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Introduction: This article offers an analysis of environmental communication (EC) and citizen science (CS) in the context of Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (EMA) for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land) in Chile and Sweden. Methods: The paper is based on fieldwork in two rural study areas of Chile and Sweden where we followed different CS initiatives in relation to EMA and Agenda 2030. We conducted interviews, analyzed documentation and conducted an SDG mapping workshop to understand the implementation of SDG 15 in these two rural forest settings. Results: Our findings suggest that CS has potential as a democratic innovation for environmental governance in both countries. However, we also found important barriers to the legitimacy of CS as a feature of EMA and local environmental governance in both countries. The paper situates CS in the wider governance and environmental communication processes in regional politics surrounding implementation of national policies for the use of natural resources. Discussion: The article offers new insights into the barriers and possibilities for public participation in environmental governance and policy at local levels, by addressing the interlinkages between environmental communication and citizen science in rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting trees is widely regarded as a positive contribution to combating climate change and establishing a future-proof, green economy. Yet, there is mounting evidence from many tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions of the world that tree plantations can have multiple negative economic, social and environmental impacts. These are not always accounted for by the private and public institutions who have heavily supported the forestry sector in recent decades. This 'tropical provocation' reports from a recent fieldtrip to the Wallmapu, the region the Mapuche Indigenous people call their ancestral homeland. There, I saw with my own eyes that the so-called green economy does not work for Mapuche communities, as they experience extreme water shortages, wildfires and other plundering from what they regard as their territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Recent droughts have strongly impacted forest ecosystems and are projected to increase in frequency, intensity, and duration in the future together with continued warming. While evidence suggests that tree diversity can regulate drought impacts in natural forests, few studies examine whether mixed tree plantations are more resistant to the impacts of severe droughts.Using natural variations in leaf carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopic ratios, that is δ13C and δ15N, as proxies for drought response, we analyzed the effects of tree species richness on the functional responses of tree plantations to the pan‐European 2018 summer drought in seven European tree diversity experiments.We found that leaf δ13C decreased with increasing tree species richness, indicating less drought stress. This effect was not related to drought intensity, nor desiccation tolerance of the tree species. Leaf δ15N increased with drought intensity, indicating a shift toward more open N cycling as water availability diminishes. Additionally, drought intensity was observed to alter the influence of tree species richness on leaf δ15N from weakly negative under low drought intensity to weakly positive under high drought intensity.Overall, our findings suggest that dual leaf isotope analysis helps understand the interaction between drought, nutrients, and species richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing forest cover is important for effective climate change mitigation. Studies suggest that drylands are promising areas for expanding forests, but conflicts arise with increased forest area and water consumption. Recent tree mortality in drylands raises concerns about carbon sequestration potential in tree plantations. Using Chinese dryland tree plantations as an example, we compared their growth with natural forests. Our results suggested plantation trees grew 1.6--2.1 times faster in juvenile phases, significantly shortening time to maturity (13.5 vs. 30 years) compared to natural forests, potentially stemming from simple plantation age structures. Different from natural forests, 74% of trees in plantations faced growth decline, indicating a short "prime period" for carbon sequestration and even a short lifespan. Additionally, a negative relationship between evapotranspiration and tree growth was observed in tree plantations since maturity, leading to high sensitivities of trees to vapor pressure deficit and soil water. However, this was not observed in natural forests. To address this, we suggest afforestation in drylands should consider complex age structures, ensuring a longer prime period for carbon sequestration and life expectancy in tree plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree plantations can facilitate the establishment of native trees, thus providing opportunities for the ecological restoration or rehabilitation of degraded forest lands. Stand variables can influence the establishment of native tree species, but few studies have been carried out to determine how sapling growth response to stand variables varies among functionally different species. We evaluated the effect of stand age, stand basal area, tree density, and time since last logging on stem diameter growth rates, as well as the dependence of such effect on whole plant, stem, and leaf functional traits. We measured the stem diameter increment on 280 individuals of 22 species in permanent plots for a period of 2 years in araucaria (Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze) plantations in the Atlantic Forest, NE Argentina. Increasing all-species basal area and plantation age negatively affected the growth rates, and such effect tended to be higher in species with low wood density. Two functional axes independently explained growth rate differences between species in growth rate. Growth rates increase with decreasing wood density, increasing leaf phosphorus and potassium content, and decreasing specific leaf area. Among species that are similar in the traits associated with the first functional axis, plant growth increases with increasing leaf nitrogen content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree plantation-based land use in Ethiopia is a crucial sustainable approach to improving community income and reducing soil resource degradation in highland areas. The study aimed to evaluate land use and cover change and examine factors driving community transition from crop agriculture to tree plantation in Fagita Lekoma district. Landsat 1986, 2002 and 2020 images were used to generate the land use maps by using the maximum likelihood algorithm of supervised classification. This study utilized field observations, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews as crucial data collection tools for socioeconomic analysis. The change detection results show that cultivated land, grassland, and wetlands are significantly declining by 22.6, 20.1, and 63%, respectively. On the contrary, forestland and settlement areas are increasing by 210 and 1,665%, respectively. Forest cover was increased by 210% in the district’s study year, with the highest conversion rate of 15.1% from cultivated land to forest land in the overall study period. As a result, Acacia decurrens forestation is the main cause of the change of use from arable land to forest land systems. This tree plantation-based land use is also the main driving force behind shifting crop farming to tree plantation-based livelihoods because it increases economic benefits and employment opportunities, reduces soil erosion, and increases soil productivity in the area. To limit the negative consequences and raise the beneficial effects of tree plantations, systematic management of tree-based land use systems, integrated advanced land resource management, and increased economic and environmental benefits are suggested for the district.Article highlights: The forest land and settlement area are substantially increased on the cultivated land. The Accacia decurrens tree, a crucial monoculture tree, is expanding rapidly, causing a significant reduction in cropland's spatial coverage. Currently, the study area has seen an increase in income and employment opportunities following the recent LULC