Inga edulis
Tropical Montane Forest Restoration in Costa Rica: Overcoming Bariers to Dispersal and EstablishmentBackgroundThe article addressed different types of environmental and ecological factors limiting forest regeneration on a tropical montane abandoned pasture in Costa Rica, and the subsequent forest restoration strategies that could be feasible. The authors sought to answer the following questions: 1) What factors limit tropical forest recovery in abandoned pasture? and (2) How can we use this information to design strategies to facilitate ecosystem recovery? Open access copy available |
Development of the soil macrofauna community under silvopastoral and agrosilvicultural systems in AmazoniaBackgroundThe Brazilian Amazon has experienced extensive land conversion from forests to cattle pasture, many of which now lay abandoned. Agro-forestry serves as one potential solution to this problem and this study examines the re-establishment of a diversified soil macrofauna in order to inform this approach. Available with subscription or purchase |
Infuence of tree cover on diversity, carbon sequestration and productivity of cocoa systems in the Ecuadorian AmazonBackgroundIn this study, Jadan et al. objective was to evaluate the relationship between richness and floristic diversity, carbon storage, ecosystem services, agricultural productivity, and forest use potential under three land use systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon: cocoa-based agroforestry, cocoa monoculture and primary forest. In this region, one of the most important cultivation systems is the “Chakra”, a traditional organic farming production system, mainly practiced by indigenous peoples, that consists in the cultivation of staple crops in combination with commercial valuable species such as cocoa, obtaining multiple benefits. Open access copy available |
Development of the Soil Macrofauna Community under Silvopastoral and Agrosilvicultural Systems in AmazoniaBackgroundThis study seeks to analyze the effect that different agroforestry systems have on the recolonization of macrofauna in the soil of former pasture lands. Available with subscription or purchase |
Testing Applied Nucleation as a Strategy to Facilitate Tropical Forest RecoveryBackgroundThis study considers applied nucleation, or the intensive planting of small patches of a mixture of successional species, as a degraded tropical forest restoration strategy. This approach catalyzes the natural regeneration of the surrounding matrix and larger landscape and could provide a less expensive alternative to the more common, and expensive, plantation-style approach. This study claims to be the first to directly compare tree recruitment beneath these two restoration approaches. Open access copy available |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Semeando Sustentabilidade em Apuí (Seedling Sustainability in Apuí)The project aims to strengthen environmental management in Apuí, and to increase capacity for the development of more sustainable productive activities. To achieve this goal the project works simultaneously on reinforcing the network of seeds and seedling production, strengthening institutions, supporting planting and forest conservation, building capacity of landholders in rural properties, and providing environmental education and assistance for the creation of a development plan for the municipality. By means of the rotational management of pastures, the project predicts that it will be possible to identify the best alternative to increase production and profitability while simultaneously halting the advancement of deforestation. Open access copy available |
Participatory Domestication of Agroforestry Trees: An Example from the Peruvian AmazonbackgroundThis paper describes a program through the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) to work with farming communities to domesticate native tree species for use in agroforestry and the conservation of tree diversity in their forests. Open access copy available |
