Tropical Wet Forest
Leaf litter arthropod responses to tropical forest restorationBackgroundSoil and litter arthropods play critical roles in tropical ecosystem function including driving organic matter decomposition and nitrogen mineralization. With the increasing need for forest restoration projects, it is important to know how these arthropod communities respond to a variety of restoration strategies and techniques in order to maintain healthy ecosystem function. This study was conducted in a mixed-use agricultural landscape in southern Costa Rica, in an effort to contribute to local restoration research efforts. Open access copy available |
Insects and Other Animals in Tropical ForestsBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Pest Management in Tropical ForestryBackgroundThis chapter of the Tropical Forestry Handbook introduces common pests, diseases, and disorders known to afflict tropical tree species. It describes methods of transmission, common symptoms, and provides visual guides on disease identification including infection manifestations in different parts of the tree. The chapter concludes with a discussion on disease management strategies including avoidance, control, and elimination highlighting the environmental factors that play into these strategies. Available with subscription or purchase |
Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests can double biodiversity loss from deforestationBackgroundThe authors examined the impacts of anthropogenic disturbances within a forest on the ability of the forest to conserve biodiversity and provide ecosytem services. The research used large data sets of plants, birds, and dung beetles and used them as indicators of biodiversity change in the forest. Open access copy available |
Factors Affecting Mortality and Resistance to Damage Following Hurricanes in a Rehabilitated Subtropical Moist ForestBackgroundThis study was conducted in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), which was previously abandoned pastureland reforested through mixed planting and natural regeneration. Available with subscription or purchase |
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 |
Restoring Working Forests in Human-Dominated Landscapes of the Wet Evergreen Forest Region of South AsiaBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Bioremediation of a crude-oil polluted agricultural-soil at Port Harcourt, NigeriaBackgroundSince more than 98% of Nigeria’s current economic support is crude oil, and oil spills are in inevitable and frequent, six treatment sample-cell were tested on the soils of the Niger Delta of Nigeria for crude oil bioremediation. Oil spills cause nitrogen levels to decrease, while increasing carbon content. A decrease in nitrogen and the toxicity of crude oil reduces the growth of heterotrophic bacteria, which utilize petroleum carbon for cell synthesis. Available with subscription or purchase |
Business models for sustainable investments in the context of tropical forest restorationBackgroundThis paper outlines the context and approaches of effective business models for sustainable investments in Tropical Forests. Triple bottom line business opportunities are defined and identified through a review of literature and analysis of three case studies (InIkea, FCFR Project, and Sustain Project). The conceptual frameworks surrounding sustainable business models are examined. Challenges and opportunities into the future are also explored. Open access copy available |
Reforesting for the climate of tomorrow: Recommendations for strengthening orangutan conservation and climate change resilience in Kutai National Park, IndonesiaBackgroundKutai National Park in East Kalimantan, Indonesia has experienced extensive issues with human population expansion and encrouchment, which threatens both the parks immense biodiversity and the critically endangered Bornean Orangutan. Moreover, due to climate change, the region is also undergoing severe drought conditions. This paper seeks to explore the vulnerability of the park's biodiversity to climate change and present potential strategies to minimize or even prevent the negative impacts. Open access copy available |
