Tropical Wet Forest
Warming induces unexpectedly high soil respiration in a wet tropical forestBackgroundTropical forests play a key role in regulating the global carbon cycle, exchanging more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome. However, limited in situ experiments constrain understanding of their response to climate warming. Understanding these responses is crucial, as even small changes in soil respiration in tropical regions can substantially influence global carbon dynamics and climate feedbacks. Open access copy available |
The drivers and impacts of Amazon forest degradationBackgroundThis research examines the growing threat of forest degradation across the Amazon, a region critical to global carbon balance and biodiversity. Beyond deforestation, widespread disturbances such as fire, edge effects, selective logging, and extreme drought have emerged as major causes of ecological and social disruption. These human-driven stressors, intensified by climate change, now affect approximately 2.5 million km²—around 38% of remaining Amazon forests—posing risks comparable to deforestation itself. Open access copy available |
Reclamation at the Ranger Uranium Mine, AustraliaBACKGROUND:The reclamation of the Ranger Uranium Mine, situated within Kakadu National Park, presents distinct challenges due to the inherent complexities of managing radioactive waste. This paper explores the extensive reclamation efforts undertaken to restore the landscape, ensuring adherence to stringent environmental regulations and addressing the vital concerns of Aboriginal landowners. The paper also describes the regional climate, ecological significance, and the diverse flora and fauna of Kakadu, emphasizing the broader environmental and cultural context in which the mining operations and reclamation activities occur. Open access copy available |
Local‐ and landscape‐scale drivers of terrestrial herbaceous plant diversity along a tropical rainfall gradient in Western Ghats, IndiaBACKGROUND:Open access copy available |
Putting seedlings on the map: Trade‐offs in demographic rates between ontogenetic size classes in five tropical forestsBACKGROUND:The study examines tropical forests in regions such as Panama, Puerto Rico, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Ecuador, which are characterized by their high biodiversity and significant environmental challenges like cyclonic storms. These forests are ideal for investigating demographic trade-offs due to their diverse coexisting tree species that align along growth, survival, and stature recruitment axes. The forests have experienced varying levels of disturbance from natural events, making them unique examples for studying tree species’ life-history strategies and the mechanisms that facilitate species coexistence. Available with subscription or purchase |
Seed Production and 22 Years of Climatic Changes in an Everwet Neotropical ForestBACKGROUND:Yasuní National Park in western Amazonia hosts one of the world’s most biodiverse and everwet tropical forests, with minimal seasonal variation in rainfall and temperature. Its stable climate and relative insulation from large-scale disturbances such as ENSO make it an ideal site to investigate long-term ecological responses to climate change. The forest’s biological richness and global conservation importance underscore the need to understand how shifting climatic conditions influence seed production and, by extension, forest regeneration and community dynamics. Available with subscription or purchase |
Indigenous territories and governance of forest restoration in the Xingu River (Brazil)BackgroundOpen access copy available |
Indigenous knowledge and forest succession management in the Brazilian Amazon: Contributions to reforestation of degraded areasBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Towards more effective integration of tropical forest restoration and conservationBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Research Directions in Tropical Forest RestorationBackgroundThe paper addresses the challenges and strategies involved in tropical forest restoration. It highlights the importance of global and national initiatives aimed at restoring millions of hectares of tropical forests to achieve goals such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and improving human livelihoods. Researchers and practitioners are increasingly aware of the site's natural resilience and the project’s ecological and human goals when planning restoration strategies due to the various site-specific barriers to forest recovery. Available with subscription or purchase |
