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ABSTRACT Climate change is one of the main challenges that human societies are currently facing. Given that forests represent major natural carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems, administrations worldwide are launching broad‐scale programs to promote forests, including stands of non‐native trees. Yet, non‐native trees may have profound impacts on the functions and services of forest ecosystems, including the carbon cycle, as they may differ widely from native trees in structural and functional characteristics. Also, the allocation of carbon between above‐ and belowground compartments may vary between native and non‐native forests and affect the vulnerability of the carbon stocks to disturbances. We conducted a global meta‐analysis to compare carbon stocks and fluxes among co‐occurring forests dominated by native and non‐native trees, while accounting for the effects of climate, tree life stage, and stand type. We compiled 1678 case studies from 250 papers, with quantitative data for carbon cycle‐related variables from co‐occurring forests dominated by native and non‐native trees. We included 170 non‐native species from 42 families, spanning 55 countries from all continents except Antarctica. Non‐native forests showed higher overall carbon stock due to higher aboveground tree biomass. However, the belowground carbon stock, particularly soil organic carbon, was greater in forests dominated by native trees. Among fluxes, carbon uptake rate was higher in non‐native forests, while carbon loss rate and carbon lability did not differ between native and non‐native forests. Differences in carbon stocks and fluxes between native and non‐native trees were greater at early life stages (i.e. seedling and juvenile). Overall, non‐native forests had greater carbon stocks and fluxes than native forests when both were natural/naturalised or planted; however, native natural forests had greater values for the carbon cycle‐related variables than plantations of non‐native trees. Our findings indicate that promoting non‐native forests may increase carbon stocks in the aboveground compartment at the expense of belowground carbon stocks. This may have far‐reaching implications on the durability and vulnerability of carbon to disturbances. Forestry policies aimed at improving long‐term carbon sequestration and storage should conserve and promote native forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree plantations are considered as a solution to reduce the impacts of climate change and can enhance biodiversity. Consequently, many tree planting schemes around the world have been started to achieve these dual objectives. However, many of these tree plantations are being implemented without proper design or post‐plantation management, often overlooking potential long‐term effects on biodiversity. Therefore, it is essential to identify which aspects of tree plantations can negatively impact biodiversity. Such knowledge is vital to design new plantations and manage existing ones, such that they do not pose threats or additional costs to the conservation of natural ecosystems. To this end, we conducted an observational study in the Mediterranean heathland habitat of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. This treeless habitat, locally known as herriza, has been planted with pine trees until the onset of the 21st century. This historical tree plantation presents a unique natural experiment to assess the long‐term effect of tree cover, measured as canopy openness, on several community properties of plant, pollinators and their network of interactions. Our results reveal a strong positive relationship between canopy openness and floristic diversity and abundance. This means that, as we increase tree cover, plant diversity is reduced. We found this has consequences for pollinator diversity and plant–pollinator networks, the latter exhibiting declines in stability. Furthermore, we reveal the importance of woody blooming plants in comparison to non‐woody ones which, despite their greater importance for pollinators, they are the most impacted. These findings underscore the importance of tree cover for severely affecting multiple properties of plant–pollinator networks at different levels of organization. Overall, this knowledge indicates that high tree cover in plantations conducted 50 years ago is incompatible with maintaining and conserving plant–pollinator networks in natural treeless habitats, at least in the herriza. Actions that want to avoid negative long‐term effects of tree plantations on plant–pollinator communities should consider existing biodiversity before planting and refrain from achieving high tree cover values. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Abstract 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.

The caching behavior of rodents is widely considered to facilitate plant seed dispersal and seedling regeneration in forest ecosystems. Studies supporting this theory have been based mainly on experimental results from natural forests; however, whether scatter-hoarding rodents play an important role in seed dispersal and seedling regeneration in tree plantations remains unclear. In this study, we tracked 4000 seeds over 2 years in a Pinus armandii plantation in southwest China to investigate their fate from seed removal to survival after hoarding. We found that rodents removed more than 30.0% of the released seeds in both years, 9.9% to 29.1% of the seeds were scatter-hoarded under the leaf litter or on the soil surface, and a few seeds were removed two to three times. The dispersal distance of scatter-hoarded seeds ranged from 0.4 to 14.5 m with a mean of 3.55 m, and re-caching processes increased the dispersal distance of cached seeds. Additionally, 18.9% of the removed seeds survived in the cache until the end of the observation period. Our results suggested that scatter-hoarding rodents play an important role in seed dispersal in planted forests.

