Article
Environmental Sciences
Janneke Scheeres, Johan de Jong, Benjamin Brede, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Eben Noth Broadbent, Angelica Maria Almeyda Zambrano, Eric Bastos Gorgens, Carlos Alberto Silva, Ruben Valbuena, Paulo Molin, Scott Stark, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Ribeiro Rodrigues, Giulio Brossi Santoro, Catherine Torres de Almeida, Danilo Roberti Alves de Almeida
Summary: By using UAV-borne LiDAR, it is possible to distinguish different forest types in restoration landscapes in southeastern Brazil. Using a random forest classification model, the study successfully classified conservation and production forests with a high accuracy. However, classifying all six forest types proved to be more challenging due to their similarities in management, regeneration dynamics, and structure.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
O. M. Chaves, J. C. Souza, G. Buss, Z. M. B. Hirano, M. M. A. Jardim, E. L. S. Amaral, J. C. Godoy, A. R. Peruchi, T. Michel, J. C. Bicca-Marques
Summary: Urbanization and deforestation pose challenges to forest-living vertebrates, such as brown howler monkeys. This study investigated the threats faced by these monkeys in peri-urban regions of southern Brazil and found that electrocution, dog attacks, vehicle collisions, and human mistreatment were the major causes of death or injury. Adult individuals were the most affected, and state, interaction type, and age-sex class were the main predictors of mortality.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sebastian Alvarado-Montero, Andrea Larissa Boesing, Jean Paul Metzger, Rodolfo Jaffe
Summary: The study found that landscapes with more forest cover and less contrasting matrices can maintain a higher provision of carrion removal service by sustaining communities composed of scavenger insects with higher carrion removal capacity, mostly forest-associated species. By focusing on conservation and reforestation of native forest patches and reducing matrix contrast, landscape management can facilitate species spillover and ensure the provision of carrion removal service.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Juliano A. Bogoni, Mario Muniz Tagliari
Summary: The study aims to understand the current distribution of piscivore mammals in the Atlantic Forest and predict the impact of climate change on this trophic guild. Results show that the distribution of piscivores is already limited, with a low presence of this trophic guild. Short-term projections suggest that under climate change, the distribution of piscivores may decrease by up to 30% in the Atlantic Forest.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ruben Ferrer Velasco, Melvin Lippe, Fabian Tamayo, Tiza Mfuni, Renezita Sales-Come, Cecilia Mangabat, Thomas Schneider, Sven Guenter
Summary: Tropical forests are shrinking rapidly, posing a threat to their ecosystem services. Despite challenges, a study has developed a method to generate accurate forest maps using remote sensing data.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paula Ribeiro Prist, Amanda Prado, Leandro Reverberi Tambosi, Fabiana Umetsu, Adriana de Arruda Bueno, Renata Pardini, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: This study found that forest restoration in the Brazilian Atlantic forest can significantly reduce the abundance of Hantavirus reservoir rodents, decreasing the risk of HCPS transmission and creating a healthier environment for approximately 2.8 million people living in the area.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Julio Haji, Atilla Ferreguetti, Ricardo S. Bovendorp, Rafael S. Bueno, Fernando Goncalves, Mauro Galetti
Summary: Introducing species to areas without top-down control can be disastrous for ecosystems. A study on tropical forest-dwelling mammals found that some introduced species became extinct while others experienced population explosions. The lack of top predators on the island contributed to the rapid population growth of certain introduced mammals.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ehsan Rahimi, Shahindokht Barghjelveh, Pinliang Dong
Summary: This study found that the key factors for increasing pollination in agricultural landscapes are habitat amount and the capacity of small patches to support pollinators. When the capacity of small patches in supporting pollination was low, fragmented forest patterns decreased pollination. However, landscapes with a high degree of forest fragmentation showed the highest levels of pollination as the capacity of small patches increased.
ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nurpana Sulaksono, Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Sumardi Sumardi, Wahyu Wardhana, Arief Budiman
Summary: Understanding the interactions between humans and mammals is crucial for species conservation in human-dominated landscapes. This study investigated the spatial and temporal interactions between humans and mammals, finding that most mammals are able to adapt to various human activities. However, there is a high risk of conflict between humans and endangered species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Johanness Jamaludin, Jose Don T. De Alban, L. Roman Carrasco, Edward L. Webb
Summary: This study reveals the significant impact of emergent hot spots (EHS) on deforestation in Southeast Asia, driven mainly by oil palm and rubber plantation expansion. However, the protection of high and medium-integrity forest within EHS is insufficient, highlighting the need for enhanced conservation efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Estelle Raveloaritiana, Annemarie Wurz, Kristina Osen, Marie Rolande Soazafy, Ingo Grass, Dominic Andreas Martin, Claudine Bemamy, Hery Lisy Tiana Ranarijaona, Cortni Borgerson, Holger Kreft, Dirk Hoelscher, Bakolimalala Rakouth, Teja Tscharntke
Summary: Tropical agricultural landscapes consist of various land uses, but little is known about the range of ecosystem services and materials they provide to rural households. A study in north-eastern Madagascar interviewed households about the benefits of different land-use types, finding that old-growth forests and forest fragments are important for regulating services, while fallow lands and vanilla agroforests are important for provisioning services. Multiple land-use types are complementary, with fallow lands being particularly important for ecosystem services.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
German Wies, Sergio Nicasio Arzeta, Miguel Martinez Ramos
Summary: Research indicates that as forests are converted to agriculture, tree diversity, aboveground biomass, and aboveground carbon storage are affected differently. Forest cover percentage is the best predictor of change, with a critical collapse threshold observed after 30% forest loss. Maintaining over 40% forest cover is crucial for tree diversity conservation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
M. E. Iezzi, M. S. Di Bitetti, J. Martinez Pardo, A. Paviolo, P. Cruz, C. De Angelo
Summary: To prioritize conservation efforts in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, this study assessed the contribution of habitat remnants to landscape connectivity for sensitive mammal species. By combining graph-based analysis and occupancy models, researchers determined the importance of different patches and identified key areas for conservation. The study highlights the need for selective species-based planning to prioritize patch connectivity and protect biodiversity in fragmented forests.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Paulo H. S. A. Camargo, Tomas A. Carlo, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Marco A. Pizo
Summary: The diversity of bird frugivores plays a crucial role in seed dispersal and seed rain in tropical forest landscapes, particularly in fragmented areas. The activity of frugivores is positively correlated with bird diversity and seed rain diversity, with an increase in the dispersal of rare plant species leading to higher overall diversity in seed rain. Loss of bird species and simplification of avian communities could have detrimental effects on plant communities in tropical landscapes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Angel E. Bravo-Monzon, Cristina Montiel-Gonzalez, Julieta Benitez-Malvido, Maria Leticia Arena-Ortiz, Jose Israel Flores-Puerto, Xavier Chiappa-Carrara, Luis Daniel Avila-Cabadilla, Mariana Yolotl Alvarez-Anorve
Summary: This study investigated the tradeoffs between defense and other plant functions in tropical forests and found that phytochemicals in plants were associated with leaf density and fresh mass, making leaves resistant to drought and high radiation, and providing defense against herbivores and pathogens.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Douglas William Cirino, Leandro Reverberi Tambosi, Thais Mauad, Simone Rodrigues de Freitas, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: The spatial distribution and type of green areas have different effects on human health. Land sharing configuration is beneficial for preventing cardiovascular diseases, while land sparing and arboreal vegetation are relevant to reduce hospitalizations by lower respiratory diseases. Forests, on the other hand, are associated with increased rates of hospitalization by respiratory allergies causes. Therefore, a balanced distribution of green areas in urban spaces can create healthier environments.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marina Antongiovanni, Eduardo M. Venticinque, Leandro R. Tambosi, Marcelo Matsumoto, Jean Paul Metzger, Carlos Roberto Fonseca
Summary: Restoration actions in the Brazilian Caatinga focused on landscape resilience, connectivity, and biodiversity conservation value, prioritizing areas for conservation of threatened endemic plant species. By integrating multiple criteria, a framework was developed to maximize restoration effectiveness in the region.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Camila Hohlenwerger, Leandro Reverberi Tambosi, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: This study investigates the role of different matrices in shaping natural enemy contributions to pest predation. The results show that landscape structure has varying effects on predation rates depending on the natural enemy and matrix type. Predation rates were higher in coffee plantations and were influenced by landscape and local forest cover. Birds had higher predation rates near the forest and in coffee plantations. Regardless of natural enemy identity, predation rates were higher in low-contrasting matrices and increased with forest cover and proximity. These findings highlight the importance of considering matrix type in agricultural management to enhance biological pest control.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Melina de Souza Leite, Andrea Larissa Boesing, Jean Paul Metzger, Paulo Inacio Prado
Summary: Habitat loss poses a threat to biodiversity and the quality of the surrounding matrix plays a crucial role in modulating the effects of habitat loss. Low-quality matrices can increase the severity of habitat loss filtering for specialist birds, while high-quality matrices can attenuate the risk of species extinction. Improving matrix quality is important for maintaining bird diversity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Juliana Siqueira-Gay, Jean Paul Metzger, Luis E. Sanchez, Laura J. Sonter
