Tropical Wet Forest
Traditional medicinal knowledge of tropical trees and its value for restoration of tropical forestsBackgroundTropical regions host the planet's greatest biodiversity, much of which is maintained by Indigenous and local communities through traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and traditional medicinal knowledge (TMK). In Mexico’s Tabasco region, deforestation and habitat fragmentation have severely degraded tropical forests, threatening both biodiversity and cultural practices. TMK, which supplies up to 80% of primary health care globally, is increasingly recognized for its potential to inform conservation and restoration. Despite this, TMK is being lost due to modernization, migration, and the replacement of traditional remedies with commercial pharmaceuticals. Open access copy available |
Basin-Wide Effects of Game Harvest on Vertebrate Population Densities in Amazonian Forests: Implications for Animal-Mediated Seed DispersalBackgroundTropical forest ecosystems rely heavily on animal-plant interactions, especially seed dispersal by vertebrates. In the Amazon, widespread hunting significantly reduces populations of many vertebrate species, particularly large-bodied frugivores that play a key role in dispersing seeds of large-seeded plants. Although some species show greater sensitivity to hunting than others, the overall impact of hunting across the Amazon basin remains poorly quantified. This study aims to understand how subsistence hunting affects vertebrate populations and, in turn, the ecological services they provide—most notably seed dispersal. Open access copy available |
Improving Sustainable Tropical Forest Management with Voluntary Carbon MarketsBackgroundTropical forests play a vital role in global carbon sequestration, absorbing around 1 petagram (Pg) of carbon annually—more than any other terrestrial ecosystem. However, deforestation and forest degradation weaken their ability to mitigate climate change. While reduced-impact logging and sustainable forest management (SFM) aim to minimize damage, many SFM plans overlook differences in tree growth rates, species characteristics, and local site conditions. As voluntary carbon markets grow, they create new opportunities to fund improved forest practices through “carbon-focused sustainable forest management” (SFM + C), which integrates carbon sequestration goals into existing frameworks. Open access copy available |
Carbon Costs and Bushmeat Benefits of Hunting in Tropical ForestsBackgroundOverhunting in tropical forests depletes frugivorous animals that play a vital role in seed dispersal. This loss alters tree species composition and reduces forest carbon storage. While bushmeat hunting remains an important source of protein and income for local communities, its long-term impact on carbon stocks remains poorly understood. This study investigates the trade-offs between the economic benefits of bushmeat hunting and the potential carbon costs of defaunation-driven biomass loss. Understanding these dynamics is essential for integrating hunting management into climate mitigation strategies such as REDD+. Open access copy available |
Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees: The Oversight of Defaunation in REDD+ and Global Forest GovernanceBackgroundREDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) aims to mitigate climate change by preserving forest carbon stocks. Although REDD+ focuses mainly on reducing deforestation, it largely ignores defaunation—the loss of forest wildlife caused by unsustainable hunting. Many tropical forests suffer from "empty forest syndrome," where hunting removes large frugivores and seed dispersers, disrupting seed dispersal and carbon sequestration. This study highlights how REDD+ policies overlook the ecological role of forest fauna and argues that neglecting defaunation threatens the long-term success of forest conservation. Open access copy available |
Synergistic Effects of Seed Disperser and Predator Loss on Recruitment Success and Long-Term Consequences for Carbon Stocks in Tropical RainforestsBackgroundDefaunation—the loss of animal species due to hunting, habitat destruction, and other human activities—affects tropical forests profoundly. Large frugivores play a key role in seed dispersal, while seed predators influence recruitment success and plant population dynamics. Previous studies focus mainly on how defaunation impacts seed dispersal but often overlook the role of seed predators and potential compensatory ecosystem effects. This study examines how losing both seed dispersers and seed predators simultaneously affects tree recruitment and long-term carbon storage in tropical forests. Open access copy available |
The Need for Carbon Finance Schemes to Tackle Overexploitation of Tropical Forest WildlifeBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Contrasting Effects of Defaunation on Aboveground Carbon Storage Across the Global TropicsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Fungi and Insects Compensate for Lost Vertebrate Seed Predation in an Experimentally Defaunated Tropical ForestBackgroundDefaunation disrupts key plant-animal interactions such as seed dispersal and seed predation, triggering cascading effects on plant regeneration, species composition, and carbon storage. While past studies emphasize the negative consequences of losing vertebrate seed dispersers and predators, it remains unclear whether other organisms like fungi and insects can compensate for these losses. This study investigates whether non-vertebrate predators offset the decline of large vertebrate seed predators in a tropical rainforest. Open access copy available |
Size-Related Differential Seed Predation in a Heavily Defaunated Neotropical Rain ForestBackgroundDefaunation, driven by hunting and habitat loss, disproportionately affects medium and large mammals, often leaving behind a residual community dominated by small rodents. This shift in mammal communities can alter seed predation dynamics and impact forest regeneration. In heavily defaunated areas like Los Tuxtlas, Mexico, small rodents have become the primary seed predators. This study investigates whether seed predation patterns differ based on seed size in a highly defaunated forest. Specifically, it examines whether small rodents preferentially consume small seeds while large-seeded species escape predation, potentially influencing seed germination and plant recruitment. Open access copy available |
