Biodiversity

Designing optimal human-modified landscapes for forest biodiversity conservation

Introduction

Current land-use patterns have resulted in the rapid conversion of forests to human modified forest landscapes (HMFLs). This degradation of forest landscapes can threaten species diversity and disrupt the ecological functions and services they provide. As such, designing and implementing effective landscape conservation strategies that benefit biodiversity as well as promote human well-being is essential.

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Carbon-focused conservation may fail to protect the most biodiverse tropical forests

Introduction

The authors examine the relationship between carbon and biodiversity at the landscape-level across four gradients of disturbances and offer insight on optimizing carbon conservation projects with biodiversity conservation.

Open access copy available

Carbon-focused conservation may fail to protect the most biodiverse tropical forests

Introduction

The authors examine the relationship between carbon and biodiversity at the landscape-level across four gradients of disturbances and offer insight on optimizing carbon conservation projects with biodiversity conservation.

Open access copy available

Understanding the value and limitations of nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challenges

background

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are initiatives that work with nature to adapt to environmental and climate challenges. NbS have grown in popularity in recent years, and are generally seen as a promising way to address the effects of climate change. Nature-based Solutions are also seen as a way to help countries achieve their Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs). Outlined by the UN Paris Agreement in 2016, NDCs are nations’ individual pledges to reduce CO2 emissions and adapt to climate change.

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Mangroves of Kenya: The effects of species richness on growth and ecosystem functions of restored East African Mangrove stands

Background

The authors of the story identify the gaps in long-term studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem services in specific ecosystems. The study focuses on one of these ecosystems: mangroves, examining the effects of species diversity on above ground productivity. 

Open access copy available

Restoration of plant species and genetic diversity depends on landscape‐scale dispersal

Introduction

The article cites the importance of restoration efforts that leads to resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems in order to combat immense global change. Though biological and species diversity are key to this venture, they are rarely considered a factor. Thus, this review article highlights the connection between seed dispersal and species richness and diversity to landscape restoration. 

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Biodiversity guidelines for forest landscape restoration opportunities assessments

Introduction

This document acknowledges that there has been a novel global push for landscape restoration but stresses that these practices must support the biodiversity of the ecosystesm being restored. As a companion of the ROAM methodology, the authors provide guidelines to support knowledge and practices concerning the interaction between biodiversity conservation and forest landscape restoration. 

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The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources

Introduction

Produced by FAO, this document reviews the state of the world forests as of 2020. The authors cite that forest provide valuable goods and services that benefit human well-being, particularly forest genetic resources (FGR). Yet these are threatened by an exponentially increasing human population, overexploitation, and landscape conversion. 

Open access copy available

Multiple successional pathways in human-modified tropical landscapes: new insights from forest succession, forest fragmentation and landscape ecology research

Introduction

With the rise of deforestation, secondary forests and human-modified tropical landscapes (HMTL) have become an important source of ecosystem services yet there is limited knowledge concerning the successional process of these ecosystems. 

Goals & Methods

The goal of this study is to identify the main drivers of successional pathways In HTML and secondary forests at multiple scales. The authors draw on tropical forest succesion, forest fragmentation, and landscape ecology research to achieve this. 

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Beekeeping of Stingless Bees to Strengthen Community Livelihoods

Background

This publication provides a summary of a training held Central Kalimantan, Indonesia in November 2019 concerning the keeping of stingless bees to enhance local livelihoods. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) requires companies to protect, conserve, and restore areas of high conservation value (HCV); one means of achieving this is through providing sustainable livelihoods like beekeeping. Thus this training aims at providing both plantation managers and local community members with the technical skills and knowledge to promote stingless beekeeping in order to preserve biodiversity and promote livelihoods. 

Open access copy available
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