Latin America and Caribbean
Herbaceous plant diversity in forest ecosystems: patterns, mechanisms, and threatsBACKGROUND:Recent studies have expanded our ecological understanding by focusing on forest herbs, highlighting that while trees dominate ecological theory, they represent only a small fraction of forest plant diversity. Forests showcase varying plant diversity due to human activities like land-use changes, invasive species, climate change, and overabundant herbivores, necessitating comprehensive management strategies. By understanding the complex interplay of these factors, the research aims to promote effective long-term conservation and sustainability of herbaceous plant communities in these environments. Available with subscription or purchase |
Putting seedlings on the map: Trade‐offs in demographic rates between ontogenetic size classes in five tropical forestsBACKGROUND:The study examines tropical forests in regions such as Panama, Puerto Rico, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Ecuador, which are characterized by their high biodiversity and significant environmental challenges like cyclonic storms. These forests are ideal for investigating demographic trade-offs due to their diverse coexisting tree species that align along growth, survival, and stature recruitment axes. The forests have experienced varying levels of disturbance from natural events, making them unique examples for studying tree species’ life-history strategies and the mechanisms that facilitate species coexistence. Available with subscription or purchase |
Seed Production and 22 Years of Climatic Changes in an Everwet Neotropical ForestBACKGROUND:Yasuní National Park in western Amazonia hosts one of the world’s most biodiverse and everwet tropical forests, with minimal seasonal variation in rainfall and temperature. Its stable climate and relative insulation from large-scale disturbances such as ENSO make it an ideal site to investigate long-term ecological responses to climate change. The forest’s biological richness and global conservation importance underscore the need to understand how shifting climatic conditions influence seed production and, by extension, forest regeneration and community dynamics. Available with subscription or purchase |
Indigenous territories and governance of forest restoration in the Xingu River (Brazil)BackgroundOpen access copy available |
Indigenous knowledge and forest succession management in the Brazilian Amazon: Contributions to reforestation of degraded areasBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Research Directions in Tropical Forest RestorationBackgroundThe paper addresses the challenges and strategies involved in tropical forest restoration. It highlights the importance of global and national initiatives aimed at restoring millions of hectares of tropical forests to achieve goals such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and improving human livelihoods. Researchers and practitioners are increasingly aware of the site's natural resilience and the project’s ecological and human goals when planning restoration strategies due to the various site-specific barriers to forest recovery. Available with subscription or purchase |
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 |
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 |
