Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert Nasi
Summary: The cultivation of oil palm is a permanent practice, but a five-year study shows that incorporating native trees into the monoculture can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning without significantly reducing crop yields. The presence of native trees benefits the plantation ecosystem while maintaining crop productivity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Badrul Azhar, Aslinda Oon, Alex M. Lechner, Adham Ashton-Butt, Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Certification has driven efforts to make oil palm agriculture more environmentally sustainable, but stakeholders disagree on which farming system is best for enhancing sustainability in the oil palm supply chain. Replanting of oil palm has increased due to commitments to reduce deforestation and replace aging plantations. However, previous studies have shown that large-scale replanting has negative impacts on biodiversity.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ukrit Jaroenkietkajorn, Shabbir H. Gheewala, Laura Scherer
Summary: The study evaluates the impacts of oil palm plantations on bird and insect species richness in Thailand, showing that animals have a higher possibility of survival in former mangrove forests.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Izereen Mukri, Ruzana Sanusi, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The suitability of different agricultural land-use types for supporting bird biodiversity was investigated in Peninsular Malaysia. The study found that agroforestry orchards have greater bird species richness and abundance compared to oil palm and rubber tree plantations. The findings suggest that incorporating diverse native fruit trees into large-scale monoculture plantations could improve bird conservation and ecosystem services.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Development Studies
Adrienne Johnson
Summary: The expansion of Latin America's palm oil frontier has raised concerns about the social and environmental impacts of palm oil production. Research on the effectiveness of global sustainability certification standards often overlooks how these standards influence local and national governance structures, power dynamics, and social relations. Future efforts should focus on improving social relations within agro-commodity chains to enhance the inclusivity and fairness of governance in sustainable palm oil.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pablo Cavigliasso, Ezequiel Gonzalez, Abel Scherf, Jose Villacide
Summary: This study assessed the impact of different spatial contexts on the presence of leaf-cutting ant nests in South American plantations and found that the presence of ant nests is related to landscape configuration.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Michael D. Pashkevich, Sarah H. Luke, Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan, Helen S. Waters, Jean-Pierre Caliman, Nadine Duperre, Mohammad Naim, Anton M. Potapov, Edgar C. Turner
Summary: Expansion of oil palm plantations has led to significant declines in biodiversity and changes in ecosystem functioning. While forested buffers have been shown to benefit oil palm systems, the impacts of mature palm buffers remain uncertain. This study found that mature palm buffers being passively restored can have greater environmental complexity and higher levels of arthropod biodiversity than non-buffer areas, particularly compared to recently replanted oil palm. However, these benefits are not consistent throughout the commercial life cycle of the crop. Active restoration or alternative measures may be required to consistently increase habitat heterogeneity and improve biodiversity in oil palm plantations.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Rosanne E. de Vos, Aritta Suwarno, Maja Slingerland, Peter J. van der Meer, Jennifer M. Lucey
Summary: Smallholders are critical to the sustainable palm oil sector, but independent smallholders face challenges in yields and marketing. Certification is proposed as a way to improve smallholder livelihoods, but accessing certification is difficult for independent smallholders.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosanne E. De Vos, Aritta Suwarno, Maja Slingerland, Peter J. Van der Meer, Jennifer M. Lucey
Summary: Certified smallholders in the oil palm sector demonstrate significantly better management practices in terms of planting material and fertiliser use, as well as significantly higher yields compared to their non-certified counterparts. These differences are likely not solely attributed to certification itself, but may be influenced by pre-certification conditions such as strong group organisation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Julia Drewer, Melissa M. Leduning, Robert Griffiths, Tim Goodall, Peter E. Levy, Nicholas Cowan, Edward Comynn-Platt, Garry Hayman, Justin Sentian, Noreen Majalap, Ute M. Skiba
Summary: Oil palm plantations have largely replaced tropical forests in Southeast Asia, leading to uncertain impacts on greenhouse gas fluxes. This study in Malaysian Borneo found that nitrous oxide emissions were highest from oil palm plantations, with methane emissions generally low. Soil respiration rates were higher in riparian areas and logged forests compared to oil palm plantations. Despite measuring various environmental parameters, models could only explain a small portion of the variance in measured fluxes. Scaling up the N2O fluxes to Sabah showed a significant increase in emissions from forest conversion to oil palm plantations over the last 40 years.
