Ecosystem Services and Ecological Processes
Forestry‐based carbon sequestration projects in Africa: Potential benefits and challengesBackgroundWhile there is growing international interest in developing payment schemes for environmental services, including forest-based carbon sequestration, concern has been expressed that these initiatives are unequally distributed around the globe with an emphasis on Asia or Latin America leaving out African countries where financial inflows could make an especially significant impact given many are among the poorest in the world. This paper seeks to fill a gap in the literature by synthesizing forest-based carbon sequestration projects in Africa while considering the potential to locate future projects there. Open access copy available |
Evaluating the ecological performance of wetland restoration in the Yellow River Delta, ChinaBackgroundThroughout the world, wetlands have been severly degraded. In response, there have been large scale efforts to restore these vital ecosystems through focusing on three key areas: hydrology, biology and soil. Still, there are significant knowledge gaps concerning these efforts. Thus, this monitoring project evaluates the progress of wetland restoration in an area in the Yellow River Delta in China in order to further develop, refine, and disseminate site and landscape-level monitoring methods and trail restoration processes. Available with subscription or purchase |
Watershed Management for Ecosystem Services in Human Dominated Landscapes of the NeotropicsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
The Transformation of a Frontier: State and Regional Relationships in Panama, 1972- 1990BackgroundFollowing the trend of anthropologists that examine the settlement of frontier regions, this study describes the consequences of building the Bayano Hydroelectric Complex in eastern Panama. The authors stress that governments must not looked at as monolithic entities but instead should be examine as a set of social and political relationships among various stakeholders at local, national, and international scales. Along with documenting the social, political, and ecological effects that emerged from the dam, the study also describes the internal conflicts between agencies in the Panamanian government. Available with subscription or purchase |
Artisan Non-Timber Forest Products in Darien Province in Panama: The Importance of ContextBackgroundNon-timber forest products (NTFP) have been used for centuries to obtain useful materials. There has been a recent shift in the study of NTFP use, expanding from focusing on a single species or a single community to consider more variables, such as spatial, temporal and socio-political variables of NTFP harvest, use and management. This study aims to continue this trend by examining the use of NTFP by artisans of Wounaan and Emberâ households in Panama. Open access copy available |
Consequences of the Armed Conflict, Forced Human Displacement, and Land Abandonment on Forest Cover Change in Colombia: A Multi-scaled AnalysisBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Economic and conservation potential of bird-watching tourism in postconflict ColombiaBackgroundOpen access copy available |
The ecology of peace: preparing Colombia for new political and planetary climatesBackgroundWritten in 2018, this article recognizes that Colombia is emerging from a decades long conflict and this newfound social peace will have ecological and environmental effects. The authors aim to examine how the current, stable state of Colombia along with the continuing changes in global climate may shape both the ecological character and biodiversity of the country. They do so by first reviewing the socio-political state of Colombia and then go on to identify challenges in research and policy and discuss management decisions in the country that may lead to beneficial outcomes. Open access copy available |
Greening peace in ColombiaBackgroundWritten in 2017, this article reviews the connection between Colombia's recent peace agreement after 50 years of conflict and the country's immense biodiversity. Given the social peace, the forests of Colombia are now more prone for development, specifically the increase of both official and unofficial road and infrustructures, which could have a detrimental affect on wildlife and ecosystem services. This article seeks to outline the challenges and opportunities that Colombia faces to integrate forest biodiversity conservation into economic development. Available with subscription or purchase |
Socioecological transition in the Cauca river valley, Colombia (1943–2010): towards an energy–landscape integrated analysisBackgroundGlobally, agroecosytems are facing signficant challenges due to socio-ecological trends in which they are pressured to intensify in order to meat growing economic demands while also attempting to avoid the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services typically associated with agricultural intensification. This study uses the Cauca river valley in Colombia as a case-study in order to investigate the land use change and the ways human disturbance in agroecosystems are associated with landscape processes. Available with subscription or purchase |
