General
Ecology of Mangrove Growth and Recovery in the Lesser Antilles: State of Knowledge and Basis for Restoration ProjectsbackgroundThis article reviews the available information pertaining to mangrove ecology and restoration in the Lesser Antilles. On the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, mangrove species form monospecific vegetation belts parallel the shore. They follow an ecological gradient based on salinity and drainage, with the most halophylic being the Avicennia species followed by Rhizophora mangle and Conocarpus erectus, then Laguncularia racemosa with a lower salinity tolerance. In 1986 an experimental oil spill was created to study the ability of mangroves to regrow on polluted soil. Available with subscription or purchase |
When and Where to Actively Restore Ecosystems?BackgroundWhile conservation efforts around the world have focused on restoring degraded ecosystems to provide ecosystem services and benefit biodiversity, yet there has been an increasing recognition that certain ecosystems can rapidly recover without human intervention. This paper examines the question: what cases and to what extent should humans actively facilitate ecosystem recovery? Available with subscription or purchase |
Beyond Deforestation: Restoring Forests and Ecosystem Services on Degraded LandsBackgroundIn this review, the author presents the various stages of topical forest restoration. She describes a spectrum of reforestation approaches varying by time, cost, and biodiversity conservation value. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tropical forest recovery: Legacies of human impact and natural disturbancesBackgroundLand-use history interacts with natural forces to influence the severity of disturbance events and the rate and nature of recovery processes in tropical forests. This perspective article highlights several trends in tropical forest recovery processes emerging from recent literature. Open access copy available |
Application of Assisted Natural Regeneration to Restore Degraded Tropical ForestlandsbackgroundAssisted natural regeneration (ANR) has been proposed as an alternative restoration method that reduces the costs and scalability barriers of other restoration alternatives. This article describes the steps to applying ANR to disturbed ecosystems where forest succession processes have been halted by dominant grass or fern monocultures. Available with subscription or purchase |
Ecological Considerations for Using Dipterocarps for Restoration of Lowland Rainforest in Southeast AsiabackgroundIn this article, the authors present ecological factors that should be considered when engaging in dipterocarp forest restoration in Southeast Asia. Because many dipterocarps are insect-pollinated, have poor seed dispersal, have low density of reproductive adults, and have recalcitrant seeds, planting of nursery-reared tree seedlings could increase the ability of dipterocarp forests to regenerate. Open access copy available |
Principles of Natural Regeneration of Tropical Dry Forests for RestorationbackgroundThis review article describes the ecology of forest regeneration in tropical dry forests. Open access copy available |
Value and Risks of Expiring Carbon Credits from Afforestation and Reforestation Projects under the CDMbackgroundOne of the main concerns with afforestation and reforestation being part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is the issue of liability about the length and quality of the project (the risk of the forest or plantation being harvested or otherwise destroyed). To account for the non-permanent carbon storage of afforestation and reforestation projects, Credits for Emissions Reductions (CERs) can expire. Available with subscription or purchase |
UNFCCC Negotiations (pre-Kyoto to COP-9): What the Process Says about the Politics of CDM-SinksbackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Agroforestry as a Tool for Landscape RestorationbackgroundThe book is a compilation of articles on the application of agroforestry technologies to landscape restoration in degraded lands. The book is divided into five sections covering the following topics: (1) Agroforestry as a means to restore productivity to degraded land for rural populations (2) The simultaneous benefits of soil restoration and non-timber forest products from agroforestry systems (3) Biodiversity conservation across agricultural landscapes through the implementation of agroforestry (4) Watershed restoration and conservation using agroforestry systems (5) Experiences on agroforestry training and dissemination Open access copy available |
