Forest Dynamics
Forty Years of Tropical Forest Recovery from Agriculture: Structure and Floristics of Secondary and Old-growth Riparian Forests in the Dominican RepublicBACKGROUND:The value of secondary forests in the tropics has received increased attention in recent years. The recovery of tropical forests from agricultural use, given the increase in abandoned agricultural lands, has gained momentum. Yet, few long-term studies of post-agriculture vegetation recovery in the tropics exist. The study compares 40-year-old secondary forests regenerating naturally after agricultural abandonment with old-growth forests in the Dominican Republic's Cordillera Central. Available with subscription or purchase |
Evaluation of Forest Recovery over Time and Space Using Permanent Plots Monitored over 30 Years in a Jamaican Montane Rain ForestBACKGROUNDAn easily calculated recovery index would be of great value to studies of succession and restoration. The authors discuss the development of a new recovery index to assess the recovery of tropical forests after severe human disturbances. This index addresses current indices' limitations by incorporating the number and size of individuals within a community. The authors also propose a method for assessing recovery over time and space using permanent plots monitored over 30 years in the Jamaican montane forest. This provides more accurate estimates of forest conservation status. Open access copy available |
Carbon sequestration and biodiversity following 18 years of active tropical forest restorationBACKGROUND:Vast tropical forests have been degraded and converted to other land uses such as agriculture. Degraded forests can regenerate naturally to improve biodiversity and carbon sequestration. However, major degradation factors, such as wildfires, hinder natural regeneration. Forest restoration can play an essential role in such circumstances. Nonetheless, research on methods to increase carbon storage and improve the ecosystem function of tropical forests is limited. Open access copy available |
Understanding the importance of primary tropical forest protection as a mitigation strategyBackground:Primary tropical forests play a key role in the urgent task of mitigating climate change. Nevertheless, despite the recognition of forest-based mitigation strategies, the role of primary forest protection has not been explicitly considered in international policy negotiations. The authors aim to address this deficit by estimating primary tropical forest ecosystem carbon stocks and flows. Open access copy available |
Ecological filtering shapes the impacts of agricultural deforestation on biodiversityBackground:Deforestation for agriculture poses a significant threat to biodiversity. However, the severity of these impacts varies in agricultural landscapes. This study emphasizes the need to understand the factors underlying this variation to predict future biodiversity impacts of agricultural land use. While previous studies focused on landscape features and management regimes, this article introduces the concept of filtering, suggesting that natural and anthropogenic filtering may shape biodiversity responses at large geographical scales Available with subscription or purchase |
The carbon sink of secondary and degraded humid tropical forestsBackground:The Forest and Land use Declaration from the 26th Climate Change Conference of the Parties underscores the crucial role of tropical moist forests as a nature-based solution to address climate and ecological emergencies. However, the Amazon, Borneo, and Central Africa forests experience ongoing forest cover losses due to various anthropogenic drivers. This has led to a mosaic of recovering forests at different stages post-disturbance, with limited understanding of their impact on forest carbon dynamics. Available with subscription or purchase |
Maximizing biodiversity conservation and carbon stocking inrestored tropical forestsBackground:Ecological restoration plays a critical role in fragmented mega-diverse regions, particularly for endangered species with low dispersal rates. Species with impoverished populations, limited dispersal capacity, and important functionsas food resources for animals should be prioritized for active reintroduction in order to increase the conservation value ofrestored forests. However, seedlings from these species are often hard to find or too costly to include in many restoration projects. Open access copy available |
Do primary rainforest tree species recruit into passively and actively restored tropical rainforest?BackgroundIn many restoration projects, recruitment is dominated by a low diversity of regionally-abundant pioneer species and species with small, easily dispersed seeds. These species are characteristic of secondary rainforest and do not include the far more diverse suite of species characteristic of the original, primary rainforest. As restoring ecosystem processes is one of the central goals of restoration, this raises the question of which, if any, of the available rainforest restoration methods may be used to promote the recruitment of primary rainforest species. Available with subscription or purchase |
An overview of forest loss and restoration in the Brazilian AmazonBackground:The accelerated process of forest loss and degradation in the Brazilian Amazon began in the 1970s due to government-promoted economic development initiatives. This led to significant deforestation, with approximately 20% (780,967 km2) of the region being affected . Nevertheless, the region still lacks scientific studies that reinforce the choice of best practices for forest restoration, and the information currently available is not enough to quantify what has already been recovered or the potential area to be restored. Available with subscription or purchase |
Evaluating the success of direct seeding for tropical forest restoration over ten yearsBackgroundThe main causes of deforestation in the Amazon are large-scale agriculture and cattle ranching, which have led to the loss of millions of hectares of forest. To address this issue, different mechanisms have been implemented since 2005 to reduce deforestation and increase forest restoration. However, highly modified, degraded areas with a long history of use may take a long time to regenerate naturally or may not recover into a secondary forest. Therefore, active restoration methods are needed to accomplish this massive obligation. Available with subscription or purchase |
