A burgeoning deer population alters forest progression by creating environmental havoc in the soil and disrupting seed banks. The study found that deer grazing stunts forest development, promoting invasive species like buckthorn and viburnum, which stall natural growth and reduce native plant diversity.
A new mathematical model developed by Brown University scientists can predict how trees compete for space in the canopy, revealing that incumbent trees dominate 97.9% of a given square meter two years later.
New data shows a continued decline of African forest elephants, with 65% lost between 2002 and 2013. The poaching rate is alarming, with 9% per year, resulting in over 96 elephants killed daily.
Researchers found that certain management practices can increase habitat availability for species and reduce economic losses for forest owners. The study suggests using compensatory funding to support these efforts and reconcile alternative uses of forests.
The New York Botanical Garden is launching a program to conserve the Brazilian Amazon forest, part of the world's largest intact forest. The four initiatives will improve forestry practices, train workers to identify tree species, develop sustainable management protocols, and contribute baseline knowledge.
Despite devastating effects of the invasive insect in southern Appalachians, increasing tree density associated with reforestation and succession may have offset negative impacts at a regional scale. Hemlock trees do not have natural defenses against hemlock woolly adelgid, resulting in high levels of tree mortality.
Researchers at the University of Missouri found that salamander populations reflect forest habitat quality and can predict ecosystem recovery from logging. This study suggests a balance between timber harvest and conservation biology to maintain biodiversity.
A new study found that tree growth rate increases with size, with older trees removing a larger share of carbon from the atmosphere. This means that massive, old trees can remove huge amounts of carbon through photosynthesis, playing a disproportionate role in the global carbon cycle.
A study of forest changes reveals a 2.4 times increase in tree density since 1929, with fewer pine trees and more fir and cedar, leading to reduced biodiversity and increased susceptibility to severe fires. The findings highlight the importance of restoring fire resilience and improving biodiversity in forests.
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center are using optogenetics to study the neurochemical basis of addiction. The technology allows them to control specific populations of brain cells using light, providing new direction on patterns of dopamine cell activation that may be most effective to target alcohol drinking.
A modeling study by US Forest Service researchers shows that reforesting the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley can significantly reduce runoff from agricultural lands and sediment entering rivers and streams. Converting agricultural lands to forests in or near battures can greatly lessen water outflow and reduce sediment load, with a t...
VTT has developed a new method to accurately assess tropical forest cover using numerical satellite images. This method enables forest mapping with high accuracy and is being used in the EU's ReCover project in several tropical regions.
Researchers found that site quality affects the relationship between density and mortality in ponderosa pine stands. Thinning forest stands can reduce fuel buildup and enhance growth of residual trees, while early shrub removal and tree density control are most effective ways to reduce fuel buildup.
Researchers analyzed 143 billion pixels in 654,000 Landsat images to compile maps of forest loss and gain between 2000 and 2012. During this period, 888,000 square miles of forest were lost, while 309,000 square miles regrew.
A University of Maryland-led team created the first high-resolution global map of forest extent, loss, and gain. The study documents a global loss of 2.3 million square kilometers and a gain of 800,000 square kilometers between 2000 and 2012.
New research suggests that the Amazon rainforest can withstand dry conditions due to its ability to recycle moisture, reducing water stress on plants. This natural process helps mitigate the impacts of climate change-induced drought.
Studies show that medical students who receive guided relaxation and mindfulness training experience reduced stress levels and improved performance. The Wake Forest Baptist program provides a unique opportunity for medical schools to include stress-management training in their curriculums.
A recent study assesses the economic viability of salvaging standing timber killed by mountain pine beetles in western US states. While some regions like Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, and South Dakota can generate positive net revenues from salvage, others like Colorado and Wyoming face losses due to saturated markets.
A comprehensive review of climate change's impacts on forest pests, diseases, and ecosystems reveals complex consequences. Warmer temperatures alter pest distribution, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, while also boosting forest health and acreage in some areas.
Historic global trends predict that global forest cover will decline by 10% over the next century unless new technologies boost yields or strategies to decrease food consumption are introduced. Reforestation may increase global forest cover to 35% within 70 years if food production and consumption stabilize.