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]

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 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]

The state of seed self-regeneration of woody plants of Kyrylivka Park (Dnipro, Ukraine) in areas with a strong, moderate and non-existent level of recreational load was studied. Floristic methods (estimates of species richness, determination of floristic community and homogeneity),methods of ecological analysis of vegetation, physico-chemical methods of soil analysis, statistical methods are applied. It was establishedfor the first time that in Kyrylivka Park, artificial stands are capable of forming a sufficient amount of viable undergrowth of autochthonous (53.5%) and introduced (46.5%) species. The amount of tree growth of adventitious plants in the areas according to the level of recreational load is distributed as follows: with no load –32.2% of the number of self-regenerating trees, with moderate –41.3%, with strong –89.7%. The indices of species richness of Margalef and Menkhinik of self-regenerating tree species for the site with a strong recreational load turned out to be the largest (at the expense of adventitious species) compared to the sites with a moderate recreational load and without it. The calculated Koch index of biotic dispersion (40.0%) indicates a certain process of floristic homogenization of the tree stand in the investigated territory of the park. The correlation coefficients between the number of self-restored allochthonous and autochthonous tree species for the studied areas with strong, moderate and absent recreational loads are significant (0.90, 0.92 and 0.88 respectively).The need to analyze and forecast the possible remote consequencesof the introduction of alien species in the composition of the dendroflora is emphasized.

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]

Purpose. Biodiversity assessment and clarification of the trend towards homogenization of the dendroflora of the Shevchenko Park (Dnipro, Ukraine). Methods. Floristic methods of research are applied - elucidation of the taxonomic composition and selection of the adventitious fraction of dendroflora, methods of species richness assessment (according to the Menkhinik index and Margalef index), determination of floristic commonality (according to the Jaccard index) and floristic homogeneity (according to the Koch index of biotic dispersion), methods of ecological analysis (by biomorphs and ecomorphs), physical, physicochemical, chemical methods of soil analysis, soil biological activity, statistical methods of data processing (descriptive statistics and correlation analysis). Results. It was established that artificial stands of trees in the Shevchenko Park are capable of forming a sufficient amount of viable undergrowth of autochthonous and introduced (adventurous) species, the ratio of which is 37.0% to 63.0%. The amount of tree growth of adventive sites in the areas according to the level of recreational load is distributed as follows: with no load - 38.5% of the number of self-regenerating trees, with moderate - 68.2%, with strong - 80.5%. The indexes of species richness of Margalef and Menkhinik of self-regenerating tree species for the site with a strong recreational load turned out to be the largest (due to adventitious species) compared to the sites with no and moderate recreational load. Koch index of biotic dispersion is 50.0%. Correlation coefficients between the number of allochthonous and autochthonous tree species that have self-regenerated for the studied areas with strong, moderate and no recreational load are statistically significant (0.73, 0.76, 0.77 respectively). Conclusions. On the territory of the investigated areas of the park, there are 14 tree species capable of seed self-regeneration, which taxonomically belong to 12 genera and 10 families. Of them, 9 adventive species were registered, represented by 9 genera and 7 families with the leading family Sapindaceae. The calculated index of biotic dispersion testifies to the presence of a process of floristic homogenization of the forest stand on the territory of the park. As part of the adventitious fraction of the self-regenerating dendroflora, there is an increased invasion of Ailanthus altissima and the occurrence of such neophyte species as Celtis occidentalis and Acer negundo, which indicates the penetration of alien species into the local flora and a potential threat to natural floristic diversity.