Article
Soil Science
Nina Hennings, Katharina M. Fricke, Muhammad Damris, Michaela A. Dippold, Yakov Kuzyakov
Summary: This study investigates the effects of NPK fertilization and herbicide application on the soil carbon cycle in oil palm monocultures. The results show that conventional fertilization increases microbial activity and accelerates soil organic carbon decomposition, while herbicide application enhances microbial activity, contradicting the initial hypothesis. Reduced NPK fertilization slows down soil organic carbon decomposition and promotes C accumulation.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yeong Sheng Tey, Mark Brindal, Marcel Djama, Ahmad Hanis Izani Abdul Hadi, Suryani Darham
Summary: This study reviewed the financial outcomes associated with RSPO certification, finding that only a few analyses were considered robust and provided insights into issues such as incentive and knowledge deficiencies. The study recommends conducting comparative research and tailoring research efforts better for local management.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Eleanor Warren-Thomas, Fahmuddin Agus, Panji Gusti Akbar, Merry Crowson, Keith C. Hamer, Bambang Hariyadi, Jenny A. Hodgson, Winda D. Kartika, Mailys Lopes, Jennifer M. Lucey, Dedy Mustaqim, Nathalie Pettorelli, Asmadi Saad, Widia Sari, Gita Sukma, Lindsay C. Stringer, Caroline Ward, Jane K. Hill
Summary: Tropical peat swamp forests in Indonesia are facing challenges due to drainage for agriculture, resulting in fires, carbon emissions, and loss of biodiversity. However, efforts to re-wet cultivated peatlands may benefit biodiversity and reduce fire risk without affecting yields. Wetter farms have more vegetation complexity but no significant impact on bird diversity, suggesting that re-wetting may not improve on-farm biodiversity. Fire reduction in peatlands is crucial for protecting nearby forests with unique bird species, highlighting the importance of conserving remaining peatland forests and promoting biodiversity-friendly land covers for landscape conservation.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Valentine Joy Reiss-Woolever, Andreas Dwi Advento, Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan, Jean-Pierre Caliman, William A. Foster, Mohammad Naim, Dedi Purnomo, Ribka Sionita Tarigan, Resti Wahyuningsih, Tuani Dzulfikar Siguga Rambe, Sudharto Ps, Rudy Harto Widodo, Sarah H. Luke, Jake L. Snaddon, Edgar C. Turner
Summary: The cultivation of oil palm has detrimental effects on ecosystems and native species. This study found that lower vegetation complexity resulted in decreased abundance, richness, and evenness of Lepidoptera. The removal of vegetation, either by herbicide spraying or manual clearing, had negative impacts on butterfly or moth communities.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Meaghan N. Evans, Carsten T. Mueller, Peter Kille, Gregory P. Asner, Sergio Guerrero-Sanchez, Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, Benoit Goossens
Summary: The study investigated the impact of degraded tropical forests and oil palm plantations on the spatial utilization patterns of Malay civets. Civets foraged within oil palm plantations, yet all animals utilized forests. Proximity measures and forest structure influenced the spatial behaviors of civets.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Siti A. R. Balqis, Fatimah Md Yusoff, Norizah Kamarudin, Mohd Zafri Hassan, Jun Nishikawa
Summary: The study revealed that gelatinous zooplankton biodiversity declines and abundance increases with increasing environmental changes and mangrove disturbance levels. Salinity was identified as the most important environmental factor influencing seasonal variability.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Maraja Riechers, Joern Fischer, Aisa O. Manlosa, Stefan Ortiz-Przychodzka, Juan E. Sala
Summary: This article discusses strategies to address the current unsustainable trajectory and argues that the leverage points perspective can support transformative change efforts. By combining empirical and theoretical frameworks to study the dynamics of complex social-ecological systems, a more comprehensive understanding of system dynamics can be achieved, leading to the design of more effective interventions.
CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Rhyma Purnamasayangsukasih Parman, Norizah Kamarudin, Faridah Hanum Ibrahim, Ahmad Ainuddin Nuruddin, Hamdan Omar, Zulfa Abdul Wahab
Summary: This study assessed the health of the mangrove ecosystem and mapped the spatial variation in selected variables across the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) using geostatistical techniques. The results showed that the mangrove ecosystem health was excellent in Kuala Trong throughout the Sungai Kerang, moderate in some landward areas of Kuala Trong, and bad in Kuala Sepetang due to timber harvesting and anthropogenic activities. The results can be utilized for restoration and improvement of the mangrove ecosystem health.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Norin Khorn, Mohd Hasmadi Ismail, Siti Nurhidayu, Norizah Kamarudin, Mohd Sofiyan Sulaiman
Summary: Land use/land cover changes have significant impacts on water resources, and studying these impacts is crucial for watershed management. In the Upper Prek Thnot watershed, there have been notable changes in land use, resulting in alterations in runoff, groundwater, water yield, percolation, and evapotranspiration. The conversion of forest to agricultural land has particularly significant effects on these hydrological components, highlighting the need for a sound strategic management plan to ensure the sustainability of ecosystem services in the watershed area.
ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Siti Wahdaniyah, Ku Noor Khalidah, Nabilah Hamidah Sabar, Norizah Kamarudin, Ruzana Sanusi, Norhisham Ahmad Razi, Alex M. Lechner, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The rapid conversion of highland forests into agricultural areas has led to deforestation in Peninsular Malaysia. This study investigated the impact of reforestation on wild mammal populations in the region, finding that the planting of native tree species in degraded highland areas could help reverse the decline of mammal communities. The study also identified several habitat variables that influenced mammal detections in the reforested areas.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Albert Norstrom, Bina Agarwal, Patricia Balvanera, Brigitte Baptiste, Elena M. Bennett, Eduardo Brondizio, Reinette Biggs, Bruce Campbell, Stephen R. Carpenter, Juan Carlos Castilla, Antonio J. Castro, Wolfgang Cramer, Graeme S. Cumming, Maria Felipe-Lucia, Joern Fischer, Carl Folke, Ruth DeFries, Stefan Gelcich, Juliane Groth, Chinwe Ifejika Speranza, Sander Jacobs, Johanna Hofmann, Terry P. Hughes, David P. M. Lam, Jacqueline Loos, Amanda Manyani, Berta Martin-Lopez, Megan Meacham, Hannah Moersberger, Harini Nagendra, Laura Pereira, Stephen Polasky, Michael Schoon, Lisen Schultz, Odirilwe Selomane, Marja Spierenburg
Summary: SES research has deepened over the past decade and shed light on key dimensions of SES dynamics, leading to tangible action for solving sustainability challenges. Networks like PECS have contributed to these developments by fostering the growth of place-based SES research.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Tibor Hartel, Joern Fischer, Girma Shumi, William Apollinaire
Summary: Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is gaining attention among ecologists as it has the potential to aid in ecosystem management. However, TEK may be preserved not solely due to positive environmental values, but rather as a result of poverty and limited alternatives. We explore this dilemma and propose hypotheses for further investigation.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Brian Walker, Anne-Sophie Crepin, Magnus Nystrom, John M. M. Anderies, Erik Andersson, Thomas Elmqvist, Cibele Queiroz, Scott Barrett, Elena Bennett, Juan Camilo Cardenas, Stephen R. R. Carpenter, F. Stuart Chapin III, Aart de Zeeuw, Joern Fischer, Carl Folke, Simon Levin, Karine Nyborg, Stephen Polasky, Kathleen Segerson, Karen C. C. Seto, Marten Scheffer, Jason F. F. Shogren, Alessandro Tavoni, Jeroen van den Bergh, Elke U. U. Weber, Jeffrey R. R. Vincent
Summary: Financial advisers suggest diversifying investment portfolios to adapt to market fluctuations, and similarly, nature has diversified species to maintain ecosystem function. However, in areas such as urban planning, public health, transportation, and food production, this diversity seems overlooked. As we enter a period of unprecedented turbulence, it is important to actively design and manage response diversity. This Perspective discusses what response diversity is, how it can be expressed, enhanced, and lost, and emphasizes the need to strengthen diverse options for responding to disruptions.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Dula Wakassa Duguma, Elizabeth Law, Girma Shumi, Patricia Rodrigues, Feyera Senbeta, Jannik Schultner, David J. Abson, Joern Fischer
Summary: The aim of this study was to model woody plant species richness in southwestern Ethiopia and predict the impact of future land-use changes on biodiversity. The results showed that scenarios focused on mining and food production would lead to significant biodiversity loss, while a scenario prioritizing gain over grain could maintain biodiversity relative to the baseline. Only the scenario combining coffee and conservation showed positive changes in biodiversity in the long term.