change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually, vulnerability is equated to weakness and resistance to strength. Drawing on a feminist critique of this conceptualisation, this article aims to discuss how vulnerability to forest fires and local action are mutually and contradictorily related. I analyse the ways in which people in two rural communities surrounded by tree monocultures in Sweden and Spain think, feel and act after being exposed to acute forest fires in 2018 and 2017, respectively. Attentively listening to the experiences of vulnerability during and after the fire in the two cases helps to explain vulnerability to forest fires as an emotional, care‐related process that opens up contradictory and transformative interconnections between peoples, nature and the state. Also, looking at the two cases together, this article shows how vulnerability to fire is mediated through unequal expectations across Europe's North–South divide. By re‐signifying the implications of vulnerability, disasters such as those analysed here can be seen as facilitators of radical transformations towards new rural futures in Europe's forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-rotation woody plantations (SRWPs) play a major role in climate change mitigation and adaptation plans, because of their high yields of woody biomass and fast carbon storage. However, their benefits, trade-offs and growing-success are heavily location-dependent. Therefore, spatial data on the distribution of SRWPs are indispensable for assessing current distribution, trade-offs with other uses and potential contributions to climate mitigation. As current global datasets lack reliable information on SRWPs and full global mapping is difficult, we provide a consistent and systematic approach to estimate the spatial distribution of SRWPs in (sub-)tropical biomes under current and future climate. We combined three advanced methods (maximum entropy, random forest and multinomial regression) to evaluate spatially explicit probabilities of SRWPs. As inputs served a large empirical dataset on SRWP observations and 17 predictor variables, covering biophysical and socio-economic conditions. SRWP probabilities varied strongly between regions, and might not be feasible in major parts of (sub-)tropical biomes, challenging the feasibility of global mitigation plans that over-rely on tree plantations. Due to future climatic changes, SRWP probabilities decreased in many areas, particularly pronounced in higher emission scenarios. This indicates a negative feedback with higher emissions resulting in less mitigation potential. Less suitable land for SRWPs in the future could also result in fewer wood resources from these plantations, enhancing pressure on natural forests and hampering sustainability initiatives that use wood-based alternatives. Our results can help adding a more nuanced treatment of mitigation options and forest management in research on biodiversity and land use change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The increase of areas destined for tree plantations worldwide, combined with a reduction in native habitats, has generated a growing debate about the capacity of these production systems in maintaining biodiversity. Indeed, tree plantations' landscape context and local vegetation structure can affect biological diversity. Objectives: To assess the influence of landscape and local variables on multiple facets of bird diversity in eucalypt plantations distributed in Atlantic Forest landscapes. Methods: Using Generalized Additive Models, we assessed the effects of landscape (i.e. forest cover, pasture cover, number of forest fragments and edge density) and local variables (i.e. number of understory plants, native trees, perches, understory layer height and mean diameter at breast height) on bird taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic richness and diversity. Results: Only the number of forest fragments and understory plants showed a significant effect on the different facets of bird diversity. Taxonomic and functional diversities, and phylogenetic richness were negatively influenced by the number of forest fragments in the landscape. Conversely, taxonomic richness and diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic richness were positively influenced by the number of plants in the understory of the eucalypt plantations. Conclusion: To maintain multiple facets of bird diversity in anthropic landscapes, we reinforce the need to avoid fragmenting the existing forest remnants in the landscape and ensure the presence of understory vegetation in eucalypt plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature and species conservation often conflict with intensive natural resource or land use. Many protected areas are too small for long-term conservation of viable vertebrate populations, especially in Madagascar, and forests are subject to exploitation for a variety of natural resources. Trying to exclude people from the use of these resources has not been successful during economic, natural, or political crises or when human population growth outruns any development effort. People need economic and other benefits, and conservation measures have to account for these needs. We compiled native and introduced tree, shrub, and herbaceous species used by both people and native vertebrates for three regions, covering the domains of the dry, transitional, and humid forest of Madagascar. We carried out semistructured interviews and group discussions in 12 different villages in each study region in November 2017. People listed 139 utilitarian plant taxa. Our literature search revealed that 72 of these plant species and 13 genera used by people, were also used by 208 different terrestrial vertebrates including 58 lemur species. Application of the Forest Landscape Restoration approach with a combination of exotic and native plant species used by both people and animals could increase the economic value of restored forest habitats for people, thus providing incentives for forest conservation. Plantations of mixed utilitarian trees and shrubs could be integrated into agricultural landscapes. Among land-living vertebrates, lemurs seem to benefit most from this approach. These measures might contribute to a successful array of biodiversity conservation in anthropogenic landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated how Eucalyptus physiological disorder (EPD) affects wood quality and pulping performance. Although research advances have been made in forest management and tree improvement programs for eucalypt plantations, some areas of Brazil are still subject to abiotic stress, mainly due to atypical climatic patterns. Tree growth is affected by abiotic stress, and this can change the wood properties, which influence the pulping process. The Eucalyptus trees used in this study were three-and-a-half-year-old hybrid clones. In order to evaluate the impact of physiological growth disorder on the wood, trees were selected with higher and lower levels of symptoms caused by EPD. First, the density, chemical composition, and variables of the pulping process of each of these woods were compared. The higher levels EPD symptoms resulted in poorer wood quality for pulping. To reduce the negative impact of the pulping process, reference woodchip samples from the industrial process were mixed with these wood samples and evaluated again. The results show that EPD negatively affected the wood quality required for pulp production when trees from higher stress conditions formed wood with more extractives (60% greater) and 9% more of lignin content. Thus, the amount of reagent used was increased and the pulp yield decreased. One solution to minimize the problem is to combine the woodchips from higher EPD trees and stands (20%) with non-EPD-affected chips (80%). Thus, it appears that affected wood requires special management attention in the context of pulp production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Based on a large set of experimental data, this research shows a significant spatial-variation of throughfall (TF ) underneath canopies and proposes multi-point sampling approach for precise TF measurements. Throughfall (TF ) exhibits excessive spatial variability in its measurements under a tree canopy. This study proposes multiple sampling for more accurate TF estimation, suggesting positioning configuration of receptacles under trees. Total 106 rainfall (R) events of cumulative rainfall depth 1741.5 mm that occurred during