Assisted Natural Regeneration
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 |
Effects of Artificial Roosts for Frugivorous Bats on Seed Dispersal in a Neotropical Forest Pasture MosaicbackgroundThis article evaluates whether the installation of bat roosts into abandoned pasture sites can attract frigivorous bats into pasture areas and encourage seed rain of early-successional plant species. Available with subscription or purchase |
Barriers to Forest Regeneration of Deforested and Abandoned Land in PanamaBackgroundThis article presents research findings on the effect of four limiting factors on tree regeneration: competition with the exotic grass Saccharum spontanaeum, seed dispersal limitation, fire, and soil nutrient deficiency. Research Goals & MethodsTreatments included prescribed grass cutting and burning, as well as the placement of plots at different distances from adjacent forest. Open access copy available |
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 |
Factors Affecting Community Composition of Forest Regeneration in Deforested, Abandoned Land in PanamabackgroundThis study tests how Saccharum spontaneum, an invasive grass, affects early forest succession and community composition in an area of previously abandoned pasture. 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 |
Tropical Forest Restoration: Tree Islands As Recruitment Foci In Degraded Lands Of HondurasBackgroundMethods to accelerate forest recovery must address a number of impediments including limits on seed dispersal and microclimactic extremes. This study evaluates the ability of tree islands to serve as recruitment foci for additional seeds in a two-year study in northern Honduras. Available with subscription or purchase |
Research Needs for Restoring Seasonal Tropical Forests in Thailand: Accelerated Natural RegenerationbackgroundThis study considers information needed to engage in accelerated natural regeneration (ANR) in Thailand as well as areas in need of future research. Available with subscription or purchase |
Factors Limiting Tropical Rain Forest Regeneration in Abandoned Pasture: Seed Rain, Seed Germination, Microclimate, and SoilbackgroundThis research evaluates the ability of seeds to be dispersed into and germinate in areas of abandoned pasture. Research Goals & MethodsSeed rain, germination of tree seedlings, percent herbaceous and woody cover, soil moisture, phosphorous, air temperature, and other microclimate conditions were tested in plots located 250m and 25m from the forest edge as well as within the primary forest. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tropical Montane Forest Restoration in Costa Rica: Overcoming Barriers to Dispersal and EstablishmentbackgroundDue to the rapid pace of tropical deforestation, it is essential to design restoration experiments that both further basic knowledge of tropical ecology and inform management strategies to facilitate recovery of these ecosystems. This study synthesizes the results of recent research on tropical montane forest recovery in abandoned pasture in Costa Rica to address limitations on tropical forest recovery in abandoned pasture and designing strategies to facilitate ecosystem recovery. Open access copy available |
