Journal Articles
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 was conducted in a permanent plot in a primary forest at Caetetus Ecological Station (CES), and in an early successional forest adjacent to the state reserve at Torrão de Ouro Farm, state of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil. This forest originally covered nearly the entire plateau in the state of São Paulo, and it is currently the most threatened forest in the State due to past fragmentation. Open access copy available |
Effects of Logging, Liana Tangles and Pasture on Seed Fate of Dry Forest Tree Species in Central BrazilBackgroundThis article examines seed germination, predation, removal, and death for six different species in undistured forest, logged forest and an active pature. Because gaps created from logging are often overrun by liana tangles, it also compares seeds planted under patches of lianas (low forest) and seeds under patches of mature forest (high forest). Available with subscription or purchase |
Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f): Its Natural Distribution and Related FactorsbackgroundThis paper provides an introduction to the distribution and growth of teak in its natural habitat in India, Burma, Thailand and Laos. Open access copy available |
Succession and Management of Tropical Dry Forests in the Americas: Review and New PerspectivesBackgroundThis article emphasizes the importance of understanding of successional processes in tropical dry forests. It provides an overview of the current knowledge of the ecology of tropical dry forest ecosystems and discusses management implications . The authors describe rapidly increasing degradation and destruction of these ecosystems and identify gaps in knowledge to be addressed by future research. Available with subscription or purchase |
Drug Policy as Conservation Policy: Narco-DeforestationBackgroundCentral America exploded into prominence as a drug trafficking corridor in the last decade. The authors document 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 |
Sixty-Seven Years of Land-Use Change in Southern Costa RicaBackgroundHabitat loss and fragmentation of forests are among the biggest threats to biodiversity and associated ecosystem services in tropical landscapes. This paper uses the vicinity of the Las Cruces Biological Station in southern Costa Rica as a regional case study to comment on seven decades of land-use change in one of the most intensively studied sites in the Neotropics. Open access copy available |
Changes in vegetation structure and composition along a tropical forest chronosequence: implications for wildlifeBackgroundChanges in tropical forest structure and species composition that occur during regeneration following land abandonment may have important consequences for wildlife populations. Many animals rely on forest resources as sites for foraging, nesting, and protection that may vary in abundance in forests of different ages. This study examines aspects of forest composition and structure thought to be important to wildlife along a tropical moist forest chronosequence in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument of central Panama. Available with subscription or purchase |
Functional Diversity Changes during Tropical Forest SuccessionbackgroundThis paper evaluates changes in species richness and functional diversity during tropical secondary forest succession following shifting cultivation in Chiapas, Mexico. It examines whether speces richness is a good predictor of functional diversity. Research Goals & MethodsFunctional diversity was calculated based on a combination of nine functional traits and two individual traits important for primary production: specific leaf area and carbon sequestration (wood density). Open access copy available |
Identifying Hotspots of Deforestation and Reforestation in Colombia (2001–2010): Implications for Protected AreasbackgroundThis article uses satellite imagery, MODIS MOD13Q1 Vegetation Indices 250 , the Virtual Interpretation of EarthWeb-Interface Tool (VIEW-IT) to conduct a land-use analysis of Colombia, mapping trends and "hotspot" areas of deforestation and of reforestation from 2001 to 2010. Research Goals & MethodsThe authors identify four hotspots of deforestation (clustered particularly in lowlands in the north of the country) and four of reforestation, mainly in the Andes highlands. Open access copy available |
The Role of Silvopastoral Systems in the Rehabilitation of Andean Stream HabitatsbackgroundThis article discusses the prevalence and impact of cattle grazing in the Andean region of Colombia. It asserts that ranching drastically alters the oxygen demand of and pH of streams, increases algae growth, and reduces light penetration. Ranching also damages stream flow and riverbanks, leading to higher erosion and run-off. Grasslands on previously forested areas have led to compaction of soil so that there is less infiltration leading to more run-off, floods due to increased speeds and volume, and less water in the streams during the dry season. Open access copy available |