The paper presents the study of the state of seed self-regeneration of woody plants of the Tunelna Balka Tract in the conditions of the city of Dnipro, Ukraine. Three sites with different levels of recreational load (strong, moderate and absent) were studied. The following floristic methods of research were applied – elucidation of the taxonomic composition and selection of the adventitious fraction of dendroflora, methods of species richness assessment (according to the Menkhinik index and Margalef index), determination of floristic commonality (according to the Jacquard index) and floristic homogeneity (according to the Koch index of biotic dispersion), methods of ecological analysis (by biomorphs and ecomorphs), physical, physicochemical, chemical methods of soil analysis, statistical methods of data processing (descriptive statistics and correlation analysis). We determined that in the Tunelna Balka Tract, cultured stands are capable of forming a sufficient amount of viable young plants of autochthonous and introduced (adventurous) species, the ratio of which is 47.4% to 52.6%. The number of young woody advent plants in the areas according to the level of recreational load was distributed as follows: with no load – 38.8% of the number of self-regenerating trees, with moderate – 29.0%, with strong – 69.1%. The Margalef and Menkhinik species richness indices of self-regenerating tree species for the site under heavy recreational load was the lowest compared with the sites subject to no and moderate recreational loads. Evaluation of the qualitative commonality of the species composition of the experimental sites with self-regenerating tree species showed the presence of a trend towards maintaining the diversity of the flora of the sites, which is achieved precisely due to the different level of recreational load. The calculated Koch index of biotic dispersion (26.1%) indicates a sufficiently low level of floristic homogenization in the studied territory of the tract. The correlation coefficient between the number of introduced and self-regenerating autochthonous tree species for the site under no recreational load turned out to be insignificant and weak (0.27), for sites with a moderate and strong level of recreational load – significant and strong (0.96 and 0.91, respectively). Therefore, the studied areas have a low degree of floristic homogeneity, which is confirmed by the low index of floristic commonality. We determined that the species richness of the self-regenerating dendroflora of the studied territory depends on the level of recreational load, and its strong level determines the low species richness. We should emphasize the need to analyze and predict the possible remote consequences of the introduction of alien species in the composition of the dendroflora.

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]

Tropical forests provide important ecosystem services and biodiversity for the world. With human activities and economic growth, tropical forests are becoming the primary sources of new plantations, making tropical regions hotspots of ecosystem service degenerations and biodiversity losses. Understanding the driving forces of ecological consequences is the key to local sustainable development and human well-being improvements. Therefore, we spatially quantified the changes in ecosystem services in tropical China in the past twenty years by remote sensing and InVEST model. The driving forces were further investigated by using Geodetector. We found that: 1) in the past twenty years, the area of evergreen broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, and rubber forests have increased by 13.01%, 43.39%, and 101.23%, respectively. The shrublands and agricultural lands are the major contributors to these increased areas; 2) with the area increasing of forests, carbon storage and soil retention have increased by 9.40% and 0.30%, while nitrogen export and water yield have decreased by 43.30%, and 12.27%. This pattern of increase in carbon storage and soil retention was found in the highlands, while not in the lowlands, where large areas of evergreen broad-leaved forests have been converted to rubber forests; 3) NDVI was highly correlated to the carbon storage (q value = 0.201) and nitrogen export (q value = 0.109), while slope and precipitation mainly affected the soil retention (q value = 0.253) and water yield (q value = 0.073), respectively. This study provides a reference for ecological protection and management in tropical China.

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]

According to FAO figures, over 129 million hectares of forests have been lost globally since the 1990s, mainly in the tropical Global South, where agriculture acts as the main driver of forest conversion. International commitments, such as the Bonn Challenge, aim to reverse this trend through the application of forest landscape restoration (FLR) as an integrated and inclusive restoration approach. Beyond the discourse level, however, FLR implementation lags behind expectations due to insufficient funding and a disconnection with local implementation. We argue that, instead of relying on public resources for conservation-driven restoration, increased private sector engagement may point the way out of the funding impasse. However, this requires a shift towards production-driven FLR, which includes the livelihood needs of communities and smallholders as agents of landscape transition. For achieving the dual purpose of connecting landscapes with markets and promoting sustainable landscape restoration, we ascribe value chains and their economic, social and ecological configurations a key role in production-driven FLR. Drawing on Vietnam’s forest restoration pathway as an illustrative case, we examine how production-driven forest restoration, smallholder engagement and value chain upgrading can stimulate positive landscape transitions. We conclude that, depending on their configuration, value chains can have negative or positive social and ecological impacts at the landscape level. Furthermore, regulated, progressive and high-value commodity chains may perform better in the areas of integrated FLR objectives landscape integrity, ecological functionality and human well-being.

