systems, which are nutrient deficient. Microbes make nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorous, available to mangroves, while mangroves may improve soil conditions for microbes (for example, by oxidizing the soil). PGPB may be nitrogen fixers, phosphate solubilizers, mineral uptake enhancers, and phytopathogen controllers. Available with subscription or purchase |
Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Large-Scale Ecological Restoration in the Atlantic Forest of BrazilbackgroundThis article presents a policy model known as the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact (AFRP) and discusses the vital role the Brazilian Forest Act and other legislation has played in preventing deforestation and encouraging reforestation. Available with subscription or purchase |
Restoring abandoned pasture land with native tree species in Costa Rica: Effects of exotic grass competition and lightBackgroundUnderstanding the early establishment requirements and performance of tropical tree seedlings is essential to ensuring the success of restoration plantings. This study characterizes growth and light requirements of six common neotropical tree species: Pseudosamanea guachapele (Fabaceae), Tabebuia impetiginosa (Bignoniaceae), Ceiba pentandra (Bombacaceae), Pachira quinata (Bombacaceae), Dalbergia retusa (Fabaceae), and Tabebuia rosea (Bignoniaceae). Available with subscription or purchase |
New Options for Land Rehabilitation and Landscape Ecology in Southeast Asia by "Rainforestation Farming"backgroundThe authors describe a methodology for reforestation called "Rainforestation Farming" developed in the Philippines in the 1990s to restore forest cover on degraded lands covered with Imperata cylindrica grass in the Visayas region Available with subscription or purchase |
Monitoring of Black Mangrove Restoration with Nursery-Reared Seedlings on an Arid Coastal LagoonbackgroundThis paper describes a reforestation experiment with black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) in an arid mangrove forest of Baja California Sur, Mexico. In arid mangrove systems, natural regeneration and small-scale reforestation are not adequate to restore mangrove forests, as they may be in the humid tropics. Thus, alternative nursery techniques for arid mangroves must be developed. Available with subscription or purchase |
Cattle and Weedy Shrubs as Restoration Tools of Tropical Montane RainforestbackgroundIn abandoned Latin American pastures, grasses often inhibit the establishment of woody species. This study tests the effect of cattle grazing on woody and herbaceous vegetation establishment in pastures of P. clandestinum and M. minutiflora. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Structure and Composition of a Tropical Dry Forest Landscape After Land Clearance; Azuero Peninsula, PanamabackgroundThis article describes natural regeneration that has occured in five different habitat types in the Azuero Peninsula of Panama. These habitat types include active pasture, 2-yr abandoned pasture, 5-yr abandoned pasture, forest riparian zones, and a secondary forest fragment. This region is characterized by agricultural and cattle ranching landcapes in areas that previously were tropical dry forest (1700 mm rainfall per year) until the mid-20th century and have recently been undergoing rapid turnover in land ownership. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Role of Animal Seed Dispersal in Accelerating Native Forest Regeneration on Degraded Tropical LandsbackgroundThis article reviews the role of seed-dispersal in forest regeneration. In natural forest, species with animal-dispersed species tend to predominated in both early and mid-stages of succession, while wind-dispersed species tend to be vines and canopy species. The implications of wind versus animal seed dispersal are briefly summarized. Available with subscription or purchase |
Early Growth of Native and Exotic Trees Planted on Degraded Tropical PasturebackgroundThis study describes the potential of two exotic and five native tree species to restore degraded land in Costa Rica. Research Goals & MethodsThirty blocks were established over 25 hectares of abandoned cattle pasture and tree height was measured at 3 and 7 years and tree survival was measured after 7 years. Available with subscription or purchase |