monsoon seasons of 2017–18 were considered. Single-factor ANOVA analysis showed significant variation in TF under nine different plantations. Relative TF ( TF ′ ) varied from 56.4 to 84.2% with a mean of 71.7% of R. For three event classes for R (2.8–20 mm), (20–40 mm), and > 40 mm, mean TF ′ values were 71%, 73%, and 74%, respectively. As expected, the spatial variability of TF decreased with increasing rainfall depths; the rainfall events smaller than 2.8 mm were completely retained by the tree canopy, implying that the interception is high during small magnitude rains. The lowest mean relative difference and root mean square error of relative difference (RMSE_RD) values were obtained for the receptacles placed at a distance of 100 cm, 150 cm, and 200 cm from the tree stem, exhibiting TF sampling at the middle of the canopy radius to be more stable (in time) than towards canopy edge or very near to the tree stem. TF inconsistency on either side of the tree canopy represents the variability of TF with the direction from tree stem. Thus, TF varied with both location and direction under a tree canopy. TF obtained using the proposed multi-sampling procedure showed significantly lower variability than that measured conventionally at a random point under a tree canopy, and thus, underscores its importance in formulation of a throughfall sampling strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary or secondary forests around the world are increasingly being converted into plantations. Soil microorganisms are critical for all biogeochemical processes in ecosystems, but the effects of forest conversion on microbial communities and their functioning remain unclear. Here, we conducted a meta‐analysis to quantify the impacts that converting forests to plantations has on soil microbial communities and functioning as well as on the associated plant and soil properties. We collected 524 paired observations from 138 studies globally. We found that conversion leads to broad range of adverse impacts on soils and microorganisms, including on soil organic carbon (−24%), total nitrogen (−29%), bacterial and fungal biomass (−36% and −42%, respectively), microbial biomass carbon (MBC, −31%) and nitrogen (−33%), and fungi to bacteria ratio (F:B, −16%). In addition, we found impacts on the ratio of MBC to soil organic C (qMBC, −20%), microbial respiration (−18%), N mineralization (−18%), and enzyme activities including β‐1,4‐glucosidase (−54%), β‐1,4‐N‐acetylglucosaminidase (−39%), and acid phosphatase (ACP; −34%). In contrast, conversion to plantations increases bacterial richness (+21%) and microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2, +21%). The effects of forest conversion were consistent across stand ages, stand types, and climate zone. Soil C and N contents as well as the C:N ratio were the main factors responsible for the changes of microbial C, F:B, and bacterial richness. The responses of qCO2, N mineralization, and ACP activity were mainly driven by the reductions in F:B, MBC, and soil C:N. Applying macro‐ecology theory on ecosystem disturbance in soil microbial ecology, we show that microbial groups shifted from K to r strategists after conversion to plantations. Our meta‐analysis underlines the adverse effects of natural forests conversion to plantations on soil microbial communities and functioning, and suggests that the preservation of soil functions should be a consideration in forest management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoculture plantations replacing native woodlands are increasingly common globally. In Mozambique, vast miombo* woodlands have been replaced by single‐species plantations. Studies on the effect of replacing native woodlands by single‐species tree plantations on soil properties are abundant; however, those focused specifically on the replacement of miombo and considering a longer time since replacement and covering different growth stages are scarce. This article aimed at assessing the effects of the conversion of miombo to monoculture on soil properties and studying the effect of species planted, plantation age, and rotation on soil capacity to store carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Plantations established in soils formerly covered by miombo were compared to the remaining original miombo with regard to soil properties. The effect of species planted, plantation age, and rotation on soil properties was examined using the three‐way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's test. Miombo conversion to plantations led to an increase of up to 66% of soil organic C (SOC) and 77% of total N (STN) and a decrease in soil bulk density (BD) of up to 16%. The replacement of the first‐ by second‐rotation plantations led to a decrease of up to 38% in SOC and STN and an increase of up to 32% in BD. BD decreased with plantation age; SOC and STN stocks tended to increase: 60 years after the replacement of miombo by plantations, SOC and STN increased by up to 88%. Changes in soil properties due to the replacement of miombo by monoculture were mainly driven by the species planted. * a sparse open deciduous woodland characteristic of dry parts of eastern Africa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tree plantations have expanded rapidly during the last decades, specially in Asia and South America, and Chile has shown one of the largest increases in tree plantations in the world. The aim of this study was to analyze the dynamic and factors statistically associated with the expansion of tree plantations in two coastal basins in south-central Chile. We used logistic regression and a multimodel inference approach to assess the association of 13 location factors with tree plantation expansion in two periods (1987–2001; 2001–2015). The area of tree plantations increased by 292% and 196% in the Budi and Lingue basins, respectively. The presence of agriculture fields before conversion to tree plantations showed the greatest effect in both basins, followed by the suitability of the soil for forestry. Likewise, tree plantations were highly associated with the replacement of native vegetation, contributing to ongoing deforestation, and changes in forest policy increased the expansion in indigenous land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsidies to promote tree plantations have been questioned because of negative impacts of the forestry industry. Quantitative evidence on the socioeconomic impacts of afforestation subsidies or of tree plantations is elusive, mainly due to data scarcity. We assess the overall impact of a tree plantation subsidy in Chile, using our original 20-year panel dataset that includes small area estimates of poverty and the subsidy assignment at the census-district scale. We show that forestry subsidies – on average – in fact, do increase poverty. More specifically, using difference in difference with matching techniques, and instrumental variables approaches, we show that there is an increase of about 2 per cent in the poverty rate of treated localities. We identify employment as a causal mechanism explaining this finding, since we found a negative effect of tree plantations on employment, and therefore, on poverty. We suggest reassessment of the distributional effects of the forest subsidy and forestry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forest transitions occur when net reforestation replaces net deforestation in places. Because forest transitions can increase biodiversity and augment carbon sequestration, they appeal to policymakers contending with the degrading effects of forest loss and climate change. What then can policymakers do to trigger forest transitions? The historical record over the last two centuries provides insights into the precipitating conditions. The early transitions often occurred passively, through the spontaneous regeneration of trees on abandoned agricultural lands. Later forest transitions occurred more frequently after large-scale crisis narratives emerged and spurred governments to take action, often by planting trees on degraded, sloped lands. To a greater degree than their predecessors, latecomer forest transitions exhibit centralized loci of power, leaders with clearly articulated goals, and rapid changes in forest cover. These historical shifts in forest transitions reflect our growing appreciation of their utility for countering droughts, floods, land degradation, and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study shows that Vochysia guatemalensis tree plantations