Forest Dynamics
Los bosques tropicales estacionalmente secos: ¿una prueba ácida para la restauración?BackgroundEl artículo explora los desafíos y avances en la restauración de bosques tropicales estacionalmente secos (BTES), uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados y menos estudiados del mundo. Aunque ocupan un 40% de las zonas tropicales, los BTES enfrentan altas tasas de deforestación, presión humana y vulnerabilidad al cambio climático, lo que subraya la necesidad urgente de estrategias efectivas de restauración. Open access copy available |
Uso del efecto de borde de la vegetación para la restauración ecológica del bosque tropicalBackgroundEl artículo aborda la fragmentación de hábitats causada por la deforestación, lo que genera cambios en los procesos ecológicos, específicamente el efecto de borde. Este efecto se caracteriza por la generación de microclimas variables y condiciones dinámicas del suelo en la interfase entre el bosque nativo y la vegetación adyacente inducida. A nivel global, los bosques tropicales han sufrido una deforestación considerable, impactando negativamente la biodiversidad y los ciclos ecológicos. Available with subscription or purchase |
Caracterización estructural y florística de un bosque secundario enriquecido de 15 años en la Región Tropical Húmeda de Costa RicaBackgroundEl estudio evalúa un bosque secundario enriquecido de 15 años en Costa Rica, originado en un pastizal abandonado. Los bosques secundarios son ecosistemas formados tras la eliminación de la cobertura primaria y tienen potencial económico, ambiental y de conservación de biodiversidad. Este caso analiza cómo la regeneración natural combinada con enriquecimiento puede mejorar su estructura y composición. Available with subscription or purchase |
The soil organic carbon in particle-size separates under different regrowth forest stands of north eastern Costa RicaBACKGROUND:Costa Rica, having experienced significant deforestation from 1950 to 1984, now sees a rise in secondary forests due to land abandonment and reforestation efforts. These forests vary widely in soil carbon accumulation, influenced by the previous land use intensity and the age of the forest. The paper investigates the role of secondary forests in Costa Rica in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, a critical component in understanding climate change mitigation potential. Available with subscription or purchase |
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 |
