Ecosystem Services and Ecological Processes
Tropical rainforest regeneration in an area degraded by mining in Mato Grosso State, BrazilBackgroundGold mining has been a major cause of environmental degradation in the rainforests in the north of Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Regulations on mining activity are beginning to be developed, including standards for forest recovery methodologies. This study characterizes natural tropical rainforest regeneration in Matupa County, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Open access copy available |
Biodiversity–Productivity Relationships in Small-Scale Mixed-Species Plantations Using Native Species in Leyte Province, PhilippinesbackgroundThe growth of tropical reforestation in recent decades has given rise to a debate between the relative productivity, biodiversity, and general merits of mixed-species vs. single-species plantations. To further investigate the relationship between tree species diversity, productivity, and abiotic factors such as climate and soil, this study investigated the growth of mixed-species plantations in Leyte province in the Philippines. These smallholder plantations were planted in 1992 to meet social, economic, and environmental needs through the Rainforestation Farming system. Open access copy available |
Seeding ecological restoration of tropical forests: Priority setting under REDD+BackgroundTropical deforestation continues to be the major driver of biodiversity loss and a considerable contributor to climate change. Increasing numbers of forest-dependent rural poor rely on degraded forest for their livelihoods. Ecological restoration of tropical forests has the potential to not only contribute to biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation, but also poverty alleviation. REDD+ provides a potentially powerful mechanism for supporting ecological restoration of tropical forests in developing countries. Available with subscription or purchase |
Overcoming Ecological Barriers to Tropical Lower Montane Forest Succession on Anthropogenic Grasslands: Synthesis and Future ProspectsBackgroundThis review attempts to address the difficulty in restoring grasslands to secondary tropical forest through reforestation. Proposed strategies are discussed for future recruitment methods for woody vegetation. Research Goals & MethodsThis study examines work conducted in Knuckles Forest Reserve (KFR) in the lower montane tropical rainforest and grasslands of Sri Lanka. Available with subscription or purchase |
Carbon Footprint: Great Rift Valley, KenyaBACKGROUNDThis project takes place in the Kikuyu Escarpment, Western Kenya. The Kikuyu escarpment forest has a high biodiversity and the services the ecosystem provides, particular water, is a key source for neighboring communities' livelihoods. Environmental degradation through charcoal burning, logging for timber and fuel wood, ring-debarking for medicinal trees and overgrazing are negatively affecting these services and depleting the area of important vegetation cover. Open access copy available |
Microbiological Indicators of Soil Quality and Degradation Following Conversion of Native Forests to Continuous CroplandsBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Increasing Drought Sensitivity and Decline of Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica) in the Moroccan Middle Atlas ForestsbackgroundSince the 1980s, severe droughts have influenced Atlas cedar mortality in Morocco. This study looked at relative contributions of tree characteristics and stand structure on the increment-growth and decline of Atlas cedar trees (Cedrus atlantica) in stands affected by past logging and heavy grazing. Open access copy available |
Ecological Implications of Harvesting Non-Timber Forest ProductsBackgroundThis article examines 70 case studies on the ecological effects of harvesting plant-species NTFPs in an attempt to draw broader conclusions for both forest resource management and future research. Open access copy available |
Regeneration Status of Mangrove Forests in Mida Creek, Kenya: A Compromised or Secured Future?BackgroundThis study investigates natural regeneration and timber potential of the mangrove forests of Mida Creek for better management through the principle of sustained yields. Research Goals & MethodsA stratified sampling technique was used in two main study areas. Transects and quadrants were used to measure vegetation measurements, species density, and frequency. Open access copy available |
Self-restoration of post-agrogenic soils of Calcisol-Solonetz complex: Soil development, carbon stock dynamics of carbon poolsBackgroundAbandoned land may move towards self-restoration without human intervention. In the European part of Russia, over half a million km2 was abandoned between 1987 and 2007; another 200,000 km2 was abandoned in Eastern Russia. The majority of abandonments occurred in unirrigated dry steppe, land that is arable but less favorable for agriculture. This study compares differences in self-restoration based on underlying soil types, climate, and land-use history across a chronosequence of abandoned land in the dry steppe zone of Russia in a Calcisol–Solonetz complex, reporting on vegetation and soil characteristics. Available with subscription or purchase |
