Article
Ecology
Aabid Hussain Mir, Javaid M. Dad, Bikarma Singh, Azra N. Kamili
Summary: The study found that forest restoration in the coniferous forests of Kashmir Himalaya improved vegetation characteristics, biomass, and soil health. The restored forests showed higher soil quality and greater plant species population, as well as an increase in the number of larger diameter trees.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sofia Cortes-Calderon, Francisco Mora, Felipe Arreola-Villa, Patricia Balvanera
Summary: Secondary forests are expected to dominate future tropical landscapes, providing crucial ecosystem services to humanity. A study in a Mexican Pacific coast site showed rapid recovery of multiple forest resources provision, microclimate regulation, and carbon storage within the first two decades of succession. While carbon sequestration slightly increased over time, the supply of forage did not show a clear trend. The interactions among different ecosystem services varied over time, with higher strength in farmlands and old-growth forests. These findings highlight the importance of adaptive forest management practices to recover critical ecosystem services in tropical dry forests.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Fernando Campanha Bechara, Bruna Elisa Trentin, Vera Lex Engel, Daniela Aparecida Estevan, Tamara Ticktin
Summary: The study compared the vegetation recovery and financial outcomes of applied nucleation and high-diversity plantation plots in the Atlantic forest of Brazil. Results showed that while high-diversity plantation had higher total costs, it also had higher overstory basal area, species richness, and speed of recovery. Nucleation plots had lower costs, but also had benefits in terms of increased tree density and species diversity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Tina Christmann, Ximena Palomeque, Dolors Armenteras, Sarah Jane Wilson, Yadvinder Malhi, Imma Oliveras Menor
Summary: Andean montane forests are important for biodiversity and carbon storage, but their recovery after land abandonment is limited. This study analyzes forest recovery trajectories over 15 years in the Andes to inform restoration planning.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Cathryn A. Freund, Miles R. Silman
Summary: Landslides are crucial in tropical montane forest disturbance regimes and have significant implications for understanding biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Technological advancements in remote sensing have enabled large-scale landslide studies, leading to new insights into tropical montane forest ecology in the Andes. Three key areas of inquiry, utilizing remote sensing techniques, are outlined to enhance understanding of biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the impacts of climate change on tropical montane forests.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Edith Rivas-Alonso, Cristina Martinez-Garza, Marines de la Pena-Domene, Moises Mendez-Toribio
Summary: Restoration interventions aim to accelerate forest recovery by skipping early succession stages and promoting the growth of late-successional tree species with large seeds. Different restoration treatments were evaluated in terms of forest structure, with planted areas showing higher richness and abundance of late-successional trees compared to natural succession.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biology
Catarina C. Jakovac, Andre B. Junqueira, Renato Crouzeilles, Marielos Pena-Claros, Rita C. G. Mesquita, Frans Bongers
Summary: Secondary forests are becoming increasingly important in human-modified landscapes in the tropics. The successional pathways of these forests vary greatly across regions and within landscapes, influenced by climatic and edaphic conditions as well as land-use history. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the effects of land use on tropical forest succession is crucial for effective forest restoration efforts.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Susanne Jochner-Oette, Tanja Rohrer, Anna-Katharina Eisen, Selina Toennes, Barbara Stammel
Summary: The study investigated the impact of light conditions on ash regeneration and competition between ash seedlings and other species in the understory. Results showed that ash regeneration is favored under shady conditions, while coverage of herbaceous vegetation was linked to suppression of ash regeneration.
Article
Microbiology
Michelle Szyja, Vincent J. M. N. L. Felde, Sara Lueckel, Marcelo Tabarelli, Inara R. Leal, Burkhard Buedel, Rainer Wirth
Summary: In the Caatinga dry forest of NE Brazil, cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts have an impact on water infiltration and aggregate stability. Under disturbance, biocrusts have a stronger negative impact on infiltration, while under regeneration, they have the lowest absolute sorptivity and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Angela Hernandez-Moreno, Daniel P. Soto, Alejandro Miranda, Andres Holz, Dolors Armenteras-Pascual
Summary: This study evaluated the land cover dynamics in western Chilean Patagonia and found that there was a loss of approximately 32,600 ha of old-growth forest and a recovery of approximately 69,000 ha of second-growth forest following the fires. However, around 61% of the area could potentially remain as intact forest landscape after the fires. This study provides the first evidence of the landscape state in western Patagonia after more than six decades since the large-scale fires.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Felix Witing, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Francis J. Burdon, Brendan Mckie, Peter Goethals, Michael Strauch, Martin Volk
