Ecosystem Services and Ecological Processes
Amelioration of degraded rain forest soils by plantations of native treesbackgroundWhile much has been studied about the ability of tree growth to improve degraded soils in temperate zones, less is known about the impacts of tree growth on degraded soils in tropical zones. research goals & methodsThis study looks at the effects of trees planted in abandoned pasture land in northeastern Costa Rica, 25 years after that land had been cleared of rainforest. The soil was sampled before tree planting and 4 years after the trees became established. Available with subscription or purchase |
Soil macrofauna and litter nutrients in three tropical tree plantations on a disturbed site in Puerto RicoBackgroundTree plantations are increasingly common in tropical landscapes due to their multiple uses. Plantations vary in structure and composition, and these variations may alter soil fauna communities. Recent studies have demonstrated the important role of soil fauna in the regulation of plant litter decomposition in the tropics. However, little is known about how plantation species affect soil fauna populations, which may in turn affect the biogeochemistry of the plantation system. Open access copy available |
Tree species effects on soil properties in experimental plantations in tropical moist forestBackgroundForest soil properties are influenced by the complex interactions of vegetation, soil type, geology, management, and climactic patterns. Tree species can differ in their long-term effects on soils. This study resamples one of the earliest replicated experimental sites at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, used to examine the effects of native tropical tree species on soil properties, to examine longer term effects on soil properties. Open access copy available |
Payments for Environmental Services through the Local Lens: Preliminary evidences from the “Bolsa Floresta” Program in the Brazilian AmazonBackgroundThis master's thesis evaluates the differences in perceptions between the local beneficiaries and the proponents of a payment for exosystem services (PES) project in the Brazilian Amazon region. The document discusses the debate about whether Payment for Environmental Services (PES) schemes improve the livelihood of the poor rural population — a debate which is also critical to current discussions on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). Open access copy available |
Soil carbon differences among forest, agriculture, and secondary vegetation in lower montane EcuadorBackgroundChanges in land use and land cover may affect soil properties and processes. Conversion of forest to cultivation is assumed to result in a decrease in soil nutrients. In the lower montane region of Ecuador, shifting cultivation patterns mean that forest clearing is occurring simultaneously with recolonization of secondary vegetation on abandoned agricultural lands. Open access copy available |
Effects of forest clearing and succession on the carbon and nitrogen content of soils in Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsBackgroundConversion of tropical forest lands to agriculture or pasture affects soil organic matter, moisture, and nutrients. This study examines the effects on soil carbon, nitrogen, and moisture at depths up to 100 cm of conversion from forest to agriculture and pasture. Available with subscription or purchase |
Nitrogen Dynamics of Actinorhizal Casuarina Forest Stands and its Comparison with Alnus and Leucaena ForestsBackgroundNitrogen plays a key role in soil fertility and plant productivity. Therefore, in regions in which deforestation has increasingly led to savannization and desertification, afforestation by fast-growing, n-fixing tree species is preferable. This study examines the characteristics of nitrogen fixing trees. Research Goals & MethodsThe nitrogen retention rates of three dry tropical forest tree species were measured, by examining rates of N cycling through vegetation, litter and soil pools. Available with subscription or purchase |
O recobrimento do Brasil (The Recovery of Brazil)Open access copy available |
InVEST: A Tool for Integrating Ecosystem Services into Policy and Decision-MakingbackgroundThis document explains the InVEST tool, an ecosystem service model (via a software program) used to geographically map the provision of ecosystem services and how they can be affected by development and policies. The model, designed by the Natural Capital Project (collaboration of WWF, TNC, the University of Minnesota, and Stanford University), is intended for planners to maximize the benefit from activities such as reforestation. Open access copy available |
A regeneração natural como um serviço do ecossistema: uma proposta metodológica para o seu cálculo (Natural regeneration as an ecosystem service: a methodological proposal for its calculation)backgroundThis study begins by stating that the economic quantification of ecosystem services is a crucial step towards their sustainable use. research goals & methodsThe study pairs the quantified value of ecosystem services with the process of ecological restoration to attempt to calculate the value of natural regeneration. Both comparative and analytical approaches are used. Open access copy available |