A new study predicts global forest cover will decline from 30% to 22% over the next two centuries due to increased agricultural demands and urbanization. The model suggests cooperation among nations is crucial to preserving forests, with technologies sharing being a key strategy.
A multidisciplinary team is developing a framework to explain and predict plant and animal species distribution in the endangered Atlantic Forest. The researchers will use climate and landscape data to understand how forest species have responded to past environmental shifts, enabling them to predict responses to future changes.
A 15-year study in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest found that trees in a calcium-treated watershed produced 21% more wood and 11% more leaves than their counterparts. The addition of calcium helped reverse decades-long decline caused by acid rain, with sugar maple trees responding most strongly.
Cloud forest trees are highly sensitive to climate change due to their narrow temperature range, making them vulnerable to migration and population loss. Conservation strategies may need to be revised to protect these ecosystems from massive population decline.
Researchers found that woodland salamander populations closely track forest stand growth and development, making them a viable indicator of ecosystem recovery. The study's findings suggest that healthy forests support a wide range of species, including rare and native wildlife, and are crucial carbon sinks.
Researchers have discovered that trees across species exhibit remarkably similar branching patterns, allowing scientists to infer a tree's function regardless of its shape or size. The study confirms a theory developed by UA ecology professor Brian Enquist and has implications for models used to assess forest ecosystems.
Researchers recommend incorporating automated quality control procedures to minimize sensor failures and ensure accurate event characterization. By implementing standardized protocols, scientists can improve the reliability of sensor networks and support land management planning decisions.
Researchers use tree-ring growth data to reconstruct forest drought-stress index, revealing strong relationships between FDSI and regional forest productivity. Climate change is expected to lead to increased forest drought-stress by the 2050s, driving imminent changes in forest structure and composition.
Researchers in Borneo have found orangutans regularly coming down from trees to forage or travel, comparable to ground-dwelling macaques. The reason for this behavior remains a mystery, but habitat loss and transformation may be driving the adaptation.
Research in Navarre's beech groves reveals traditional forestry management reduces fungal diversity, with some species disappearing and families affected. The study highlights the importance of decomposing dead wood for fungal populations, contradicting current forest management practices.
The study warns that current hunting trends in Central African forests could lead to complete ecological collapse. The authors emphasize the need for sustainable hunting management plans to avoid an environmental catastrophe. Protecting megafauna like elephants and apex predators is crucial to maintaining intact ecosystems.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that more than 80% of tropical forests in Malaysian Borneo have been heavily impacted by logging. Satellite imaging revealed approximately 226,000 miles of roads constructed throughout the forests of this region.
A recent study published by the USDA Forest Service found that the northeastern United States is a high-risk area for invasive forest pest invasions. The study used spatial data to demonstrate a highly aggregated geographical distribution of forest pest invasions in the region, with over 70% of species detected before 1940.
Researchers discovered a 3% increase in flower production on Barro Colorado Island since 1987 due to rising temperatures and precipitation. In contrast, the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot in Puerto Rico showed no overall increase in flower production over the same period.
Predicted climate changes may hinder conifer regeneration after major forest fires on dry, low-elevation sites, leading to conversion of forests to grass or shrub lands.
A new study finds that industrial extraction in Wolf Lake Forest Reserve would significantly threaten biodiversity, making it a 'scientifically irreplaceable system'. The reserve's unique characteristics allow for climate change studies and inform future restoration practices.
A Forest Service study found that urban trees can remove fine particulate air pollution, saving lives. The study estimated the impact of urban forests on PM2.5 concentrations and associated health effects in 10 US cities.
Researchers from Bonn University found that particulate matter salt compounds can decrease the drought tolerance of trees, leading to forest decline. The study reveals a physical mechanism where deliquescent salts form wick-like structures that remove water from leaves, promoting dehydration.
A recent study offers a tool to identify regions exposed to multiple forest threats, including wildfires, urban development, and insects and disease. The tool uses a novel analysis technique to highlight locations where threats are more concentrated.
