Species Characteristics
Assisted restoration interventions drive functional recovery of tropical wet forest tree communitiesBackgroundIntegrating science and practice is one of the main goals of the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. A variety of factors can influence the application of restoration treatments across tropical ecosystems. Deciding where to apply a restoration strategy on the spectrum between natural regeneration an active restoration planting can be challenging and there is not enough current knowledge that compares these methods. Open access copy available |
Pollinator recognition by a keystone tropical plantBackgroundThe evolution of flowering plants is complex and has resulted in a great amount of diversity in species both genetically and structurally. Pollination is the key to providing this variability and is responsible for evolutionary patterns and trends in flowering plant species. Some flowering plants are generalists, allowing for many types of pollinators to visit, while others are highly specified. The mechanism for this specialization is not well understood. Open access copy available |
Drought reduces the growth and health of tropical rainforest understory plantsBackgroundPlant responses to drought are important to understand for agricultural practices and environmental stress. Susceptibility to drought varies among and between plant species. Most field studies on plant responses to drought in tropical rainforests ignore understory plant species such as saplings and shrubs. These species are important to understand because they are often more vulnerable to environmental stressors, and they contribute greatly to forest biodiversity. Open access copy available |
Seed removal, seed dispersers, and the allocation of tissues in Myrtaceae seedsBackgroundPlants allocate resources to protective seed tissues in order to avoid seed death and ensure successful reproduction. Myrtaceae is an abundant plant family in the Brazilian Atlantic forest with many species producing fleshy fruits that are attractive to birds, rodents, and other mammals. Myrtaceae species may adapt seed characteristics to avoid predation. Available with subscription or purchase |
Forest structure predicts species richness and functional diversity in Amazonian mixed-species bird flocksBackgroundSecondary forests between forest fragments are valuable sources of biodiversity during the regeneration process. In the Brazilian Amazon, understory birds are often an indicator of forest regeneration and overall health. Functional diversity is an important component of ecosystem health and services, yet little is known about the role it plays in the return of mixed-species bird flocks. Open access copy available |
Density-dependent reproductive success among sympatric dipterocarps during a major mast fruiting eventBackgroundMasting or mast fruiting is the annual synchronous production of many seeds by a plant species. Masting is an important reproductive strategy that depends on the intensity of flowering and fruiting, as well as the seeds’ ability to survive herbivory and competition with other seeds. Southeast Asia, many tree species (particularly Dipterocarps) are known to synchronize their masting events and therefore, community-wide seed density is an important factor predicting successful reproduction. Open access copy available |
Overcoming biotic homogenization in ecological restorationBackgroundRegional, or gamma, diversity is often lower in restored landscapes compared to reference landscapes due to the selection of few desirable species for planting. Lowered diversity in restored landscapes is leading to overall biotic homogenization which puts ecosystems and humans in a more vulnerable position for adapting to environmental changes. Available with subscription or purchase |
Adaptation of five co-occurring tree and shrub species to water stress and its implication in restoration of degraded landsBACKGROUNDAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Potential for low-cost carbon removal through tropical reforestationbackgroundThe UNFCCC COP21 (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties) created the Paris Agreement in 2015, which pledges to “limit global warming to well below 2, preferably 1.5 °C.” For this to happen, we must both reduce how much carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released and find ways to capture CO2 that is already in the atmosphere. This study explores two ways this might happen using Nature-based Solutions: tree planting in the form of reforestation and afforestation, and the prevention of deforestation. Open access copy available |
Garden Plants in Zimbabwe: Their ethnomedicinal uses and reported toxicityBACKGROUNDIn Zimbabwe, there are several plants that have been grown in homes for primary survival and for aesthetic reasons, both exotic and indigenous species. The properties of some of these plants is unknown yet some have been discovered to be poisonous to humans and livestock. Some cases of plant poison have been accidental, hence there is need to protect the public from the toxicity of these plants. Open access copy available |
