Understory Regeneration
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 |
Tree Canopy Management Affects Dynamics of Herbaceous Vegetation and Soil Moisture in Silvopasture Systems Using Arboreal LegumesBackgroundIt is important to understand how herbaceous and arboreal species interact with each other, specifically how shade effects understory plants. Silvopasture functions best when both strata of the forest are thriving. Silvopasture is impacted by species chosen, spacing of tree plantings, and other management practices. Tree legume species such as Gliricidia sepium and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia hold a potential value for commercial use while also fixing soil nitrogen in the soil. 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 |
Short term responses of soil microarthropod community to clear felling and alternative forest regeneration methodsBACKGROUNDClear felling is being criticized to be contributing to a reduction in biodiversity and negatively impacting ecosystem functioning. This study uses soil microarthropods as good indicators of ecological effects of forest harvesting after clear felling. It is conducted in four sites in central Finland, on spruce stands when the soil is frozen to minimize damage on the forest floor. Available with subscription or purchase |
Structural diversity and regeneration of the endangered Prunus africana (Rosaceae) in ZimbabweBACKGROUNDPrunus Africana is widely recognized for its medicinal purposes resulting in high unsustainable use and selling in the international market. Its bark contains many healing properties. Overexploitation has led to its listing in CITES list of endangered species. A remnant population is still available at the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe however, the area is prone to land use changes. Available with subscription or purchase |
Floristic composition, structure and natural regeneration in a moist semideciduous forest following anthropogenic disturbances and plant invasionBackgroundThis research examined the floristic composition, struture and natural regeneration in three different forests: undisturbed (UF), disturbed-invaded (DIF) and disturbed (DF) within a forest reserve in Ghana. Open access copy available |
Variation in the population structure between a natural and a human-modified forest for a pioneer tropical tree species not restricted to large gapsBackgroundThe study evaluates the distribution of Cyperus floribundus (a long-lived pioneer tree specie) individuals in the gaps and compared the plant density between a primary and an early successional forest to understand the pioneer plant distribution and niche preference under the variable environmental and biotic conditions generated by natural or anthropogenic disturbances. Open access copy available |
Small-scale disturbance and regeneration dynamics in a neotropical mangrove forestBackgroundThis study focuses on regeneration dynamics of mangrove species in lightening-created gaps, in the Dominican Republic. Open access copy available |
Using artificial canopy gaps to restore Puerto Rican Parrot (Amazona vittata) habitat in tropical timber plantationsBackgroundThis study tests whether or not man-made canopy gaps can restore native tree diversity as food sources for the endagered Puerto Rican Parrot (Amazona vittata). The site is located within a non-native blue mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) plantation in the Río Abajo forest in central Puerto Rico, where the researchers planted native species in assisted natural regeneration. The gaps were created in 20m x 20m plots by girdling and applying herbicide on non-native trees and by clearing leaf litter and vegetation, creating space for planted and naturally established advance regeneration seedlings. Available with subscription or purchase |
Early effects of four fast-growing tree species and their planting density on ground vegetation in Imperata grasslandsBackgroundThe study aimed to test the early effects of four successful reforestation fast-growing exotics tree species and alternative planting densities on the development of ground vegetation. The study was conducted in Riam Kiwa, South Kalimantan, Indonesia in Imperate grasslands. The four fast-growing exotics tree species used in the study were Acacia mangium, Acacia crassicarpa, Gmelina arborea, and Paraserianthes falcataria. Available with subscription or purchase |