Summary: This study applied a landscape optimization algorithm to allocate riparian forest management measures in the Zwalm River catchment and identified the trade-offs between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and agricultural production. By optimizing the placement of management measures, the study showed how these trade-offs could be best balanced, while identifying priority regions for reforestation actions. The study highlights the potential of landscape optimization algorithms in supporting the design of multifunctional stream-riparian networks.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Advyth Ramachandran, Jared D. Huxley, Shane McFaul, Lisa Schauer, Jeff Diez, Rohan Boone, Tesa Madsen-Hepp, Erin McCann, Janet Franklin, Danielle Logan, M. Brooke Rose, Marko J. Spasojevic
Summary: Many studies have shown that assembly mechanisms may differ between life stages, and ontogenetic dependency plays an important role in determining the composition of different life stages. In this study conducted in a forest dynamics plot in California, it was found that adult plant diversity was mainly influenced by spatial factors, while seedling diversity was mainly explained by ontogenetic dependency.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ziqian Xiong, Jiawei Sun, Ping Zhong, Lixin Liang, Haoxuan Dang, Guangjun Wang
Summary: The study investigated the interaction between plant community diversity and soil environment during the natural regeneration process of Phoebe bournei. It found that P. bournei exhibits a competitive advantage and becomes the main contributor to community biomass and productivity. The regeneration process of P. bournei has significant effects on community tree diversity and soil environment.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pablo Prieto, Jacob J. Bukoski, Felipe S. M. Barros, Hawthorne L. Beyer, Alvaro Iribarrem, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Robin L. Chazdon, David B. Lindenmayer, Bernardo B. N. Strassburg, Manuel R. Guariguata, Renato Crouzeilles
Summary: Predicting and mapping the recovery of species richness and total abundance in tropical and subtropical second-growth forests can inform spatial restoration planning. The study found that socioenvironmental factors influenced the recovery of biodiversity in second-growth forests. Natural forest regrowth in tropical and subtropical forest landscapes has the potential to promote biodiversity recovery.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Marion Pfeifer, Susannah M. Sallu, Andrew R. Marshall, Stephen Rushton, Eleanor Moore, Deo D. Shirima, Josephine Smit, Esther Kioko, Lauren Barnes, Catherine Waite, Leander Raes, Laura Braunholtz, Pieter I. Olivier, Evodius Ishengoma, Sam Bowers, Sergio Guerreiro-Milheiras
Summary: The science guiding restoration interventions in tropical landscapes has focused on ecological processes and outcomes, neglecting to integrate human wellbeing indicators and methods. This study introduces a new systems approach framework for tree restoration in forest-agricultural landscapes and demonstrates its feasibility through a case study in Tanzania. The results show that the framework can predict differential outcomes for biodiversity indicators and crop damage risks, which may impact human wellbeing. The authors suggest applying this framework to other landscapes to understand the commonalities and differences in restoration outcomes under different governance systems.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Natashi A. L. Pilon, Mario G. B. Cava, William A. Hoffmann, Rodolfo C. R. Abreu, Alessandra Fidelis, Giselda Durigan
Summary: Understanding how ground-layer plant communities respond to fire in savanna ecosystems is crucial for conservation. This study found that prescribed fire can change community structure in the short term, but most species recover quickly, showing resilience to fire. Recovery involved different strategies grouped into five functional groups, providing valuable insights for conservation and restoration efforts in fire-resilient ecosystems in the cerrado.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Geissianny B. Assis, Natashi A. L. Pilon, Marinez F. Siqueira, Giselda Durigan
Summary: The study found that prescribed fire, herbicides, and hoeing were all effective in controlling invasive grasses, with hoeing being the most effective in recovering native vegetation cover and richness. Fire was successful in depleting the seed bank of invasive grasses, while hoeing followed by a grass-selective herbicide was the most cost-effective method for increasing native ground cover.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Natashi A. L. Pilon, Giselda Durigan, Jess Rickenback, R. Toby Pennington, Kyle G. Dexter, William A. Hoffmann, Rodolfo C. R. Abreu, Caroline E. R. Lehmann
Summary: In savanna ecosystems, woody encroachment can lead to changes in grass diversity and structure due to decreased light availability in the ground layer. As tree density increases, grass cover and species richness decrease, with C-4 grasses showing a higher preference for light compared to C-3 grasses. Some C-4 species can persist under shaded conditions, likely due to their ability to store starch reserves in underground storage organs.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Elise Buisson, Alessandra Fidelis, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Isabel B. Schmidt, Giselda Durigan, Truman P. Young, Swanni T. Alvarado, Andre J. Arruda, Sylvain Boisson, William Bond, Andre Coutinho, Kevin Kirkman, Rafael S. Oliveira, Melissa H. Schmitt, Frances Siebert, Stefan J. Siebert, Dave I. Thompson, Fernando A. O. Silveira
Summary: The article discusses the importance of restoring biodiverse tropical and subtropical grassy biomes and highlights the need for further research to improve the restoration process. The research priorities identified include understanding undervaluation of TGB, mapping restoration opportunities, recognizing natural regeneration potential, improving seed quality, and monitoring restoration outcomes. Such research has the potential to advance theory, policy, and practice in TGB restoration, ultimately benefiting people and nature in neglected ecosystems.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Samuel W. Flake, Rodolfo C. R. Abreu, Giselda Durigan, William A. Hoffmann