were associated with enhanced soil biotic and abiotic characteristics in previously cleared forests in the northern zone of Costa Rica, suggesting the possible use of this practice as a restoration strategy for local land owners. Soil samples from a primary forest, secondary forest, and a 13‐year‐old plantation of V. guatemalensis had greater relative abundances of DNA sequences of microbial genera critical for carbon‐use (C‐use) efficiency (i.e. the saprobe, complex C and wood rot/lignin decomposer fungi, and bacterial lignin and other complex C degraders), and greater levels of total organic carbon, C‐biomass, and microbial quotients as indicators of enhanced C‐use efficiency, than found in soils of adjacent 5‐year‐old V. guatemalensis plantations and abandoned non‐productive pasture/grasslands (GRs). The major research conclusions were that (1) conversion of forested land into abandoned pasture/GRs decreased the C‐use efficiency in the soils and the microbial groups associated with C‐use efficiency; (2) soils in plantations of V. guatemalensis were associated with increased abundances of the DNA of these same microbial groups and enhanced C‐use efficiency; (3) DNA‐based taxonomic analysis of microbes and analysis of the microbial quotient values can be used to monitor soil ecosystems for assessment of the efficacy of restoration activities. Thus, planting V. guatemalensis on damaged lands in the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge should be encouraged to provide a sustainable forestry crop that can be harvested rotationally, while improving soil ecosystem health and reducing the pressure to harvest other forest sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the impact of predominant land uses on the physico‐chemical and biological properties of soils along an altitudinal gradient in Indian Central Himalaya to enhance the scientific knowledge and identify suitable land use pattern. Soil samples were collected from six predominant agricultural land uses including (a) open cropland, (b) cropland with multiple tree species (C + mT), (c) cropland with single tree species, (d) crop near rhizosphere of trees, (e) home gardens (HGs), and (f) agriculturally discarded land (ADL). The physico‐chemical properties showed the significant differences with land use systems and altitude. Soil texture varied from sandy loam to clayey loam with altitude. The minimum bulk density and higher porosity were recorded for the HG system whereas water holding capacity, moisture, pH, C, oil carbon stock, N, soil nitrogen stock, and P in the C + mT system. Soil microbial biomass carbon (16–397 μg g−1) and soil microbial biomass nitrogen (28–68 μg g−1) were significantly higher in C + mT and lowest under open cropland. The highest microbial biomass was recorded in the lower altitudinal region of Tarai, and the lowest was recorded in the higher altitudinal region. Across the seasons, soil microbial biomass was maximum during the rainy season and minimum during the winter season. Interestingly, ADL also showed significant contribution in soil microbial biomass carbon and soil microbial biomass nitrogen and could be used for crop production in the future. This study concludes that good soil health, higher amount of microbial biomass, and better soil qualities occurred in tree planted soils than in open crop lands, mainly attributed to the greater availability of organic matter, litter diversity, and fine roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When conditions are similar, more water evaporates from forest plantations than herbaceous vegetation, thereby affecting hydrological fluxes and ion transport in the soil. The vertical distribution of CaCO3 and Cl− ions shifts due to afforestation. The effect of groundwater depth and clay content were studied in the Great Hungarian Plain where forest area has been increasing for decades by analyzing soil and groundwater samples from stands of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia, 11 plots) and poplar (Populus spp., 11 plots). All study sites contained one herbaceous (control) and one or more forested plots. CaCO3 and Cl− ions accumulated in the soil profile in greater quantities under tree cover than in the controls. The scale of this process largely depended on the species and on soil and ion properties. Under black locust, Cl− accumulated between 1.3 and 6.3 m, with a maximum difference of 0.3 pCl unit (pCl is Cl− activity, the negative of the logarithm to base 10 of the concentration of the chloride ion, determined using an ion-selective electrode, it is a dimensionless quantity.), while the difference in CaCO3 accumulation was at most 3.5% in some layers, compared to control plots. This result may be explained by the difference in the mobility of Ca+ and Cl− ions. Different mechanisms were noticeable under poplar plantations due to their higher water uptake: Cl− accumulation was detected below 0.9 m to the groundwater with a maximum difference of 0.5 pCl units, while CaCO3 accumulation was continuous at depths of 2.3–6.8 m with a maximum difference of 8.4%, compared to the controls. With increasing clay content, there was a discernible effect on CaCO3 and Cl− accumulation under black locust, but not observed under poplars. These differences were explained by the differences in water uptake mechanisms and root patterns of the two species and the different mobility of Ca2+ and Cl− ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ornithology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biodiversity sustained by natural ecosystems, particularly forests, provides ecosystem services essential to human well-being. However, many forests have been severely transformed, notably via monospecific plantations and the spread of invasive species. Given the extension of these novel anthropogenic forests (plantations and invasive copses), it is critical to know how they can support forest biodiversity, particularly in highly humanized biodiversity hotspots as the southwest Mediterranean Europe. Because the effects likely vary across taxonomic groups, such assessments require an integrative multi-group approach. Here, we evaluated the abundance, richness, and composition of shrubs, herbs, macrofungi, ground and flying arthropods, birds, small mammals, carnivores, and bats across the four most common forest types in Central Portugal, namely: natural oak woodlands (dominated by Quercus faginea Lam.) and anthropogenic forests, invasive Acacia dealbata Link copses, Pinus pinaster Aiton plantations (native), and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations (exotic). Oak woodlands sustained higher abundance, diversity, and a unique species composition compared to the other forests, especially those dominated by exotic species. The greatest changes in biodiversity occurred in herbs and birds. Contrary to our expectations, species richness and composition of macrofungi and carnivores in acacia copses were similar to those of oak woodlands, revealing that groups respond differently to forest changes. The large-scale replacement of natural forests by novel anthropogenic forests has significant negative impacts in most, but not all groups, which should be actively considered for integrative conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Context Ecological networks are often designed based on the degree of suitability and permeability of land cover classes, as obtained by estimating the statistical relationships between occurrence data and classes coverage using habitat suitability models (HSMs). Considering only the classes coverage, but not their spatial arrangement, frequently prevents HSMs from correctly identifying nodes and connectivity elements. Objectives We propose a new approach in the design of ecological networks starting from the relationship between occurrence data and both land cover classes coverage and spatial arrangement, as calculated for different simulated species perceptions of the landscape (SSPLs, corresponding to different combinations of classes alternatively assuming the role of nodes, connectivity elements, or matrix). Methods The approach consists of comparing the ability to explain the observed species occurrence of both the nodes coverage and the connectivity degree provided by both nodes and connectivity elements, calculated for each SSPL. The better performing SSPL will provide information about the land cover classes that should be considered in designing an ecological network for the species, as well as their role in