Summary: This study examines the impacts of five policy scenarios under which combinations of protected areas (PAs) allow mining in the Brazilian Amazon, and emphasizes the importance of long-term planning to safeguard biodiversity. The study finds that opening the entire network of PAs for mining would result in extensive deforestation and road construction. Reducing the number of protected areas can mitigate the impacts of mining expansion but would require longer access roads.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrea Larissa Boesing, Felix J. J. A. Bianchi, Andres Rojas, Mariana Polesso, Patricia Kerches-Rogeri, Milton Cesar Ribeiro, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: This study examines the cross-boundary response and spillover of birds into agricultural fields. The results show that the resistance of birds to crossing edges is influenced by seasonality and forest cover in the surrounding landscape. The spillover patterns of birds in plantations are influenced by the interaction between forest cover and distance from forest edges, particularly for forest-specialist bird species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francisco d'Albertas, Patricia Ruggiero, Luis Fernando Guedes Pinto, Gerd Sparovek, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: Agricultural sustainability standards play an important role in reducing the negative impact of commodity expansion on biodiversity. However, the actual conservation benefits derived from certification are not clear. In a study conducted in southern Brazil, it was found that certification had no significant effects on vegetation regeneration, deforestation rates, and vegetation cover deficit in certified farms.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
C. Guilherme Becker, Sasha E. E. Greenspan, Renato A. A. Martins, Mariana L. L. Lyra, Paula Prist, Jean Paul Metzger, Vinicius Sao Sao Pedro, Celio F. B. Haddad, Emily H. H. Le Sage, Douglas C. C. Woodhams, Anna E. E. Savage
Summary: Anthropogenic habitat disturbance is altering disease transmission and immunity patterns in vertebrate species. While previous studies have focused on habitat loss and fragmentation, equally important is the process of habitat split, which can lead to population declines and enhanced disease risk. This study links habitat split to disease risk in amphibians by exploring the forces shaping immunity and conducting a field study on tropical frogs. The study proposes a framework to investigate the mechanisms by which habitat split influences disease risk, highlighting the importance of symbiotic microbial communities, immunogenetic variation, and stress hormone levels. The findings suggest that habitat restoration strategies can enhance the vertebrate immune system and reduce disease through connecting multiple natural habitats.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adrian David Gonzalez-Chaves, Luisa Gigante Carvalheiro, Pedro Ribero Piffer, Francisco d'Albertas, Tereza Cristina Giannini, Blandina Felipe Viana, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: Restoring native tropical forests is important for protecting biodiversity and ecosystem functions, but the contribution of early stages of forest regeneration to crop productivity is not well understood. A study in Brazil found that young regenerating forests have a positive association with coffee yield when there is a sufficient amount of preserved forest nearby. These findings highlight the importance of both regenerating and mature forests in supporting pollination and pest control services that affect coffee yields. It emphasizes the need for public policies to promote ecosystem restoration and ensure the long-term permanence of these new forests.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Barbara Schroeter, Claudia Sattler, Jean Paul Metzger, Jonathan R. Rhodes, Marie-Josee Fortin, Camila Hohlenwerger, L. Roman Carrasco, Oerjan Bodin
Summary: Inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration in environmental studies face the challenge of effectively communicating across disciplines to address pressing environmental challenges. This research brief evaluates the use of a boundary work approach in a synthesis group on socio-ecological systems, and discusses how it can integrate the knowledge of natural and social scientists. The results show that strategic selection of members, inclusion of boundary spanners, and prior identification of boundary concepts and objects can enhance collaboration and problem-solving in multidisciplinary teams.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Julia Rodrigues Barreto, Renata Pardini, Jean Paul Metzger, Fernando Augusto Barbosa Silva, Elizabeth S. Nichols
Summary: Decades of research have shown that habitat loss does not always lead to biodiversity loss, as exemplified by the study on dung beetle responses to Atlantic Forest loss. While generalist species increased in abundance and distribution, specialist species did not change in overall abundance but exhibited dissimilar distribution. This suggests that habitat loss can lead to biodiversity gain and differentiation, influenced by regional dynamics and the resilience of forest biota. The study emphasizes the importance of sampling across multiple spatial scales to understand the effects of habitat loss on biodiversity.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Clarice Borges-Matos, Martine Maron, Jean Paul Metzger
Summary: Biodiversity offsets are often questioned in terms of their effectiveness. The review of existing condition metrics used in the offsetting context revealed differences in how ecological attributes from biodiversity, landscape, and ecosystem services were included. It is suggested that condition metrics should include the three dimensions of equivalence in a disaggregated way, and the use of modeling, expert opinion, and GIS could facilitate this.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Julia C. Assis, Camila Hohlenwerger, Jean Paul Metzger, Jonathan R. Rhodes, Gabriela T. Duarte, Rafaela A. da Silva, Andrea Larissa Boesing, Paula R. Prist, Milton Cezar Ribeiro
Summary: Despite progress in understanding the effects of landscape structure on ecosystem services, there are challenges in integrating landscape effects on different components of the service provision chain. This study proposes a theoretical framework to explore how the spatial flow of ecosystem services can vary based on landscape structure, emphasizing the role of supply, demand, and neutral areas, as well as individual characteristics of services. The model links landscape metrics with ratios of supply and demand areas to potential effects on spatial flows of ecosystem services.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Kaline de Mello, Alice Brites, Clarice Borges-Matos, Paulo Andre Tavares, Jean Paul Metzger, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Zenilda Ledo dos Santos, Carlos Alfredo Joly, Gerd Sparovek
Summary: Natural ecosystems worldwide are facing severe threats, and environmental policies are crucial in protecting biodiversity, ecosystem services, and addressing climate change. The New Forest Act in Brazil is a key policy for conserving native vegetation on private lands, which account for 54% of the remaining Brazilian native vegetation. However, conflicts between environmental and agricultural concerns hinder the implementation of the Act, highlighting the need for balanced solutions based on scientific evidence.