Summary: Our study in the Brazilian Cerrado reveals that forest expansion from savanna to forest results in a shift in community-weighted mean functional traits from stress tolerance to competitiveness. Generalist species exhibit traits intermediate between savanna and forest specialists, driving the dynamics of forest expansion. The assembly of forests in this region is shaped by unique environmental filters, leading to a functional trajectory distinct from other ecosystems.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Marcio S. Suganuma, Giselda Durigan
Summary: The study found that in restoration projects of seasonal tropical forests in southeastern Brazil, most plant species from the regional pool are successfully colonizing. Successful colonizers are usually zoochorous, shade tolerant, and of moderate or fast growth. There is no need to reintroduce a large proportion of regional pool species in restoration projects, as many species will naturally arrive.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mirela Alcolea, Giselda Durigan, Alexander Christianini
Summary: The study found that prescribed fires in the subtropical Cerrado vegetation have an impact on seed dispersal and removal, increasing the importance of ants in seed removal.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fernando A. O. Silveira, Carlos A. Ordonez-Parra, Livia C. Moura, Isabel B. Schmidt, Alan N. Andersen, William Bond, Elise Buisson, Giselda Durigan, Alessandra Fidelis, Rafael S. Oliveira, Catherine Parr, Lucy Rowland, Joseph W. Veldman, R. Toby Pennington
Summary: The study identified disparities in attention, action, and knowledge among different biomes in tropical restoration science, practice, and policy, with forests receiving more focus than open biomes. The findings suggest a need to increase awareness and recognition of the value of open biomes for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate change mitigation, and human livelihoods, in order to effectively achieve the goals of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Samuel W. Flake, Eliane A. Honda, Natashi A. L. Pilon, William A. Hoffmann, Giselda Durigan
Summary: The encroachment of forests into savannas is a common phenomenon, with the rate depending on factors such as soil conditions, species composition, and changes in stand structure. Savanna specialist trees are being replaced by generalist species, causing faster rates of stand development. Generalists are able to persist in forests and have faster growth rates, enabling them to outcompete and suppress savanna specialists.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Giselda Durigan, Natashi A. L. Pilon, Flaviana M. Souza, Antonio C. G. Melo, Danilo Scorzoni Re, Silvana C. P. M. Souza
Summary: Well-managed cattle grazing contributes positively to the conservation of open ecosystems by reducing exotic grass cover, increasing native forb biodiversity, and decreasing the risk and intensity of wildfires.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Giselda Durigan, Cassia Beatriz Munhoz, Maria Jose Brito Zakia, Rafael S. Oliveira, Natashi A. L. Pilon, Raul Silva Telles do Valle, Bruno M. T. Walter, Eliane A. Honda, Arnildo Pott
Summary: Wetlands are ecosystems that exist between land and water, and are susceptible to flooding and waterlogged soils. In Brazil, wetlands, especially the Cerrado wetlands, have not been effectively protected due to their unique hydrological functions, imprecise mapping, and complex vegetation types. The naming of these wetlands also poses challenges in differentiation. However, all Cerrado wetlands have the ability to store and filter water.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Natashi A. Lima Pilon, Mario G. B. Cava, William A. Hoffmann, Rodolfo C. R. Abreu, Davi R. Rossatto, Giselda Durigan
Summary: Frost effects on savanna plant communities are similar to those from fire, altering community structure and species composition. However, the impacts of frost on the ground-layer community are not well-studied. This study in the Cerrado region of Brazil examined the effects of frost on ground-layer plant species along a tree cover gradient. Frost caused immediate dieback of perennial ground-layer, particularly in areas with low tree cover. While frost did not reduce species richness, it increased litter cover and decreased bare soil, potentially hindering crucial processes for plant population recovery.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Natashi A. L. Pilon, Bruna H. Campos, Giselda Durigan, Mario G. B. Cava, Lucy Rowland, Isabel Schmidt, Alexandre Sampaio, Rafael S. Oliveira
Summary: The ecological restoration of tropical open ecosystems is challenging and assessing the effectiveness of restoration techniques is crucial. The results show that passive restoration promotes the conservation of a limited number of target species, while active restoration using propagules from pristine sites performs better in restoring plant diversity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carlos D. C. Oliveira, Antonio C. G. Melo, Giselda Durigan
Summary: This study reports the survival and growth of five Atlantic Forest tree species planted underneath a pure stand of the exotic leucaena. The results show that all species have high survival rates under the leucaena canopy, and thinning leucaena significantly enhances their growth, especially for Gallesia integrifolia and Luehea divaricata. Therefore, selecting suitable functional species and reducing competition through thinning are crucial for successful enrichment planting.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Heraldo Luis Vasconcelos, Rodrigo Machado Feitosa, Giselda Durigan, Ruthe Emilia Oliveira Saraiva Leao, Karen Christina Ferreira Neves
Summary: Ants play a crucial role in tropical ecosystems, including the threatened Brazilian Cerrado. A comprehensive ant inventory was conducted in the Cerrado, revealing a diverse ant community across different vegetation types. The study highlights the importance of habitat heterogeneity in enhancing ant diversity and suggests that the mosaic of vegetation types in the Cerrado is key to supporting a high number of ant species at small scales.
NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