There is increasing empirical support for the biodiversity and ecosystem service (ES) benefits of mixed-species production forests. However, few studies control for the spatial arrangement of the trees within mixtures to determine the influence that clustering the tree species (patch scale mixtures), versus evenly dispersing them (intimate scale mixtures), may have for biodiversity and ES outcomes. To highlight the potential implications of altering tree spatial arrangement in mixtures, and the need to fill related knowledge gaps, here we provide a qualitative multi-disciplinary overview of ecological and socio-economic drivers with the potential to alter biodiversity, ecosystem services, and management-related outcomes from patch versus intimate scale mixtures. We focused our overview on even-aged mixtures of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and birch (Betula pendula or B. pubescens) in Sweden, which enabled us to contrast findings within a biogeographical and silvicultural setting. Specifically, we targeted implications for biodiversity (understory vascular plants, epiphytic lichens, saproxylic beetles, birds), biomass production, harvesting costs, management ease, recreation and aesthetics, cervid game, as well as abiotic and biotic risks (wind, fire, pathogens, pests, browsing damage). In the absence of direct empirical evidence, we primarily relied on expert inference from theory and relevant empirical studies sourced from the Fennoscandian region, and further afield if needed. Collectively these efforts allowed us to develop a number of informed hypotheses indicating that for spruce-birch mixtures in this region, patch scale mixtures may have the potential to favour the diversity of several forest dependant taxonomic groups, cervid game and reduce harvesting costs, whereas intimate mixtures may have the potential to reduce pathogen and pest damage, and likewise, potentially benefit production outcomes. Current knowledge was too limited, inconsistent or context dependant to even tentatively infer outcomes for fire risk, wind damage, browsing damage, management ease, recreational and aesthetic outcomes. We emphasize that our hypotheses require testing, but are sufficient to (1) highlight the likely importance of spatial-scale to biodiversity and ecosystem services outcomes in mixed-species production forests, (2) caution against generalization from mixture studies that lack scale considerations, and (3) motivate the targeted consideration of spatial grain in future mixture studies.

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]

ABSTRACT A functional perspective of tree communities is helpful for understanding forest dynamics, especially vegetation recovery after other land uses. Knowledge about ecological filters and survival strategies of trees are also important for the restoration of degraded areas. This study aimed to evaluate the functional composition and structure of adult and regenerative components of natural Araucaria forests, Araucaria plantations and plantations of exotic Pinus in subtropical southern Brazil. Differences in functional diversity and functional richness, and in community weighted mean trait values, including leaf traits and reproductive traits, were analyzed. RLQ analysis was used to assess the association between community structure, plant traits and environmental variables. Clear differences were found for most traits and for functional richness for the regenerative component, while the adult component was more similar among forest types. A clear separation in RLQ ordination associated with trait variation, for the adult component but not for regenerative trees, also indicates that communities are becoming functionally more similar with time. Plantations were shown to function as environmental filters by directly influencing species recruitment, richness and functional diversity. We conclude that passive restoration may be the best strategy for restoration of Araucaria forests.

Large-scale land acquisitions repeatedly fall short of their acclaimed socioeconomic benefits and are associated with unintended social, economic, and ecological costs. In Laos, the government has started to question its own “Turning Land into Capital” policy, and reviews land acquisitions or concessions with regard to their socioeconomic impacts. Empirical investigations of environmental impacts of land concessions, however, remain underrepresented. We link the nation-wide concession development between 2001 and 2017 with associated land use changes and quantify related land use change-induced emissions. Results show that land acquisitions for agriculture, forestry, and mining affect mainly forests and land previously used for shifting cultivation and permanent agriculture; e.g., rice paddies. Consequently, land conversions caused by concessions resulted in net carbon emissions of 4.9 Mt CO2e yr-1 on average in 2001–2017, which amounted to 34% of total emissions from land conversions. Even tree plantations that are meant to serve as net carbon sinks caused net emissions, but those data are the least robust. The relatively low carbon emission intensity of shifting cultivation compared to the high carbon emission intensity of concessions challenges the dominant narrative of shifting cultivation as a causal factor for forest degradation. Political means of fostering sustainable development include the reduction of land acquisitions because of their emissions intensity, and minimization of emissions and social conflict induced by granted concessions, for example, by allocating land with low carbon densities and obtaining consent of local land users.

