General
Livestock production and the global environment: Consume less or produce better?BackgroundGlobal demand for livestock products rises rapidly, especially in developing countries. Although livestock production contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land use change, and nitrogen cycle disruptions, producers can reduce its environmental impact by improving production efficiency. This study evaluates whether shifting to more efficient livestock systems offers a viable path to mitigate these impacts, rather than relying solely on consumption reduction. Open access copy available |
Wild Meat Consumption in Tropical Forests Spares a Significant Carbon Footprint from the Livestock Production SectorBackgroundTropical forest communities widely consume wild meat, which provides essential protein and micronutrients. While most discussions around hunting emphasize its ecological impacts—such as defaunation and biodiversity loss—this study shifts focus to its potential climate benefits. It investigates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided when people consume wild meat instead of livestock products, especially bovine beef, a major driver of deforestation and emissions. By quantifying the carbon footprint of substitution, the study explores how sustainable hunting could contribute to climate change mitigation. 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 |
Quantifying the Impacts of Defaunation on Natural Forest Regeneration in a Global Meta-AnalysisBackgroundIntact forests provide critical ecosystem services like carbon storage and climate regulation, relying heavily on interactions between woody vegetation and animal species. However, defaunation alters these interactions on a global scale. While previous studies explore defaunation’s effects on individual ecosystems, no comprehensive global analysis quantifies its impact on natural forest regeneration. This study conducts a meta-analysis to assess how vertebrate loss influences forest regeneration across multiple regions and ecosystems, identifying key taxonomic groups and ecological processes most affected by defaunation. Available with subscription or purchase |
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 |
Drivers and spatial patterns of avian defaunation in tropical forestsBackgroundTropical forests harbor an immense diversity of bird species, but hunting and wildlife trade are driving widespread declines in bird populations. Unlike habitat loss, hunting often occurs in seemingly intact forests, making its impact more difficult to detect. Birds are harvested for both subsistence (food) and commercial purposes (pet trade), but the spatial extent and drivers of avian defaunation remain poorly understood. This study aims to assess the factors influencing bird population declines and map defaunation patterns across tropical forests. Open access copy available |
Cascading effects of contemporaneous defaunation on tropical forest communitiesBackgroundDefaunation, caused by hunting and habitat fragmentation, is a major threat to biodiversity in tropical forests. It disproportionately affects large-bodied vertebrates, which play key roles as seed dispersers, seed predators, and herbivores. The loss of these animals can have cascading effects on plant populations, altering species composition, seed dispersal, and plant recruitment. This study reviews empirical evidence from 42 studies to understand how defaunation influences plant-animal interactions, plant demography, and overall community diversity. Available with subscription or purchase |
Conservation social science: Understanding and integrating human dimensions to improve conservationBackgroundMany scholars believe that there is an urgent need to integrate social sciences into conservation efforts. Although researchers widely acknowledge the importance of understanding the human dimensions of conservation, social science insights remain underutilized in practice. Open access copy available |
Environmental governance and its implications for conservation practiceBackgroundEnvironmental governance is a growing field that expands conservation practice beyond traditional management approaches. Managers make operational decisions to achieve specific conservation outcomes, while governance involves the broader processes and institutions through which societies make decisions that affect the environment. Unlike management, governance incorporates diverse views, fosters networks, and supports hybrid partnerships among state and non-state actors, creating opportunities for shared learning. Open access copy available |