the network. Results When applied to the Hazel Dormouse in an agricultural landscape in northern Italy, the method proved effective and allowed us to identify woodlands and hedgerows as nodes, and poplar cultivations, biomasses and reforestations as connectivity elements. Conclusions The proposed method can be adopted to identify nodes and connectivity elements for virtually every species sensitive to fragmentation, and has important practical implications when integrated in landscape management plans developed to guarantee ecological connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gestión y Ambiente is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims: This study investigates, in a montane forest in Kenya, the changes in amount and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) as a consequence of: a) forest degradation, by comparing primary and degraded forests; b) the replacement of degraded forests with cypress and tea plantations, by considering sites installed at different time in the past.Methods: The SOC concentrations and stocks were determined in different layers to 1 m depth, and the SOC turnover time (TT) derived by measuring the 14C concentration in the layers within the 0–30 cm depth.Results: A significant SOC decline was evident in the 0–5 and 5–15 cm layers of degraded forest while, on the long term, both plantations induced a significant SOC increase in the 0–30 cm depth. The longer TT’s and lower SOC concentrations in the upper layers of degraded rather than primary forests imply an impact of forest degradation on the decomposition of the fast cycling SOC. Similarly, the shorter TT with increasing plantations age implies differences in SOC stabilization mechanisms between plantations and forests.Conclusions: Cypress and tea plantations established on degraded forests stimulate a long term SOC accrual but at the same time decrease the stability of the SOC pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use changes associated with the advance of forest plantations on lands previously used for agriculture generate diverse perceptions of the socio-environmental impact they entail. Despite, these perceptions are influenced by the landscape context produced by the land use changes. In last decades there has been a transformation in land use associated with the development of forestry activity in the northwest of the province of Misiones, Argentina. Considering local communities in order to improve assessment, governance and decisionmaking in sustainable management, we posed two questions: What are environmental, social and economic perceptions of tree plantations of local communities with different land-use context'? What is the role of scale of production in these perceptions? To this purpose we first described the productive matrix of the landscape mapping the forest plantation cover of the area and classifying the productive units in different Forest Management Model (large, medium and small scale).Then, we identified and selected participants from comparable rural communities in each FMM, who through a Q survey grouped phrases according their perceptions. Subsequently, emerging viewpoints were recognised. Our analysis shows that forestry activity is not poorly conceived in contrast to conceptualization of the management of larger-scale productive systems in combination with government policies promoting them. The management carried out through large areas that result in a homogenization of the landscape are perceived negatively. In general terms, the local imagination perceives that the promotion and establishment of forestry companies could be positive if it is supported on planning to protect pre-existing familiar productive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil respiration is a key component of the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle which plays an important role in regulating soil carbon dynamics and its possible feedbacks to global warming. The major factors influencing the rate of soil respiration are climatic and edaphic, however, the effects of these factors on soil respiration of different plantation under similar climatic conditions has not been studied extensively in the dry tropical region. Hence, the objective of the present study was to determine the dependency of rate of soil respiration on soil parameters and climatic factors in different tree plantations. Carbon-dioxide (CO2) efflux of soil (soil respiration: Mg CO2-C ha-1 day-1) was measured at monthly intervals in tree plantations of Acacia nilotica + Dalbergia sissoo, Syzygium cumini, Tectona grandis, Populus deltoides and Eucalyptus tereticornis. The soil respiration was highest in rainy season in all plantations. Among different plantations, the higher respiration rate was observed in P. deltoides (13.02 Mg C ha-1) plantation followed by T. grandis. The least values of soil respiration were observed in A. nilotica + D. sissoo (9.99 Mg CO2-C ha-1). The CO2 efflux from the soil surface was found to be positively correlated with soil moisture, soil temperature, rainfall and atmospheric temperature. The soil respiration rate was significantly correlated with soil moisture in all the plantations. However, significant correlation between soil respiration rate and soil temperature were observed only in A. nilotica + D. sissoo and E. tereticornis. The correlations were also significant between soil respiration rate and rainfall for S. cumini, T. grandis, P. deltoides and E. tereticornis plantations. Significant correlation between soil respiration rate and mean monthly atmospheric temperature was observed for the plantations of A. nilotica + D. sissoo and P. deltoides. The soil respiration in all plantations was found to be greatly influenced by soil moisture. The microclimatic factors such as soil moisture and soil temperature influence the activity of microbes positively which leads to increased rate of soil organic matter decomposition and results in more CO2 efflux from the soil. Anthropogenic disturbances such as forest fire and LULC change may alter the soil moisture and temperature conditions and thereby soil respiration rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effect of pesticides on non-target organisms and the environment is an issue of great social concern. Currently, there are a variety of availably insecticides, which are claimed to be safer for beneficial organisms than broad-spectrum insecticides. We conducted a field experiment to compare the effect of applications of methoxyfenozide (an insect growth regulator) and cypermethrin (a conventional insecticide) on the arthropod community in a commercial willow plantation. We used a one-way Anova design with insecticide as the treatment factor, each individual tree as the experimental unit, and the number of dead arthropods collected per sampling unit as the response variable. Results showed that the number of dead arthropods collected 72 h after treatment with methoxyfenozide (1274 individuals) was 66% lower than that collected underneath cypermethrin-treated trees (3408 individuals). The only groups not recorded from boxes places underneath methoxyfenozide-treated trees, but yes underneath cypermethrin-treated trees, were Dyctioptera, Pseudoscorpionida and Isopoda. Methoxyfenozide was lethal to a lower number of families of dipterans, coleopterans and hymenopterans than the cypermethrin during the first 72 h after treatment. The number of taxonomic groups and abundance of dead predators, herbivores and parasitoids was also lower in methoxyfenozide than in cypermethrin-treated trees. Our results obtained from a field experiment suggest that methoxyfenozide provides a less toxic alternative for control of pests in willow plantations due to a reduced effect on non-target organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental and social impact assessment is now a widely accepted tool in the Mekong Region for assessing the impacts of hydropower dams and large-scale industrial tree plantations. However, the cross-sectoral and cumulative effects of such projects have not been sufficiently addressed. Where cumulative impacts have been considered, studies have focused on a single sector, such as multiple hydropower dams. A separation between land and water management frequently leads those assessing project impacts to overlook or underestimate project outcomes. Here we examine such interactions between industrial plantations and hydropower projects, demonstrating that it is the diverse livelihoods of local people – based on everyday use of multiple resources – that crucially connects aquatic and terrestrial environments. The combined social and environmental changes wrought by resource projects can thus produce particular challenges for these communities, as multiple systems are enclosed and degraded. We present case studies of social and environmental impacts occurring in the Mekong Region: in the Hinboun River Basin in Central Laos; the Xe Bang Fai River Basin, also in Central Laos; and the Sesan River Basin in northeastern Cambodia. We strive to demonstrate the practical usefulness of adopting political ecology frameworks for thinking about these crucial agrarian changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We review the literature that led to clarifying the role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle from a time when they were considered sources of atmospheric carbon to the time when they were found to be atmospheric carbon sinks. This literature originates from work conducted by US Forest Service scientists in Puerto Rico and their collaborators. It involves the classification of forests by life zones, estimation of carbon density by forest type, assessing carbon storage changes with ecological succession and land use/land cover type, describing the details of the carbon cycle of forests at stand and landscape levels, assessing global land cover by forest type and the complexity of land use change in tropical regions, and assessing the ecological fluxes and storages that contribute to net carbon accumulation in tropical forests. We also review recent work that couples field inventory data, remote sensing technology such as LIDAR, and GIS analysis in order to more accurately determine the role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle and point out new avenues of carbon research that address the responses of tropical forests to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation and replacement of native ecosystems affects both their taxonomic and functional biodiversity. However, native species may find a gradient of habitat suitability in different land uses within a region. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of land use on the taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetle assemblages in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina. Dung beetles were sampled in both the native forest (control) and different land uses (Pine and Yerba mate plantations and cattle pastures) during the 2014 summer, using pitfall traps baited with human feces and rotten meat. Samplings were taken from 20 different sites, with five replicates of each land use and the native forest (100 pitfall traps in total). A total of 1699 beetles of 27 species were captured. Canthon quinquemaculatus, Canthon conformis and Dichotomius sericeus were the most abundant species. Cattle pastures were the land use most negatively affected in their taxonomic and functional diversity, particularly large paracoprid dung beetles. Pine plantations maintained their taxonomic and functional diversity in relation to the native forest and Yerba mate plantations showed, in general, an intermediate situation. Microclimatic conditions (average temperature and humidity and maximum temperature) were correlated with functional diversity (the proportion of large paracoprid dung beetles decreased with increasing temperature) and are probably good predictors to explain the observed patterns of functional diversity of dung beetles. The development of sustainable production systems that preserve the native biodiversity requires the conservation of key components from the ecological niche of native species, especially microclimatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In wetlands the effects of fire on vegetation dynamics are somewhat uncertain. A change detection analysis in the herbaceous wetlands of KwaMbonambi, South Africa, which were subject to frequent fires, revealed that in 1937 the study area comprised grassland (69%), herbaceous wetland (25%), indigenous swamp forest (4%) and tree plantations (1%). However, by 1970, tree plantations occupied 78% of the landscape and grasslands and herbaceous wetlands had declined to 9% and 6%, respectively, whereas indigenous swamp forest had increased to 6%. By 2009 tree plantations had been removed from the wetland areas. Despite this opportunity for herbaceous wetlands to recover their historical extent, they decreased to only 2%, mostly changing to indigenous swamp forest or to an herbaceous/fern (Stenochlaena tenuifolia)/woodland mosaic. Fire records showed suppression of fire to be an important contributing factor, particularly in wetlands that had been disturbed by tree plantations, although subsequently removed. A pilot burning experiment revealed thatS. tenuifoliadid not inhibit fire. It is therefore practicable to increase fire frequency to prevent the mosaic developing into forest. A conceptual model of the influence of fire regime on wetland vegetation type is presented and priorities for further research on wetlands and fire are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tree plantations play a controversial role in many nations' efforts to balance goals for economic development, ecological conservation, and social justice. This paper seeks to contribute to this debate by analyzing the socioeconomic impact of such plantations. We focus our study on Chile, a country that has experienced extraordinary growth of industrial tree plantations. Our analysis draws on a unique dataset with longitudinal observations collected in 180 municipal territories during 2001-2011. Employing panel data regression techniques, we find that growth in plantation area is associated with higher than average rates of poverty during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree plantations are rapidly expanding throughout Southeast Asia, and likely pose threats to the conservation of native biodiversity. While the impacts of oil palm expansion on tropical biodiversity has received increasing attention, and several recent reviews, the effects of other tree crops on native flora and fauna biodiversity remain understudied. Here we assess and compare the impact of rubber, acacia, eucalyptus, teak, and cacao plantations on biodiversity throughout the region, and discuss spatial and temporal factors that influence a production landscape's ability to support native species. Using a meta-analysis, we show that rubber and cacao plantations support lower biodiversity than intact forests, and are approximately equivalent to oil palm in their impacts on native biota. In contrast, richness of native species in acacia plantations was not statistically different from that in intact or secondary forests, though species composition could still be radically altered. Furthermore, older plantations are more similar to primary forests regarding community composition than younger plantations, likely due to increased habitat complexity and heterogeneity with plantation age. Though non-oil palm tree plantations are not ecologically equivalent to primary forests with regards to maintaining native community composition, they can support greater biodiversity than other modified landscapes such as annual crops. Increasing habitat complexity and spatial heterogeneity within plantations can improve the quality of the habitat they provide to native species. With industrial plantations projected to continue to expand, identifying ways to mitigate their impacts on biodiversity are increasingly critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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An efficient means to map tree plantations is needed to detect tropical land use change and evaluate reforestation projects. To analyze recent tree plantation expansion in northeastern Costa Rica, we examined the potential of combining moderate-resolution hyperspectral imagery (2005 HyMap mosaic) with multitemporal, multispectral data (Landsat) to accurately classify (1) general forest types and (2) tree plantations by species composition. Following a linear discriminant analysis to reduce data dimensionality, we compared four Random Forest classification models: hyperspectral data (HD) alone; HD plus interannual spectral metrics; HD plus a multitemporal forest regrowth classification; and all three models combined. The fourth, combined model achieved overall accuracy of 88.5%. Adding multitemporal data significantly improved classification accuracy (p < 0.0001) of all forest types, although