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How pervasive is biotic homogenization in human-modified tropical forest landscapes?

Background

Land-cover change and ecosystem degradation often lead to biotic homogenization. Yet, there is knowledge gaps regarding this phenomena, which this study seeks to fill. Solar et al. (2015) monitor the change in biodiversity along a land use gradient ranging from primary forest to severely degraded and human dominated landscapes.

Open access copy available

Monitoring and estimating tropical forest carbon stocks: making REDD a reality

Background

Aboveground carbon is directly impacted by deforestation and degradation, thus it is often the variable of choice in monitoring activities. It is also used to estimate the amount of carbon in other pools. This article reviews methods available to estimate national-level forest carbon stocks in developing countries.

Open access copy available

Protocol for Monitoring Tropical Forest Restoration: Perspectives from the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact in Brazil

Background

This article highlights the need for standardized monitoring protocols in forest landscape restoration projects and uses the example of the protocol developed by the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact in Brazil.

Open access copy available

Advances in remote sensing technology and implications for measuring and monitoring forest carbon stocks 
and change

Background

Open access copy available

Diversity enhances carbon storage in tropical forests

Background

Tropical forests are extremely important due to the ability to sequester large amounts of carbon and provide habitat for high levels of biodiversity, particularly tree species. Still there is limited understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and carbon. This study seeks to study this relationship and examine the forest attributes and environmental drivers for ecosystem functioning.

Open access copy available

Towards a Synthesized Critique of Neoliberal Biodiversity Conservation

Background

This paper seeks to review critiques concerning neoliberal biodiversity conservation. The author sees two reasons for this review. First off, the majority of focus has been on neoliberal natures and neoliberal environment instead of neoliberal conservation. Second, there has been recent papers that explore the latter but the lessons are disconnected. Thus, this review seeks to analyze and provide connections among an emerging field. 

Open access copy available

Leaders in Action: Success Stories from the Tropics

Background

Open access copy available

Ecosystem Services Approach to Landscape Restoration and Sustainable Livelihoods

Background

Open access copy available

Restoring Working Forests in Human-Dominated Landscapes of the Wet Evergreen Forest Region of South Asia

Background

Open access copy available

Small-scale disturbance and regeneration dynamics in a neotropical mangrove forest

Background

This study focuses on regeneration dynamics of mangrove species in lightening-created gaps, in the Dominican Republic.

Open access copy available

Variation in the population structure between a natural and a human-modified forest for a pioneer tropical tree species not restricted to large gaps

Background

The study evaluates the distribution of Cyperus floribundus (a long-lived pioneer tree specie) individuals in the gaps and compared the plant density between a primary and an early successional forest to understand the pioneer plant distribution and niche preference under the variable environmental and biotic conditions generated by natural or anthropogenic disturbances.

Open access copy available

Drug Policy as Conservation Policy: Narco-Deforestation

Background

Central America exploded into prominence as a drug trafficking corridor in the last decade. The authors documented that an unprecedented flow of cocaine into Central America “coincided with a period of extensive forest loss”. The authors discuss the evidence that supports the idea that "trafficking of drugs (principally cocaine) has become a crucial—and overlooked—accelerant of forest loss” in Central America.

Open access copy available

Sprouting, succession and tree species diversity in a South African coastal dune forest

Background

This study examines the role of sprouting in the maintenance of plant diversity where prevailing disturbance frequency and severity allows, specifically, in the coastal dune forest of Kwazulu-Natal. 

Open access copy available

Industrial Resource Extraction and Infrastructure Development in Tropical Forests

Background

Open access copy available

Tropical Montane Forest Restoration in Costa Rica: Overcoming Bariers to Dispersal and Establishment

Background

Open access copy available

Tropical forest restoration: Fast resilience of plant biomass contrasts with slow recovery of stable soil C stocks

Background

Open access copy available

Targeted habitat restoration can reduce extinction rates in fragmented forests

Background

Open access copy available

Floristic composition, structure and natural regeneration in a moist semideciduous forest following anthropogenic disturbances and plant invasion

Background

This research examined the floristic composition, struture and natural regeneration in three different forests: undisturbed (UF), disturbed-invaded (DIF) and disturbed (DF) within a forest reserve in Ghana.

Open access copy available

Policy Options for the World's Primary Forests in Multilateral Environmental Agreements

Background

Around the world, primary forest continue to decline. The authors of this article recognize that international forest policies is one means to slow or turn around these trends and thus they identify four new actions that can provide a policy foundation for key international negotiations.

Open access copy available

Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests can double biodiversity loss from deforestation

Background

The 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