Species Characteristics
Screening of native plant species for phytoremediation potential at a Hg-contaminated mining siteBackgroundThis study was conducted in one of the most important Artisanal and small-scale (ASGM) gold-mining sites in Colombia, to identify native plant species growing in Mercury contaminated soils used for agricultural purposes, and to assess their potential as phytoremediation systems. Available with subscription or purchase |
Microhabitats reduce animal’s exposure to climate extremesBackgroundThe Scheffers et al. (2014) paper discusses the effect of microhabitats and their corresponding microclimates on ectotherm species in a warming macroclimate. Available with subscription or purchase |
Asymmetric density dependence shapes species abundances in a tropical tree communityBackgroundThis study examined the question: why are some species common in tropical rainforests while others are rare? Goals & MethodsThe research, which used a computer modeling approach to analyze data from 20,000 1-meter squared plots, examined the degree to which being close to another individual of the same species affected the studied individual's overall abundance. Available with subscription or purchase |
Mangrove recruitment after forest disturbance is facilitated by herbaceous species in the CaribbeanBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Monitoring and estimating tropical forest carbon stocks: making REDD a realityBackgroundAboveground carbon is directly impacted by deforestation and degradation, thus it is often the variable of choice in monitoring activities. It is also used to estimate the amount of carbon in other pools. This article reviews methods available to estimate national-level forest carbon stocks in developing countries. Open access copy available |
Reforesting for the climate of tomorrow: Recommendations for strengthening orangutan conservation and climate change resilience in Kutai National Park, IndonesiaBackgroundKutai National Park in East Kalimantan, Indonesia has experienced extensive issues with human population expansion and encrouchment, which threatens both the parks immense biodiversity and the critically endangered Bornean Orangutan. Moreover, due to climate change, the region is also undergoing severe drought conditions. This paper seeks to explore the vulnerability of the park's biodiversity to climate change and present potential strategies to minimize or even prevent the negative impacts. Open access copy available |
Abreha Weatsbeha Community Ethiopia: Equator Initiative Case Studies. Sustainable Development Solutions for people, nature and resilient communitiesBackgroundThis report from UNDP is intended to "the the full story ofhow (innovative sustainable developments solutions) evolve,the breadth of their impacts (and) how they change over time" through the case study of Abreha we Atsbeha in Ethiopia. Out of 800 contestants, the community in Abreha we Atsbeha was awarded the Equator Prize in along with US$20,000 in 2012 in recognition of their tremendous work on the restoration of degraded land and subsequent increases in food security, nutrition, and local livelihoods. Open access copy available |
Long-term changes in liana loads and tree dynamics in a Malaysian forestBackgroundIncreasingly lianas are recognized as one of the most important growth form in seasonal tropical forest, yet there has been limited research that has studied the effects in other forests. This study discusses the effect of lianas on tree growth, reproduction, and survivorship in a Southeast Asian Dipterocarp forest. Available with subscription or purchase |
Designing pest-suppressive multistrata perennial crop systems: shade-grown coffee in Central AmericaBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Infuence of tree cover on diversity, carbon sequestration and productivity of cocoa systems in the Ecuadorian AmazonBackgroundIn this study, Jadan et al. objective was to evaluate the relationship between richness and floristic diversity, carbon storage, ecosystem services, agricultural productivity, and forest use potential under three land use systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon: cocoa-based agroforestry, cocoa monoculture and primary forest. In this region, one of the most important cultivation systems is the “Chakra”, a traditional organic farming production system, mainly practiced by indigenous peoples, that consists in the cultivation of staple crops in combination with commercial valuable species such as cocoa, obtaining multiple benefits. Open access copy available |
