Monitoring
Methodology for Comparative Analysis of Sustainability in Agroforestry SystemsbackgroundThis paper analyses different forms of agroforestry systems, including political and institutional linkages in the Caí and Taquari river valleys of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in an effort to determine their sustainability. Open access copy available |
Ecological Restoration of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus L.) Forests – An Adaptive Collaborative Modelling Supported ApproachBackgroundRed Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus L.) is an endemic and endangered tree species in souther India that is highly valued for its timber uses. Both anthropogenic and abiotic factors have led to the fragmentation and degradation of the Red sanders habitat. This project, which took place in Eastern Ghats: Kadapa, Southern Andhra Pradesh in July 2011, seeks to understand Red Sanders forest and explore the possibility for restoration. Open access copy available |
Priority Setting for Scaling-Up Tropical Forest Restoration Projects: Early Lessons from the Atlantic Forest Restoration PactBackgroundThe Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact (AFRP) serves as a network of different stakeholders at all scales, from local farmers and landowners with a few hectares on local scales to environmental action groups and policy makers on an ecosystem scale. There are currently over 200 stakeholder partners involved in the network, though it is not an NGO yet as of the publication of this article. The AFRP seeks to restore 15M ha of deforested land by 2050, the majority of which is land that, compliant with the Brazilian Forest Code, should be forest land. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Role of Seed Banks in Vegetation Dynamics and Restoration of Dry Tropical EcosystemsBackgroundThis paper reviews studies on seed banks in tropical dry forests, comparing them with wet tropical and subtropical vegetation. Research Goals & MethodsSeed banks in dry tropical forests tend to be low and they are density dependant on moisture levels of the area in question. Subtropical seed banks had similar values to dry tropical forests. Majority of the seeds are from pioneer forests. Available with subscription or purchase |
Monitoring Forest Degradation in Tropical Regions by Remote Sensing: Some Methodological IssuesBackgroundThis review examines different remote sensing techniques to monitor vegetation cover at a regional scale. The objective was to discuss implications related to monitoring of open forest degradation. Research Goals & MethodsTechniques include methods to track both spatial and temporal changes in structure and function associated with land use change. 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 |
Assessing and Monitoring Forest Biodiversity: A Suggested Framework and IndicatorsbackgroundThis study looks at afforestation and reforestation (A/R) projects that are part of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism. The study seeks to determine whether large-scale A/R projects meet the twin goals of carbon sequestration and sustainable development, using projects in India's Karnataka State as case studies. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Enhanced Forest Inventory and Analysis Program—National Sampling Design and Estimation ProceduresbackgroundThis report explains the changes in approach used in the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The FIA Program was designed to standardize national practices among regional FIA programs. Open access copy available |
Vegetation Structure, Species Diversity, and Ecosystem Processes as Measures of Restoration SuccessBackgroundThis article provides an example of how to evaluate forest restoration using integrative methods, including measures of vegetation structure, species diversity, and ecosystem processes. Specifically discussed are four measures of vegetation structure, four measures of species diversity, and six measures of ecosystem processes. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Use of Ants and Other Soil and Litter Arthropods as Bio-Indicators of the Impacts of Rainforest Clearing and Subsequent Land UseBackgroundThis study evaluates the impacts of rainforest clearing on soil and litter arthropods with a particular focus on ant species. Open access copy available |
