Article
Environmental Sciences
Sheikh Adil Edrisi, Amit Kumar Bundela, Vivek Verma, Pradeep Kumar Dubey, Purushothaman Chirakkuzhyil Abhilash
Summary: Land degradation has significant impacts on ecosystem services and human livelihoods globally. This article analyzes the effects of national and international policies on land restoration in India, highlighting positive trends such as increased forest cover and decreased degraded land. However, efforts to protect ecosystem integrity need to be strengthened.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shixiong Cao, Chengqi Xia, Xinhao Suo, Zhuoran Wei
Summary: Research shows that China's primary ecological conservation programs can generate significant net benefits and high rates of return after implementation, and regional differences need to be considered in designing ecological restoration strategies.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Elham Sumarga, Tati Suryati Syamsudin, Sheila Pertiwi Rahman, Azzahra Ramadhanti Kurnia Putri, Velia, Alfiazka Anargha Aldi, Mohammad Basyuni
Summary: Deforestation and degradation of mangrove forests are major environmental problems in Indonesia. This study found that there were no significant differences in fish production and net income from mangrove-fish pond aquaculture at different levels of mangrove cover, and ponds with high mangrove cover stored more carbon.
Article
Ecology
Rudolf de Groot, Simon Moolenaar, Joris de Vente, Vincent De Leijster, Maria Eugenia Ramos, Ana Belen Robles, Yanniek Schoonhoven, Pita Verweij
Summary: In order to prevent landscape degradation and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, decisions about landscape restoration should consider the true costs and benefits, including all externalities. This paper presents a framework consisting of nine steps to analyze and quantify the effects of changes in land use and management on the true costs and benefits. Using this framework, the study applied the Social or Integrated Cost-Benefit Analysis approach to compare the costs and benefits of different land use systems in a dryland region in SE Spain. The findings suggest that conventional financial analysis favors short-term non-sustainable land use, while integrated cost-benefit analysis provides a more realistic insight into the welfare effects of landscape restoration.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vasilis Grigoriadis, Elizabeth Gold, George Hutchinson, Lynn J. J. Frewer, Paul Brereton, Darragh Flannery, Kenneth A. A. Byrne, John Garvey
Summary: The current food chain is contributing to and affected by climate change. The majority of GHG emissions and their solutions can be found in the farming and land use sector. Financial mechanisms such as green bonds are proposed to incentivize land restoration and support environmental sustainability in the agri-food sector. A systematic review will be conducted to explore how these mechanisms incentivize land restoration and their impact on mitigating the agri-food footprint.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tasya Vadya Sarira, Yiwen Zeng, Rachel Neugarten, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Lian Pin Koh
Summary: This study provides a quantitative assessment of the multiple benefits from forest carbon projects across Southeast Asia, demonstrating that forest conservation can mitigate climate change and provide various other social benefits.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Angelica Melone, Leah L. Bremer, Susan E. Crow, Zoe Hastings, Kawika B. Winter, Tamara Ticktin, Yoshimi M. Rii, Maile Wong, Kanekoa Kukea-Shultz, Sheree J. Watson, Clay Trauernicht
Summary: The study quantified carbon stocks in a non-native secondary forest in Hawaii, showing highest carbon stock in trees, followed by soil, roots, coarse woody debris, and litter. This work provides a baseline carbon assessment to quantify the contributions of secondary forest transitions and restoration efforts to state climate policy.