the effect on tree plantation accuracy was modest. The hyperspectral data alone classified six species of tree plantations with 75% to 93% producer's accuracy; adding multitemporal spectral data increased accuracy only for two species with dense canopies. Non-native tree species had higher classification accuracy overall and made up the majority of tree plantations in this landscape. Our results indicate that combining occasionally acquired hyperspectral data with widely available multitemporal satellite imagery enhances mapping and monitoring of reforestation in tropical landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concepts of degraded forest ( pa mai xout xom) and degraded land ( din seuam xom) have been variously applied in official Lao government policy narratives and law over the last couple of decades. In this article I focus on the concepts of degraded forest and land, and the relationship with industrial tree plantations, using two examples from southern Laos. I argue that the concepts have been significant in both facilitating and obstructing the development of large-scale industrial tree plantations in different times and spaces, thus significantly influencing access and exclusion, as well as the spatialization of tree plantations. I provide a tentative genealogy regarding the emergence of these concepts in land and forestry policy in Laos, and briefly explain the links between degradation and 'the land rush' presently affecting Laos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: In the Jomoro district in Ghana, tree plantations were the first cause of deforestation in the past, drastically reducing the area occupied by primary forests. The aim of this study was to quantify soil organic carbon (SOC) losses due to a change in land use from primary forest to tree plantations (cocoa, coconut, rubber, oil palm) on the different substrates of the district. Secondary forests and mixed plantations were also included in the study. Methods: Soils were sampled at different depths up to 100 cm along a series of chronosequences in each of the three substrates (Granite, Lower Birrimian and Tertiary Sands) present in the area. Results: The highest SOC losses in the 0-30 cm layer were caused by the conversion of primary forests to tree plantations: cocoa −61 % of the original SOC stock, coconut −55 %, rubber −35 % and oil palm 28 %, while mixed plantations and secondary forests showed a loss of 23 % and 21 % of the original SOC stock, respectively. C losses were less apparent from the entire profile (to a depth of 100 cm). Conclusions: All conversions to tree plantations caused substantial SOC losses, comparable to the conversion of forests to agricultural systems. Secondary forests and mixed plantations were the only sustainable land uses that restricted SOC losses considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question How is the magnitude and seasonality of carbon uptake affected by the replacement of native grasslands by eucalyptus plantations? Location Río de la Plata Grasslands in Argentina and Uruguay. Methods A total of 115 paired sites of fast-growing Eucalyptus grandis plantations and adjacent grasslands were used to characterize the magnitude and seasonality of (1) radiation interception by canopies and (2) above-ground net primary productivity based on a time series of MODIS-derived normalized difference vegetation index ( NDVI). The response of NDVI to precipitation was explored across temporal scales. Results NDVI in afforested vs. grassland plots presented higher annual averages (1.3-fold), lower seasonal ranges (average relative range of 0.11 vs. 0.29) and delayed growing seasons (2-month shift). Temporally, NDVI was positively associated with precipitation input, showing a correlation with longer periods of precipitation accumulation in tree plantations compared to grasslands (> 7 vs. 2-3 months). Estimated average annual above-ground net primary productivity ( ANPP) almost quadrupled as a consequence of replacing grasslands by tree plantations (∼4 vs. ∼17 Mg dry matter. ha−1·yr−1), and this difference was evidenced throughout the whole study period. Conclusions Afforested grasslands intercept more radiation and have higher and more stable ANPP throughout the year, probably as a result of major changes in leaf phenology and root distribution patterns, which in turn allowed better access to water. Changes in carbon uptake can influence climate/biosphere feedbacks and should be considered in land-use planning, especially when grassland afforestation is recommended as a tool to mitigate global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active forest restoration typically involves planting trees over large areas; this practice is costly, however, and establishing homogeneous plantations may favour the recruitment of a particular suite of species and strongly influence the successional trajectory. An alternative approach is to plant nuclei (islands) of trees to simulate the nucleation model of succession and accelerate natural recovery., We evaluated natural tree recruitment over 4 years in a restoration study replicated at eight former pasture sites in the tropical premontane forest zone of southern Costa Rica. At each site, two active restoration strategies were established in 50 × 50 m plots: planting trees throughout, and planting different-sized tree islands (4 × 4, 8 × 8, 12 × 12 m) within the plot. Restoration plots were compared to similar-sized controls undergoing passive restoration. Sites were spread across c. 100 km2 and distributed along a gradient of surrounding forest, allowing us to compare the relative importance of adjacent forest to that of within-site treatment on tree recruitment., Recruitment of animal-dispersed tree species was more than twofold higher in active (μ = 0·45 recruits m−2) as compared to passive restoration; recruitment was equivalent in plantation and island treatments, even though only 20% of the area in island plots was planted originally. The majority of recruits (>90%) represented early successional species ( n = 54 species total)., Density of animal-dispersed recruits was greater in large (0·80 ± 0·66 m−2) than small (0·28 ± 0·36 m−2) islands and intermediate in medium-sized islands. Seedling recruitment (<1 m tall) was greater in the interior of islands as compared to plantations, whereas sapling recruitment was similar, suggesting that island interiors may develop greater density of woody recruits as succession proceeds., Surrounding forest cover did not influence density or species richness of recruits among sites, although this factor may become more important over time., Synthesis and applications. Applied nucleation is a promising restoration strategy that can accelerate forest recovery to a similar degree as plantation-style restoration but is more economical. Appropriate island size is on the order of c. 100 m2. Practitioners should consider the methodology as an alternative to large-scale plantings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation and cropping are major causes of destruction and degradation of natural ecosystems throughout the world. We face the challenge of maintaining provisioning services while conserving or enhancing other ecosystem services and biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. There is a range of possibilities within two types of intervention, namely 'land sharing' and 'land separation'; the former advocates the enhancement of the farmed environment, but the latter a separation between land designated for farming versus conservation. Land sharing may involve biodiversity-based agricultural practices, learning from traditional farming, changing from conventional to organic agriculture and from 'simple' crops and pastures to agro-forestry systems, and restoring or creating specific elements to benefit wildlife and particular services without decreasing agricultural production. Land separation in the farmland context involves restoring or creating non-farmland habitat at the expense of field-level agricultural production-for example, woodland on arable land. Restoration by land sharing has the potential to enhance agricultural production, other ecosystem services and biodiversity at both the field and landscape scale; however, restoration by land separation would provide these benefits only at the landscape scale. Although recent debate has contrasted these approaches, we suggest they should be used in combination to maximize benefits. Furthermore, we suggest 'woodland islets', an