Journal Articles
Microhabitats reduce animal’s exposure to climate extremesBackgroundThe Scheffers et al. (2014) paper discusses the effect of microhabitats and their corresponding microclimates on ectotherm species in a warming macroclimate. Available with subscription or purchase |
Sprouting, succession and tree species diversity in a South African coastal dune forestBackgroundThis study examines the role of sprouting in the maintenance of plant diversity where prevailing disturbance frequency and severity allows, specifically, in the coastal dune forest of Kwazulu-Natal. Open access copy available |
Drug Policy as Conservation Policy: Narco-DeforestationBackgroundCentral America exploded into prominence as a drug trafficking corridor in the last decade. The authors documented that an unprecedented flow of cocaine into Central America “coincided with a period of extensive forest loss”. The authors discuss the evidence that supports the idea that "trafficking of drugs (principally cocaine) has become a crucial—and overlooked—accelerant of forest loss” in Central America. Open access copy available |
Asymmetric density dependence shapes species abundances in a tropical tree communityBackgroundThis study examined the question: why are some species common in tropical rainforests while others are rare? Goals & MethodsThe research, which used a computer modeling approach to analyze data from 20,000 1-meter squared plots, examined the degree to which being close to another individual of the same species affected the studied individual's overall abundance. Available with subscription or purchase |
Mangrove recruitment after forest disturbance is facilitated by herbaceous species in the CaribbeanBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Variation in the population structure between a natural and a human-modified forest for a pioneer tropical tree species not restricted to large gapsBackgroundThe study evaluates the distribution of Cyperus floribundus (a long-lived pioneer tree specie) individuals in the gaps and compared the plant density between a primary and an early successional forest to understand the pioneer plant distribution and niche preference under the variable environmental and biotic conditions generated by natural or anthropogenic disturbances. Open access copy available |
On the hope for biodiversity-friendly tropical landscapesBackgroundAs pristine tropical forests get harder to preserve, much expectation has been allocated to the conservation of ecosystem services and biodiversity into Human-modified landscales (HMLs). However, it has not been fully assessed to what degree HMLs are able to sustain ecosystem services and what management practices can enhance biodiversity conservatoin in them. Available with subscription or purchase |
Small-scale disturbance and regeneration dynamics in a neotropical mangrove forestBackgroundThis study focuses on regeneration dynamics of mangrove species in lightening-created gaps, in the Dominican Republic. Open access copy available |
Towards a Synthesized Critique of Neoliberal Biodiversity ConservationBackgroundThis paper seeks to review critiques concerning neoliberal biodiversity conservation. The author sees two reasons for this review. First off, the majority of focus has been on neoliberal natures and neoliberal environment instead of neoliberal conservation. Second, there has been recent papers that explore the latter but the lessons are disconnected. Thus, this review seeks to analyze and provide connections among an emerging field. Open access copy available |
Diversity enhances carbon storage in tropical forestsBackgroundTropical forests are extremely important due to the ability to sequester large amounts of carbon and provide habitat for high levels of biodiversity, particularly tree species. Still there is limited understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and carbon. This study seeks to study this relationship and examine the forest attributes and environmental drivers for ecosystem functioning. Open access copy available |
