Ecosystem Services and Ecological Processes

Warming induces unexpectedly high soil respiration in a wet tropical forest

Background

Tropical forests play a key role in regulating the global carbon cycle, exchanging more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome.  However, limited in situ experiments constrain understanding of their response to climate warming. Understanding these responses is crucial, as even small changes in soil respiration in tropical regions can substantially influence global carbon dynamics and climate feedbacks.

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Land availability and policy commitments limit global climate mitigation from forestation

Background

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The changing global carbon cycle: linking plant–soil carbon dynamics to global consequences

Background

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Addressing critiques refines global estimates of reforestation potential for climate change mitigation

Background

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Protect, manage and then restore lands for climate mitigation

Background

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Carbon dynamics with stand structure and species diversity in the Hindu Kush Himalaya ranges of Pakistan

Background 

Global climate change and biodiversity loss underscore the importance of forests in climate change mitigation and ecosystem stability, as highlighted by UN Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 15. The Hindu Kush Himalaya region in Pakistan is a critical biodiversity hotspot and a significant carbon reservoir. However, the relationships among forest structure, species diversity, and carbon storage in this region remain poorly understood, particularly under current management exclusions and anthropogenic pressures.

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The drivers and impacts of Amazon forest degradation

Background

This research examines the growing threat of forest degradation across the Amazon, a region critical to global carbon balance and biodiversity. Beyond deforestation, widespread disturbances such as fire, edge effects, selective logging, and extreme drought have emerged as major causes of ecological and social disruption. These human-driven stressors, intensified by climate change, now affect approximately 2.5 million km²—around 38% of remaining Amazon forests—posing risks comparable to deforestation itself.

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Local‐ and landscape‐scale drivers of terrestrial herbaceous plant diversity along a tropical rainfall gradient in Western Ghats, India

BACKGROUND:

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Herbaceous plant diversity in forest ecosystems: patterns, mechanisms, and threats

BACKGROUND:

Recent studies have expanded our ecological understanding by focusing on forest herbs, highlighting that while trees dominate ecological theory, they represent only a small fraction of forest plant diversity. Forests showcase varying plant diversity due to human activities like land-use changes, invasive species, climate change, and overabundant herbivores, necessitating comprehensive management strategies. By understanding the complex interplay of these factors, the research aims to promote effective long-term conservation and sustainability of herbaceous plant communities in these environments.

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Indigenous knowledge and forest succession management in the Brazilian Amazon: Contributions to reforestation of degraded areas

Background

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