• Brazilian environmental legislation can assist in the conservation of grassland ecosystems. • The presence of cattle in Permanent Preservation Areas of a rural matrix increases the diversity of species. • The presence of cattle in Permanent Preservation Areas increases the litter cycling, reducing dry cover and, consequently, the incidence of fires. • In this study, the Preservation Areas fulfill their objective of preserving grassland species. • The permanence of cattle in protected areas provides the preservation of the diversity and physiognomy of grasslands. The Pampa biome comprises a high species richness, but has been transformed by various human activities, threatening its inherent diversity. One of the mechanisms that contributes to conservation is the Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA); however, studies related to the vegetation of these areas are scarce, especially regarding the herbaceous stratum, creating a gap in the evaluation of the conservation of the Pampa biome's grassland formations. The objective of this study was to characterize the structure of fragments of grasslands in PPA, with and without cattle grazing, inserted in a plantation of Eucalyptus saligna Sm. in the Pampa biome. The survey was conducted on 40 systematically distributed sample units in six grassland areas, three of which were occasionally exposed to grazing and three fenced off with no grazing. Cover and frequency values ​​(absolute and relative) and importance value index (IVI) were estimated for species, exposed soil and dry plant material. The difference between the areas was evaluated by the Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and ANOSIM, complemented by SIMPER. Richness, dry plant material and exposed soil were evaluated using the Kruskall-Wallis test. A total of 210 species were registered, with the Poaceae family being the most numerous, followed by Asteraceae (41), Cyperaceae (19), Fabaceae (12) and Rubiaceae (9). The areas differed in relation to richness, with grazing showing more diversity. Enclosure Area 3 did not differ from open areas 2 and 3, possibly due to the greater proximity and low cattle interference. The exposed soil did not vary according to the enclosure; however, the dry plant material was higher in the enclosed areas. The distribution of species, as well as their cover and frequency were regulated according to grazing. The presence of animals in PPA has modified the dynamics and botanical composition of the areas, in which richness was promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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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]

The data set comes from a tree inventory conducted in an evergreen forest fragment (dominated by Laureliopsis philippiana and Eucryphia cordifolia) and four fragments dominated by Nothofagus obliqua. The forests are located in an agroforestry matrix landscape of the Coastal Mountain Range of the Chilean Lake District. The data collection was carried out using line transect sampling, which was traced through the core of each fragment oriented towards its longest axis. Data provide taxonomic identity, diameter at breast height (DBP), overstory canopy cover, condition (e.g. live or snag), some height samples, and the estimate of the vertical stratification (e.g. canopy or understory) of 462 trees belonging to 19 species. The data also shows a record of 50 woody debris. The geographical location of each forest fragments is also included. Inventories are fundamental for knowledge of species diversity and provide the foundation for more complex analytical studies, such as the distribution of plant assemblages in the landscape; determine the conservation status of species, and research into biogeographical or macro-ecological areas of interest.

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As deforestation breaches into new tropical frontiers, proactive conservation strategies require a trifecta of information on where deforestation is accelerating (emergent), how drivers of deforestation vary spatiotemporally, and where to focus limited conservation resources in protecting the most integral yet threatened forested landscapes. Here we introduce Emergent Threat Analysis, a process integrating Emerging Hot Spot Analysis of deforestation, visual classification of deforestation outcomes over time, and spatial quantification of contemporary forest condition. We applied Emergent Threat Analysis to tropical Southeast Asia, a global epicentre of biodiversity threatened by deforestation. We found that emergent hot spots (EHS)—a subset of hot spots characterized by strong, recent, and clustered patterns of deforestation—accounted for 26.1% of total forest loss from 1992 to 2018, with deforestation within EHS proceeding at 2.5 times the regional rate of gross loss. Oil palm and rubber plantation expansion were the principal drivers of deforestation within EHS of insular and mainland SE Asia, respectively. Over the study period, oil palm shifted in importance from Sumatra and Sarawak to Papua and Kalimantan, whereas rubber became prominent in Cambodia and Tanintharyi from 2006 to 2015. As of 2019, more than 170 000 km ^2 of SE Asia’s remaining forest occurred within EHS, of which 21.7% was protected. High and medium-integrity forest constituted 19.2% and 49.1% of remaining EHS forest, respectively, but of these, 35.0% of high-integrity and 23.9% of medium-integrity EHS forest were protected. Because we anticipate that tree plantation expansion will continue to drive deforestation in SE Asia, significantly heightened protection is needed to secure the long-term preservation of high and medium-integrity forest, especially in highly contested forest frontier regions. Finally, as a flexible, integrated process, Emergent Threat Analysis is applicable to deforestation fronts across the global tropics.