Article
Ecology
Jorge Garcia-Polo, Tomasz B. Falkowski, Shruti A. Mokashi, Eugene P. Law, Adam J. Fix, Stewart A. W. Diemont
Summary: Historically, ecological restoration evaluation has focused on biophysical indicators, neglecting sociocultural and economic factors, which undermines long-term sustainability. Restoration projects should incorporate cultural and provisioning ecosystem services to provide tangible benefits for local stakeholders, promoting participation and environmental stewardship. Collaboration with adjacent social movements can amplify restoration impact by addressing root causes of environmental degradation and promoting socioeconomic justice.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Vikram S. Negi, Ravi Pathak, Vibhash Dhyani, Medha Durgapal, R. K. Joshi, Indra D. Bhatt
Summary: The recent declaration of 'UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration' highlights the urgent need to accelerate global restoration of degraded ecosystems. This study provides an overview of restoration sites in the western Himalaya region, focusing on species survival rates and changes in carbon stock. The results demonstrate the potential of native species for carbon storage and the importance of restoration sites in long-term carbon sequestration.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Hannah Duff, Diane Debinski, Bruce D. Maxwell
Summary: Meeting global food demand while reducing biodiversity loss requires quantifying and minimizing tradeoffs between conservation and production in agroecosystems. Ecological refugia can enhance biodiversity and crop quality, but plant and arthropod diversity decline with increasing distance from the refugia.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Dominic Andreas Martin, Annemarie Wurz, Kristina Osen, Ingo Grass, Dirk Hoelscher, Thorien Rabemanantsoa, Teja Tscharntke, Holger Kreft
Summary: Agroforestry can help increase tree cover in historically forested tropical landscapes, with better results when established on open land. Vanilla agroforests showed varying yields independent of canopy cover and land-use history, averaging around 154.6 kg ha(-1) year(-1). Both forest- and open-land-derived agroforests saw an increase in canopy cover over time, with only the open-land-derived systems showing an increase in canopy height.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ayele Almaw Fenta, Atsushi Tsunekawa, Nigussie Haregeweyn, Mitsuru Tsubo, Hiroshi Yasuda, Takayuki Kawai, Kindiye Ebabu, Mulatu Liyew Berihun, Ashebir Sewale Belay, Dagnenet Sultan
Summary: Soil erosion by water is a major environmental concern in Ethiopia, with cropland, river basins, and agroecological zones being the main areas affected. Implementing specific land management practices can significantly reduce soil loss and support sustainable use of land and water resources, particularly in severely eroded areas like the Abay and Tekeze basins and Dega and Weyna Dega agroecologies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Daniela Alba-Patino, Vicenc Carabassa, Hermelindo Castro, Ines Gutierrez-Briceno, Marina Garcia-Llorente, Cynthia Giagnocavo, Miguel Gomez-Tenorio, Javier Cabello, Jose A. Aznar-Sanchez, Antonio J. Castro
Summary: The study shows that almond tree restoration can change people's preferences for ecosystem services, increase the diversity of ecosystem services, and demonstrate how social and cultural benefits can be indicators of human well-being.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, M. Jahi Chappell, Elena M. Bennett
Summary: There has been a shift in scientific thinking about agriculture from focusing on maximizing yields to balancing trade-offs and delivering multiple ecosystem services. Maximizing yields often leads to environmental harm and benefits only a few, while ignoring other benefits of agriculture like health and livelihoods. Shifting the emphasis to multiple benefits and equitable delivery, we find scientific evidence of win-wins for people and nature through strategies that foster FARE agriculture.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yunuen Reygadas, Stephanie A. Spera, David S. Salisbury
Summary: This passage discusses the threats to the integrity of the Southwestern Amazon due to global climate change and local land-use changes. The study found that both forest degradation and deforestation have significant effects on ecosystem service indicators such as evapotranspiration, land surface temperature, and precipitation. The results emphasize the importance of continuing to conserve this remote region.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Raquel Lujan Soto, Maria Martinez-Mena, Mamen Cuellar Padilla, Joris de Vente
Summary: The study conducted a participatory monitoring project in southeast Spain and found that regenerative agriculture can improve soil quality, with green manure and organic amendments being effective practices. Combining no tillage with organic amendments showed the best results, and all regenerative agriculture treatments maintained crop nutritional status.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joris P. C. Eekhout, Agustin Millares-Valenzuela, Alberto Martinez-Salvador, Rafael Garcia-Lorenzo, Pedro Perez-Cutillas, Carmelo Conesa-Garcia, Joris de Vente