Article
Forestry
Bulama Ali, Norzanalia Saadun, Norizah Kamarudin, Mohamad Azani Alias, Nolila Mohd Nawi, Badrul Azhar
Summary: This study used value chain analysis to examine the sustainability of the fuelwood value chain in Yobe, Nigeria, in relation to economic, environmental, and social aspects. The findings revealed that registered licensed actors and non-licensed actors were involved in fuelwood business activities. Profit distribution along the value chain was unequal, with 65% of the total profits going to transporters. Natural forests served as the main source of fuelwood, and there were 18 preferred tree species commonly traded. Women had limited participation in the formal fuelwood value chain, mainly concentrated in the informal sector. The study's findings can inform policymakers on enhancing sustainability in terms of profit sharing, forest resource exploitation, and gender equality.
Article
Biology
Marina Frietsch, Jacqueline Loos, Katharina Loehr, Stefan Sieber, Joern Fischer
Summary: This Perspective piece provides potential approaches to support future ecosystem restoration projects. The challenges of social-ecological ecosystem restoration include climate change, resource overexploitation, and political instability. To prepare for these challenges, the authors synthesized restoration and social-ecological systems literature and identified three guiding themes: work with the existing system, create self-sustaining, adaptive systems, and foster diversity and participation. A two-step approach is proposed, with an example from Rwanda illustrating the application of these principles. While site-specific activities should be customized by local practitioners, this synthesis can guide forward-thinking restoration practice.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jamhuri Jamaluddin, Norizah Kamarudin, Mohd Hasmadi Ismail, Siti Azfanizam Ahmad
Summary: Suitable extraction technique and least cost with reduced environmental impact are the main concerns in timber transportation planning in undulate topography. Two types of extraction machines are combined for timber harvesting in Malaysia, aiming for each machine to extract timber suitable to their ability. A Bees Algorithm (BA) is proposed to find the optimal TTP for timber extraction, forest road, and landing locations with grid cell-sized 10 m x 10 m and assigned fixed and variable costs. The results favor the log fisher as a preferable extraction technique with lower total cost compared to the crawler tractor. The model identifies a suitable timber extraction technique and estimates the extraction costs, while further studies are required for comparing BA with other optimization methods to achieve better results.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joern Fischer, Elena Bennett, Guy Pe'er
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Graeme S. Cumming, Zoe G. Davies, Joern Fischer, Reem Hajjar
Summary: This editorial examines the history of the conservation movement and acknowledges the ongoing influence of colonialism. It promotes a more inclusive and respectful approach to conservation that embraces traditional ecological knowledge and diverse conservation approaches. The article also emphasizes the need for theoretical advancements to guide conservation practices and bridge different areas of expertise to understand the interactions between society and nature.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tolera Senbeto Jiren, David James Abson, Jannik Schultner, Maraja Riechers, Joern Fischer
Summary: Many landscapes in sub-Saharan Africa are changing rapidly, with negative impacts. To address these impacts, proactive landscape planning is necessary. Scenario planning, which generates narratives of possible future landscape change, has been used to support decisions, but backcasting-the envisioning of a desirable future landscape and identifying pathways to reach it-has been rarely applied in landscape planning due to challenges including group dynamics.