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]

In this paper we analyze the geographies of extraction through the lens of emotional political ecology. We show how extractivism in southern Chile functions as an emotional project to ensure capital accumulation. Our evidence shows how the State and the private sector produce and reproduce pain to local communities and also, offer "painkillers" to ensure forestry extractivism in the territory. This suggests that extractivism is, nowadays, a sentipensante project, in which the use of emotions by the State and private capital updates and deepens the historical colonial tendencies in the Mapuche territories of southern Chile. [End Page 85] [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]

Land use changes in Europe have resulted in forest loss and fragmentation that have been proved to be key factors driving the decline of various forest bird populations. Quantifying the environmental factors which allow the persistence of forest birds in highly modified landscapes is therefore essential to enhance conservation efforts. In the present study, we defined the environmental factors determining the distribution of seven forest birds (Picus viridis, Dendrocopos major, Dryobates minor, Garrulus glandarius, Poecile palustris, Sitta europea, Aegithalos caudatus) in a central portion of the Po Plain, northern Italy. In the study area, less than 12% of the whole territory is covered by broad-leaved forests (concentrated along the main rivers) and tree plantations. To obtain a full picture of the habitat requirements of these seven forest bird species, we first conducted a survey of their populations using the point count method during the 2015 breeding season, following which, using resource selection functions, we investigated the effect of environmental variables on each species, mainly focusing on the role of natural forests and tree plantations. The effect of variables was assessed both at a home-range scale and at four different scales in the surrounding context. Tree plantations, in addition to natural forests, proved to be important for most of the seven species studied, including forest specialists such as Dryobates minor and Poecile palustris. The distribution of forest species was better explained by habitat amount than by habitat configuration, both at the home-range scale and in the surrounding context. As expected, Sitta europaea was the most sensitive species to land use changes, and broad-leaved natural forests were essential for its persistence in the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The research of species composition and life conditions of green spaces on the plantations of the sanitary protection zones, distribution of plants by height, diameter and the phytosanitary conditions is important to solve the existing environmental problems. It is necessary to conduct an inventory of green plantations using the data, which might help with the process of bringing them up to date. We conducted the research at the cite of a tree plantation inside the sanitary protection zone of the "Ukrainian Graphite" PJSC. The inventory was conducted in accordance with the instruction of technical inventory of green planting in the cities and urban villages of Ukraine. Assessment of the of plants' condition was carried out using a scale by H.G. Yakubov (2005). The index of living conditions of a tree stand and its damage was calculated using Alekseev formulas. In the course of study we have found out that Plantations of trees are comprised of 29 species in total, belonging to 18 different families, the most numerous of which are Fabaceae Lindl. And Ulmaceae Mirb. The most numerous is the group of plants the height of which ranges from 18.1 to 20.0 meters. Plants with a diameter that varies between 28.1 – 32 cm and 100.1 – 104 cm appear to be dominant. No signs of weakening were observed in a 7.58 % of the total number of plants in the research plot. Symptoms of moderate weakening (category I) were observed in a 61.37% of the total amount of trees. The most numerous in this category were plants of such species as Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Ulmus carpinifolia Rupp. Phytosanitary condition of plantations is satisfactory. Thus, we may conclude that the sanitary protection zone of the "Ukrainian Graphite" PJSC is in dire need of systematic reconstruction of the green plantations with the aim to boost its ecological impact on air purity, but also for the sake of its architectural and aesthetic value.