A Dartmouth-led study finds that logging can release large amounts of carbon stored in deep forest soils, potentially offsetting the benefits of using wood for energy. The research suggests that increased reliance on forest biomass may actually increase atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Maple tree owners can benefit from a new open-access article that provides information on the biology, damage, and management of key pests. The article offers practical integrated pest management (IPM) solutions for each pest, helping to reduce economic and aesthetic value.
Malaysia's oil palm plantations are causing threatened forest frogs to disappear, paving the way for common species to move in. The study highlights the devastating impact of habitat loss on biodiversity, with amphibians being the most threatened vertebrates globally.
A new analysis by the USDA Forest Service emphasizes managing forests as consumers of water, reducing risk of water stress. This shift in thinking helps maintain resilience and health in a changing climate.
Researchers applied a novel method to assess extinction risk for bird species in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, revealing two distinct groups: those with severe and mild fragmentation impacts. Out of 58 severely fragmented species, 28 are not currently considered threatened.
A new study by US Forest Service scientists finds that eastern hemlock decline due to invasive insect infestation will impact forest transpiration and alter seasonal stream flow patterns. The replacement of hemlock with species like rhododendron or sweet birch may lead to reduced winter stream discharge and increased summer stream flow.
The study estimates that annual net carbon uptake by these trees is 21 million tons and $1.5 billion in economic benefit. Urbanization has led to declining urban tree cover nationwide, with approximately 4 million trees lost annually.
A new study across 24 states found two-thirds of forest inventory plots contain at least one non-native plant species. Non-native, or introduced, plants can become invasive and displace native species, degrading habitats and altering ecosystem functions.
The study reveals a severe decline in African forest elephant populations due to poaching and habitat loss. The findings highlight the urgent need for a coordinated global effort to protect this critically endangered species.
Long-term data from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest suggests a trade-off between forest productivity and water flow. A study found that applying calcium silicate to restore soil calcium levels resulted in an increase in forest water use within 5 months.
Retention forestry and agroforestry systems offer a balance between production and biodiversity conservation. The paper proposes bridging the two fields to enhance ecological benefits and species conservation.
Retaining moderate levels of logging debris helps increase growth rate of Douglas-fir seedlings by inhibiting competing herbaceous vegetation and preserving soil water. This leads to increased early growth in seedlings, with higher growth rates observed at 80% debris cover without herbicide treatments.
Conservationists confirm a staggering 62% loss of African forest elephants over the past decade due to poaching. The species' survival is threatened by human density, infrastructure development, and poor governance.
Researchers used dispensary records to measure the effect of forest fires on people with chronic lung diseases. The study found that even small increases in smoke were associated with higher salbutamol dispensations, highlighting the impact of pollution on public health.
Researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center found that smaller radiation fields can be safely used to treat glioblastoma patients without compromising treatment efficacy. This study suggests that focusing radiation on smaller areas of the brain may help preserve cognition and reduce symptoms associated with radiation toxicity.
A new study estimates that a 6,000-hectare forest hosts around 25,000 arthropod species, with some species found in just one hectare. The research also found that the diversity of arthropods can be accurately predicted from plant diversity.
Tropical montane cloud forest trees have been found to absorb water directly through their leaves from clouds, providing a crucial survival mechanism in foggy areas. However, the disappearance of these clouds due to climate change may render this adaptation useless for the ecosystem's survival.
A recent study published in Bioscience highlights the importance of long-term, site-specific research to understand climate change's impact on ecosystem structure and function. Climate-driven changes affect multiple components of forest ecosystems, including hydrologic variables, phenology, and plant community composition.
A new study published in Global Change Biology explores the impact of climate change on entire forest ecosystems through changes in cloud cover. The research found that altered cloud cover can lead to increased carbon cycling and tree growth due to fog drip, which provides essential water input to the soil.
Ozone's impact on forest watersheds amplifies drought and alters stream flow, reducing available water supplies. Forest ecosystems and people dependent on water flow during dry seasons will be affected.
A 20-year study at Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research site reveals that leaving storm-damaged trees intact allows native plants and wildlife to thrive. The forest recovers naturally, with original conditions recovering more readily than after salvage logging.