Costa Rica
Seed rain under tree islands planted to restore degraded lands in a tropical agricultural landscapeBackgroundPlanting native tree seedlings is the predominant restoration strategy for accelerating forest succession on degraded lands. However, planting tree “islands” is less costly and labor intensive than establishing larger plantations and simulates the nucleation process of succession. Tree islands can attract seed dispersers to gradually spread restoration patterns from the islands. Restoration design can be informed by assessing the effect of potential planting arrangements on seed dispersal by birds and bats and determining the influence of surrounding forest cover. Open access copy available |
Effects of Dry Tropical Forest Fragmentation on the Reproductive Success and Genetic Structure of the tree Samanea samanbackgroundTropical trees are particularly vulnerable to forest fragmentation due to low population densities and reproductive self-incompatibility. Forest fragmentation is likely to decrease gene flow, increase endogamy, and eventually produce a high differentiation among remnant populations. Available with subscription or purchase |
Efecto de la zona de vida y la altitud en la mortalidad y adaptabilidad al primer año de especies forestales en la Cordillera Volcánica Central de Costa RicaEspañolAntecedentesEl entendimiento comprensivo de la restauración de bosques requiere de la comprensión del fenómeno de la mortalidad incluyendo su magnitud y ubicación espacial. En Costa Rica, no existe suficiente información capturando los efectos de climas pluviales sobre la mortalidad de especies forestales, especialmente en zonas altas. Open access copy available |
Resilencia en Bosques Tropicales Húmedos: Reensamblaje de las Comunidades en Bosques Secundarios (Resilience in tropical humid forests: Reassemblies of the communities in secondary forests)Open access copy available |
Migratory Bird Species in Young Tropical Forest Restoration Sites: Effects of Vegetation Height, Planting Design, and SeasonbackgroundThis study examines the difference in habitat preference of four migratory birds in restored forests in southern Costa Rica. Open access copy available |
Avian Communities in Forest Fragments and Reforestation Areas Associated with Banana Plantations in Costa RicaBackgroundThis study evaluates the avian diversity value of reforested and secondary forest fragments in a matrix of banana plantations in Caribbean Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, banana producers (Dole and Delmonte) retain riparian buffer forests in addition to reforestation on lands removed from production. Zygia longifolia dominated reforested and secondary forest fragments. Available with subscription or purchase |
Patch Size Effects on Avian Foraging Behaviour: Implications for Tropical Forest Restoration DesignbackgroundThis study looks at bird behavior in restoration sites in southern Costa Rica. While multiple studies examine the presence of birds in restored forest, few studies examine behavior in these sites. Open access copy available |
Paying for Biodiversity Conservation Services in Agricultural LandscapesbackgroundThis document describes the genesis for the World Bank GEF project from 2002-2007 to implement payments for ecosystem services for silvo-pastoral systems in Colombia, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The payments were designed to compensate for biodiversity services: international donor money would be exchanged for the international environmental service of biodiversity. Open access copy available |
Amelioration of degraded rain forest soils by plantations of native treesbackgroundWhile much has been studied about the ability of tree growth to improve degraded soils in temperate zones, less is known about the impacts of tree growth on degraded soils in tropical zones. research goals & methodsThis study looks at the effects of trees planted in abandoned pasture land in northeastern Costa Rica, 25 years after that land had been cleared of rainforest. The soil was sampled before tree planting and 4 years after the trees became established. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tree species effects on soil properties in experimental plantations in tropical moist forestBackgroundForest soil properties are influenced by the complex interactions of vegetation, soil type, geology, management, and climactic patterns. Tree species can differ in their long-term effects on soils. This study resamples one of the earliest replicated experimental sites at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, used to examine the effects of native tropical tree species on soil properties, to examine longer term effects on soil properties. Open access copy available |
