Open access copy available
Carbon sequestration and biodiversity following 18 years of active tropical forest restorationBACKGROUND:Vast tropical forests have been degraded and converted to other land uses such as agriculture. Degraded forests can regenerate naturally to improve biodiversity and carbon sequestration. However, major degradation factors, such as wildfires, hinder natural regeneration. Forest restoration can play an essential role in such circumstances. Nonetheless, research on methods to increase carbon storage and improve the ecosystem function of tropical forests is limited. Open access copy available |
Understanding the importance of primary tropical forest protection as a mitigation strategyBackground:Primary tropical forests play a key role in the urgent task of mitigating climate change. Nevertheless, despite the recognition of forest-based mitigation strategies, the role of primary forest protection has not been explicitly considered in international policy negotiations. The authors aim to address this deficit by estimating primary tropical forest ecosystem carbon stocks and flows. Open access copy available |
Large carbon sink potential of secondary forests in the Brazilian Amazon to mitigate climate changeBackground:With the Brazilian Amazon being a region of global significance for its carbon storage potential, there is a growing need to understand the dynamics of secondary forest regrowth and its implications for carbon sequestration. Previous studies have laid the groundwork for understanding the broad-scale patterns of secondary forest regrowth, but there is a need for a more detailed and spatially explicit analysis that considers both environmental and anthropogenic drivers of regrowth. The urgency to address this knowledge gap is further underscored by the commitment to national and international climate targets. Open access copy available |
Maximizing biodiversity conservation and carbon stocking inrestored tropical forestsBackground:Ecological restoration plays a critical role in fragmented mega-diverse regions, particularly for endangered species with low dispersal rates. Species with impoverished populations, limited dispersal capacity, and important functionsas food resources for animals should be prioritized for active reintroduction in order to increase the conservation value ofrestored forests. However, seedlings from these species are often hard to find or too costly to include in many restoration projects. Open access copy available |
Desempeño de tres especies arbóreas del bosque tropical caducifolio en un ensayo de restauración ecológicaBackground:Este estudio es relevante, porque prácticamente no se ha generado información relacionada con el establecimiento de Albizia occidentalis y Cedrela dugesii en escenarios de restauración ecológica y además, estas especies están registradas bajo algún estatus de protección. La primera se encuentra en la categoría (A) como amenazada y la última sujeta a protección especial (Pr), debido a la distribución geográfica restringida que presentan ambas especies y el alarmante grado de transformación del hábitat en el Bajío Mexicano. Open access copy available |
El aumento de la deforestación en la cuenca del río Madre de Dios, Amazonía peruana, incrementaría la escorrentía superficial y la concentración de sedimentoBackgroundEn la Amazonía sudeste del Perú, se encuentra la cuenca del río Madre de Dios, uno de los focos de biodiversidad mundial. Sin embargo, la alta tasa de deforestación en la cuenca del río Madre de Dios genera una gran preocupación pues la cobertura vegetal es de vital importancia en la conservación de los ríos y suelos. En ausencia de la cobertura vegetal, la precipitación impacta directamente en el suelo y la cantidad de agua que no puede ser infiltrada discurre a través de arroyos definidos por la topografía de la cuenca. Open access copy available |
Influencia de la minería aurífera aluvial en la geodinámica fluvial del río Madre de Dios, Amazonía peruana, en el periodo 1984-2020Background:La dinamica de la rios es escencial en mantener la extraordinaria biodiversidad de los bosques tropicales. Sin embargo en la Amazonia de Madre de Dios (Peru) estos rios estan siendo fuertemente impactados por la mineria artesanal de oro, que hasta la fecha ha deforestado mas de 100 000 ha de bosque amazonico. La mineria aluvial es de especial preocupacion pues puede alterar la dinámica fluvial natural de los ríos al modificar el ancho, la profundidad, la sinuosidad y la estabilidad del canal. Open access copy available |
Tree Communities in Three-Year-Old Post-Mining Sites Under Different Forest Restoration Techniques in the Brazilian AmazonBackground:Mining has been identified as a major contributor to forest loss, leading to the need for effective restoration techniques in post-mining sites. In this context, the knowledge of floristic composition is crucial for managing natural regeneration, selecting species for restoration plantings, and aiding conservation programs of threatened plant species. One well-known example of mining impacts on the Amazon rainforest vegetation is located in the Paragominas municipality, Pará, Brazil. Open access copy available |
Tropical Rainforest Restoration Plantations Are Slow to Restore the Soil Biological and Organic Carbon Characteristics of Old Growth RainforestBackground:With widespread deforestation and land conversion posing significant threats to biodiversity and carbon sequestration, there is an urgent need to comprehend the intricate relationship between land use change, soil microbial communities, and soil organic carbon dynamics in tropical rainforest ecosystems. Open access copy available |
Global restoration opportunities in tropical rainforest landscapeBackground:The identification of restoration opportunities, focusing on areas with both high potential for socioenvironmental benefits and feasibility for restoration, emerges as a crucial tool in meeting the ambitious restoration commitments set for the near future. Recognizing these opportunities can be integrated with other decision-making factors to establish priorities for the implementation and financing of the global restoration agenda. Open access copy available |