Land use patterns of a river basin have a significant effect on the structure and function of river ecosystems. Changes in the composition of riparian plant communities modify the quantity, quality and seasonality of leaf–litter inputs, determining changes in macroinvertebrate colonization and activity. The main goal of this study was to test the effect of land–use modifications, and particularly the impact of eucalypt plantations, on the macroinvertebrate communities of sixteen headwater streams. Macroinvertebrates were counted and identified to family level. Land uses were classified in five categories using aerial photography: native forest, eucalypt plantations, agricultural land, shrubland, and urban areas. We found that macroinvertebrate diversity increased with basin size and with the proportion of basin covered by native forest. This variable correlated negatively with the land occupied by eucalypt plantations. Macroinvertebrate richness diminished with the increase of land surface covered by eucalypt plantations, and a similar tendency was observed with diversity. Furthermore, streams whose drainage basin was mainly covered by Eucalyptus were more likely to dry up in summer. This observation adds to evidence from previous studies that concluded that fast–growing tree plantations affect hydric resources, an important ecosystem service in the context of global warming. To minimize the impact of industrial sylviculture, we suggest that maintaining and/or restoring riparian forests could mitigate the effects of intensive eucalypt monocultures.

The severity and extent of browsing damage to pine and eucalypt plantations and possible solutions are examined. Twenty-six percent of all trees surviving 9 months after planting were browsed yet only six percent had more than 50% of foliage damaged. The most common form of damage was for the foliage to be browsed or the tree bitten off with browsing damage implicated in the mortality of the 24% of trees that died. No difference in the extent of damage between Pinus radiata and eucalypts was detected. Slight differences between three Eucalypt species and two ages of seedlings were detected; however, these differences in damage levels were insufficient to afford adequate protection through appropriate selection of species and type of nursery stock. Most of the damage was attributed to the Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The use of electric or rotonet fencing and repellents containing chili or dog-urine extracts seem to offer the only nondestructive ways of minimising browsing damage. The development of less palatable species and types of nursery stock is dependent on other considerations including general suitability, but warrants further research.

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.