Summary: This study utilized a novel ensemble of five soil erosion models to assess the impact of climate change on future soil loss. Results showed that model uncertainty increases with higher slope, extreme precipitation, and runoff, as well as increases in all climate change scenarios.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Rudolf de Groot, Simon Moolenaar, Joris de Vente, Vincent De Leijster, Maria Eugenia Ramos, Ana Belen Robles, Yanniek Schoonhoven, Pita Verweij
Summary: In order to prevent landscape degradation and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, decisions about landscape restoration should consider the true costs and benefits, including all externalities. This paper presents a framework consisting of nine steps to analyze and quantify the effects of changes in land use and management on the true costs and benefits. Using this framework, the study applied the Social or Integrated Cost-Benefit Analysis approach to compare the costs and benefits of different land use systems in a dryland region in SE Spain. The findings suggest that conventional financial analysis favors short-term non-sustainable land use, while integrated cost-benefit analysis provides a more realistic insight into the welfare effects of landscape restoration.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2022)
Article
Geography
Raquel Lujan Soto, Joris de Vente, Mamen Cuellar Padilla
Summary: Including farmers in the design, decision-making, and evaluation of research projects for agroecosystem restoration is crucial for efficient, sound, and inclusive transitions towards long term sustainable agroecosystems.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Joris P. C. Eekhout, Joris de Vente
Summary: This study provides a global assessment of the impact of climate change on soil erosion and the potential for adaptation through land use change and soil conservation. The results show a global increasing trend in soil erosion, with the highest increase projected in semi-arid regions. Land use change characterized by agricultural expansion and deforestation aggravate the impact, while reforestation, agricultural land abandonment, and soil conservation practices can entirely compensate for the impact of climate change on soil erosion. Therefore, soil conservation and integrated land use planning are crucial.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mamen Cuellar-Padilla, Isabel Haro-Perez, Mirene Begiristain-Zubillaga
Summary: Participatory guarantee systems (PGSs) have emerged as an alternative to third-party certification for organic food. This study compares the procedures and decision-making structures of PGSs and certification bodies in Spain. The research finds that while the overall organization is similar, the key differences lie in decision-making procedures and participation. PGSs solve the exclusion problems of third-party certification by offering lower costs, accessible bureaucracy, and fostering trust-building and local empowerment. However, the complexity of official regulation and the time and dedication required for PGS development may limit their wider adoption.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Pablo Tittonell, Veronica El Mujtar, Georges Felix, Yodit Kebede, Luciana Laborda, Raquel Lujan Soto, Joris de Vente
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Raquel Lujan Soto, Mamen Cuellar Padilla, Maria Rivera Mendez, Teresa Pinto-Correia, Carolina Boix-Fayos, Joris de Vente
Summary: Social learning is seen as a crucial factor for the adoption of innovative and contextualized sustainable land management. Involving farmers and researchers in participatory monitoring and evaluation of regenerative agriculture in southeast Spain facilitated social learning.
ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
J. O. L. Vieira Junior, R. C. Pereira, R. L. Soto, I. M. Cardoso, E. A. Mondino, R. L. L. Berbara, E. Sa Mendonca
Summary: The study indicates that the use of organic fertilizers in coffee agroforestry systems can enhance soil microbiota and have an impact on nematode communities. The application of cow manure or poultry litter in coffee AFS promotes an increase in bacterivores, while plant-parasitic nematodes are more abundant in naturally fertilized AFS and Atlantic rainforest fragments. The nematode communities in AFS are similar to those in forest fragments, suggesting that sustainable coffee production can be achieved without compromising soil quality.
JOURNAL OF NEMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geography
Daniel Lopez-Garcia, Mamen Cuellar-Padilla, Alexandre de Azevedo Olival, Nina Paula Laranjeira, V Ernesto Mendez, Santiago Peredo y Parada, Cesar Adriano Barbosa, Claudia Barrera Salas, Martha Caswell, Roseann Cohen, Ana Correro-Humanes, Veronica Garcia-Garcia, Stephen R. Gliessman, Ariadna Pomar-Leon, Annais Sastre-Morato, Guillem Tendero-Acin
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2021)
Review
Development Studies
M. G. Rivera-ferre, M. Di Masso, I Vara, M. Cuellar, F. Lopez-i-Gelats, G. D. Bhatta, D. Gallar
Summary: The South Asia region is highly vulnerable to climate change, facing threats such as increased temperature, monsoon variability, and changes in rainfall patterns leading to droughts and floods. However, the region also possesses a wealth of traditional agricultural knowledge, particularly in land management, which is crucial for preserving soil fertility and preventing erosion. This untapped ethnographic research on traditional agricultural knowledge has great potential for climate change adaptation.
CLIMATE AND DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