intermediate approach between land abandonment and farmland afforestation, for ecological restoration in extensive agricultural landscapes. This approach allows reconciliation of farmland production, conservation of values linked to cultural landscapes, enhancement of biodiversity, and provision of a range of ecosystem services. Beyond academic research, restoration projects within agricultural landscapes are essential if we want to halt environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At least half of the world's population resides in the coastal zone and the livelihoods of billions of people are affected either directly or indirectly by the production and sustainability of nearshore fisheries. Landscape change, specifically development of tree plantations, is accelerating worldwide as developing countries integrate into global markets to sell goods, offer climate-mitigation services (carbon), and/or provide renewable energy. These changes can release excess nutrients into adjacent coastal waters causing eutrophication that alters the structure and function of coastal ecosystems. This study examined the relationship between coastal drainage basin land use/land cover change ( LCLUC), specifically development of tree plantations, patterns of chlorophyll- a in nearshore coastal waters, and the biological condition of commercially important shellfish, Concholepas concholepas ( loco) in southern Chile. Locos ( N = 1374) were sampled across 13 watersheds (35 853 km2) and 42 fisheries management areas (spanning 250 km of coastline). Locos harvested from management areas influenced by tree plantations had approximately 30% more endobiont (shell-boring) phoronids, almost twice as many endobiont polychaetes and twice as many epibiont (shell-attaching) barnacles than locos from areas in close proximity to watersheds dominated by native forests (15-20% of the watershed). Phoronid infested locos from coastal waters adjacent to watersheds with tree plantations were of relatively poor biological condition (smaller and narrower in width) and of reduced market value. Our study suggests that tree plantations result in indirect ecological impacts to coastal fisheries (more nutrients and higher phytoplankton biomass, resulting in smaller, low quality locos), and costs are born by coastal fishers (lower prices for locos). Increases in tree plantations could thus potentially significantly impact coastal fisheries worldwide and such problems should be managed as an interconnected network of land use change, oceanic ecosystems, and economic systems that are considered an integrated socio-ecological system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rainforest of Mexico has been degraded and severely fragmented, and urgently require restoration. However, the practice of restoration has been limited by the lack of species-specific data on survival and growth responses to local environmental variation. This study explores the differential performance of 14 wet tropical early-, mid- or late-successional tree species that were grown in two abandoned pastures with contrasting land-use histories. After 18 months, seedling survival and growth of at least 7 of the 14 tree species studied were significantly higher in the site with a much longer history of land use (site 2). Saplings of the three early-successional species showed exceptional growth rates. However, differences in performance were noted in relation to the differential soil properties between the experimental sites. Mid-successional species generally showed slow growth rates but high seedling survival, whereas late-successional species exhibited poor seedling survival at both the study sites. Stepwise linear regressions revealed that the species integrated response index combining survivorship and growth measurements, was influenced mostly by differences in soil pH between the two abandoned pastures. Our results suggest that local environmental variation among abandoned pastures of contrasting land-use histories influences sapling survival and growth. Furthermore, the similarity of responses among species with the same successional status allowed us to make some preliminary site and species-specific silvicultural recommendations. Future field experiments should extend the number of species and the range of environmental conditions to identify site 'generalists' or more narrowly adapted species, that we would call 'sensitive.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the financial attractiveness of forest and agroforestry plantations promoted by external organizations with tree growing practices of Amazonian smallholders. Based on 80 case studies and interviews with 112 forestry professionals from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, the paper characterizes the economic, environmental and structural implications, and identifies the respective financial costs and benefits. Six case studies provided data for in-depth financial analyses. The results showed that the expectations of externally promoted smallholder tree and agroforestry plantations were not met. Despite significant inputs, smallholders generated at best annual net incomes of US$200-$1,000 per ha from NTFP plantations, and up to US$800-$1,000 from timber plantations in the year of harvest. This corresponded to around one-third of the initially expected returns. Overall, only around 1% of the smallholders participating in such initiatives managed to produce and commercialize any plantation products. Smallholders' practices of complementary tree growing in conjunction with agriculture and managing natural regeneration of timber and NTFP products were often underestimated by professionals. They required low input, didn't rely on external support, were highly flexible in risky environments, and some presented financial returns comparable to some well functioning plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use history reconstructions in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere indicate that periods of deforestation are often followed by natural afforestation, so that the long-term outcome at the landscape level will be a balance of retractions and advances of plant communities associated with varying local land uses. During the last decades of the XIX century, large forest areas were cleared in Northwestern Patagonia to open farmland. In this article, we compared historical land use/land cover maps with land cover maps derived from Landsat images to analyze the factors that may have influenced the dynamics of land cover change of the forest-steppe ecotone during the last 100 years. Our results indicate that Patagonian forests underwent a rapid initial recovery after the extensive fires of last century, replacing mainly shrublands. More than 50% of the old burns are currently covered by forests, and modern fires affect areas characterized by fire-prone vegetation. Whereas natural afforestation is an ongoing process positively associated with moisture, the rate of forest losses has increased during the last three decades, concentrating on xeric aspects and the vicinity of roads. We conclude that the outcome of the dynamics between fire-intolerant forests and fire-prone plant communities will largely depend on human-related activities, modeled by structural features of the landscape (i.e., topography, dominant winds), and processes triggered by past land uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, industrial tree plantations are at the origin of a growing number of conflicts between local populations and commercial planters. Such conflicts – which often turn out to be ‘environmental’– have largely remained understudied. By focusing on the establishment of an industrial eucalypt monoculture in a coastal Ecuadorian canton, this paper investigates the effects of the penetration of capital into the rural sphere, emphasizing the resulting resistance campaign of a local NGO originating from a peasant organization. We analyse the evolution of land conflicts in the region – historically as well as operationally during the latest eucalypt campaign. We find that displacement of local peasants is a recurrent theme, while environmental issues have recently been incorporated into the resistance to landowners. We thus argue that the agrarian question also includes – now perhaps more than ever – an environmental dimension, thereby providing space for a fruitful dialogue between political ecologists and students of agrarian conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]