Highlights • We evaluate if Eucalyptus plantations are novel or hybrid ecosystems. • We compare biotic and abiotic components among the ecosystems evaluated. • Eucalyptus plantations are hybrid ecosystems. • Proper management of this system might improve its conservation value. • Modified ecosystems present different potential for biodiversity conservation. Abstract Novel and hybrid ecosystems present different conservation values for native species. Therefore, the classification of modified ecosystems into a novel or hybrid state is an essential step to assist conservation strategies for biodiversity. During the last decades, plantations of Eucalyptus have increased in the highly threatened Atlantic Forest region, highlighting the importance of defining this ecosystem as novel or hybrid. In this study, we evaluated whether Eucalyptus plantations are novel or hybrid ecosystems by contrasting biotic components (dung beetle communities) and abiotic components (local environmental variables) within historical (Atlantic Forest remnants) and non-historical (pasture) environments in the Atlantic Forest biome, located in Bahia state, Brazil. Our results show that Eucalyptus plantations should be classified and managed as a hybrid ecosystem in this biome. Of the 21 dung beetle species found in Eucalyptus , ten were shared with historical forests (52.6% of Eucalyptus species) and 6 with pastures (31.5%). Eucalyptus plantations have environmental aspects similar to both historical forests and pastures. Despite presenting similar components to historical and non-historical ecosystems, Eucalyptus plantations are sufficiently distinct not to be classified as either one of them. Our results highlight the potential conservation value of Eucalyptus plantations in the Atlantic Forest region as complementary habitat for historical species, and we discuss how alternative management at landscape and stand (local) scales might increase this value. Although dung beetles are an excellent group to monitor biodiversity, we reinforce the necessity to perform further studies using another taxon that present different ecosystem requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The replacement of native forests by high-density tree plantations affects the richness and composition of animal communities through the modification of the resource availability, hydrological regimes, nutrient cycles and soil structure. Previous studies have been conducted mainly on birds and mammals, whereas few have explored the response of anurans, a taxon considered at risk and in steep decline. With this study we aimed to evaluate changes in anuran diversity associated with native forest replacement by pine plantations ( Pinus taeda ) in the southern Atlantic forest of Argentina, a highly diverse and threatened ecosystem. Additionally, we intended to explore the role of the micro-habitat (terrestrial, aquatic) in the response. We characterized vegetation and habitat structure and sampled anurans in terrestrial and aquatic micro-habitats in the native forest and pine plantations monthly over two consecutive years (2012–2014), using three complementary techniques (pitfall traps, audio strip transects and larval sampling). A total of 964 individuals of 21 species were captured: Physalaemus cuvieri , Odontophrynus americanus and Elachistocleis bicolor were the most abundant species. Replacement of the structurally complex native forest by extremely simplified monoculture tree plantations influenced the patterns of anuran alpha and beta diversity. However, these changes were micro-habitat-dependent: changes in anuran diversity in the terrestrial habitat were explained by species loss, while those in the aquatic habitat were explained by both species loss and turnover. The arboreal species of the family Hylidae (eight) were found absent from tree plantations. Both the hydroperiod instability of the water bodies and the simplified vegetation structure of the tree plantations are probably limiting the suitability for both reproduction and larval development of some specialist species. The native vegetation surrounding the water bodies in the tree plantations constitutes a central element to maintain anuran diversity, through increasing the hydroperiod and providing a habitat for species reproduction in the southern Atlantic forest and to facilitate the movement of individuals among native forest remnants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest plantations of fast-growing exotic species constitute an important economic activity in tropical and temperate regions of developing countries. Large areas of native forests and grasslands are being turned into tree plantations without assessing their impacts on natural communities. We evaluated the effects of replacing native forests by non-native pine ( Pinus taeda ) plantations on the diversity and composition of assemblages of terrestrial mammals and ground-dwelling and understory birds, in a forest productive landscape of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest of Misiones, Argentina. Camera-trap stations were deployed in three different “environments”: 53 in a continuous forest, 69 in forest fragments, and 62 in tree plantations. The evaluation focused on the effect of the environment, the structural complexity of the vegetation, the cost-distance (distance weighted by connectivity) to the continuous forest, the percentage of native forest within different radii, and the cost of human access (as a proxy for hunting pressure) on both mean species richness per station and species composition. Alpha diversity of the assemblages of each environment was estimated using Hill numbers (effective number of species): q 0 = richness, q 1 = number of common species and q 2 = number of dominant species. Changes in community composition were evaluated by comparing the assemblages of the three environments using three similarity indices: Sorensen (q0 = similarity in species identity), Horn (q1 = similarity in common species), and Morisita-Horn (q2 = similarity in dominant species). For mammals and birds, richness was significantly higher in forest stations (both continuous and fragmented) than in those located in plantations. For both taxa, it also decreased with the distance to the continuous forest (but with a negative quadratic term in birds). Tree plantation stands contained biased and impoverished subsets of the original assemblages. Mammal composition was affected by the environment, the distance to the continuous forest, the proportion of native forest in the landscape, and human access. The bird assemblages of plantations were seriously affected, and their composition was also influenced by changes in vegetation structure. Alternative management practices (e.g. pruning, thinning) and landscape features can partially mitigate the negative effect of tree plantations on mammal and bird assemblages. Large areas of forest that function as population sources and forest fragments immersed in the matrix of plantations are strictly necessary to preserve the original native mammal and bird assemblages in the productive landscape. Promoting connectivity and improving hunting controls will also support their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonial encounters with tropical ecosystems were primarily driven by profit-oriented management practices; witness the extensive network of timber and forestry practices that were set up across colonial India. In contrast, the colonial engagement with the montane forest-grassland mosaics of the higher reaches of the Western Ghats in southern India was marked by intensive investment in vegetation management by colonial foresters that yielded no profits. In this archival study, we trace the history of extensive vegetation transformation in this landscape from the early nineteenth to the early twentieth century. We show how the misperception that the grasslands within this mosaic must have resulted from tree felling, fire-setting and buffalo grazing by indigenous communities led colonial foresters into a century-long effort at ‘foresting’ the grasslands, primarily through large-scale planting of exotic tree species. These efforts persisted despite economic losses and ecological evidence that native tree seedlings planted in the grasslands repeatedly failed to establish. These policies continued unabated into the late twentieth century in newly independent India. Today, the once picturesque landscapes of these ancient forest-grassland mosaics are diminished by large-scale plantations of exotic species. Some of these species have become invasive and pose significant threats to the remnant natural grasslands. While this historical narrative is set in the forest-grassland mosaics of southern India, it finds striking parallels in the current day, with grasslands and savannas globally threatened by the misperception that they are ‘degraded ecosystems’ that can be ‘forested’ or converted to other ‘productive’ land uses. We suggest that this case history portends the potential fates of many of earth's threatened tropical grasslands and savannas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]