Articles tagged with Tropical Forests
A recent study by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and other institutions reveals that conserving old-growth tropical rainforests is crucial for preventing new outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. The research found that disease-carrying mosquito species are scarce in undisturbed forest areas compared to disturbed ones.
A decade-long study in Southeast Brazil's Atlantic Forest reveals reduced biodiversity and diminishing ecosystem services due to cattle farming and expanding agricultural land areas. Key findings include the importance of trees larger than 20 cm in diameter for biomass accumulation.
Researchers studied 61 tropical tree species with age ranges of 84 to 255 years and found that old trees stored more carbon than younger ones. The trees maintained high carbon accumulation rates until the end of their lives, accumulating up to 50% of their final carbon stock in the last quarter.
Tens of thousands of years of human impact on tropical forests have had significant consequences, including extinctions, soil erosion, and reduced biodiversity. However, indigenous agricultural strategies can minimize environmental damage when implemented sustainably.
A study by University of Missouri researchers found that conservation payment programs in Ecuador's Amazon Basin forests reduced deforestation and maintained biodiversity. The protected areas had twice the number of species of commercial timber value and at risk of extinction compared to non-protected forests.
The study identified the Atlantic Forest, Gulf of Guinea, and Thailand as regions where agricultural conversion provides higher benefits than environmental costs. In contrast, Latin America, insular Southeast Asia, and Madagascar are considered economically viable conservation targets due to low agricultural benefits and high environme...
A global study reveals that tropical forests' unique self-suppression mechanism favors rare tree species, contributing to their diversity. In temperate forests, this effect is weaker, allowing common species to dominate.
Research found that tropical trees have fewer neighbors to compete with, allowing for more space for rare species. This phenomenon, CNDD, contributes to the higher biodiversity in tropical forests compared to temperate regions.
Researchers found that self-suppression is stronger in tropical forests and changes systematically with latitude, contributing to the biodiversity gradient. The Janzen-Connell hypothesis proposes that host-specific natural enemies suppress locally common species, giving rare species space to flourish.
A new study reveals that lianas prevent canopy trees from producing fruit, reducing the availability of a critical food resource for tropical animals. The effects of removing lianas are dramatic, with a 173% increase in canopy tree production five years after removal.
A Duke University study reveals that larger patches of tropical forest are being lost worldwide due to industrial-scale agricultural expansion. The trend is most pronounced in Southeast Asia and South America, where clearings for large-scale agriculture account for more than half of all observed forest loss between 2000 and 2012.
A new study found that tropical forests will accelerate their growth in response to increased rainfall, which could lead to greater carbon sequestration. However, the authors caution that climate change still poses a threat to these ecosystems in the short term.
The Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative (ELTI) has received a $4.9 million grant from Arcadia to continue its work empowering leaders in tropical landscapes through field-based training, leadership support, and innovative online instruction. The program has reached over 5,000 individuals since 2006.
A new study reveals that tropical forest fragmentation leads to increased carbon emissions by a third, with edges releasing more CO2 due to unfavourable micro-climates. Researchers used satellite images and developed software to map forest fragments worldwide.
A new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that the relationship between tree diversity and carbon storage in tropical forests may not exist as previously assumed. Researchers found that high-carbon forest stocks do not necessarily correlate with high biodiversity, contradicting previous studies.
Researchers found that tropical forests provided a stable source of subsistence for human hunter-gatherers in New Guinea. Stable isotope analysis revealed prehistoric diets and lifestyles, indicating that foraging continued alongside agricultural experimentation.
New research suggests climate-protection policies focusing on tree diversity and carbon stocks could imperil the world's most biodiverse tropical forests. The study found that African forests store high levels of carbon but are species-poor, while Amazon and Asian forests have higher biodiversity but less carbon stored per hectare.
A new study of 16 research papers reveals natural regeneration can boost biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in tropical regions. The method, which is cheaper than traditional reforestation, has social benefits for human livelihoods but requires careful consideration of ecological factors.
A new study by STRI researchers confirms that trees in tropical forests are like islands, with different species living on each one. The number of ant species found on a tree is positively correlated with the size of the liana-free area around it.
Researchers reconstructed ancient atmospheric carbon dioxide record and found fluctuations projected for the 21st century. The study highlights the potential impact of losing tropical forests on climate, with potential thresholds leading to rapid and irreversible biological change.
Historical rates and patterns of tropical deforestation around the globe were used to estimate carbon emissions and species losses over time. Current emissions and extinctions are mostly tied to past actions.
Researchers found that the Amazon rainforest experiences higher photosynthesis rates during the dry season due to changes in leaf quality and not quantity. This discovery can help scientists assess the forest's health and potential impact on climate change.
Lianas are preventing tropical forest recovery due to rapid spread following tree-felling, according to a new study. The researchers advocate for temporary removal of lianas in selected areas to aid growth and reduce carbon impact.
A new study identifies nearly 1.37 billion hectares of land globally suitable for oil palm cultivation, while avoiding protected forests and high-biodiversity areas. The resulting map includes 19.3 million hectares of land that could be available for future production, slightly more than the current extent of palm oil production.
A study by the University of East Anglia found that tropical hardwoods do not grow back to commercial levels after selective logging, posing a risk to their survival. The research highlights the need for sustainable forestry practices to manage yields and maintain forest biodiversity.
Scientists have discovered a new species of spider in central Spain, specifically in Holm oak trees at the borders of cereal fields. The newly found species has a unique preference for these trees and highlights the need to preserve isolated trees in agricultural landscapes to conserve novel species.
A UK school named a new tree species from Tanzania as part of a fundraising campaign for tropical forest conservation. The college raised over £4000 through various events and activities.
Tropical forests store vast amounts of carbon through photosynthesis, but the impact of large animals on seed dispersal affects this process. A study found that tree species dependent on large animals for seed dispersal have higher carbon storage potential than those with smaller seeds.
A University of Queensland-led study assesses the amount of carbon stored in tropical forests recovering after land-clearing practices in the Philippines. Regenerating secondary forests are substantial carbon sinks, increasing their capacity to store carbon with abandonment age.
Researchers found that young leaves grow at the same time as older ones perish, causing a shift in tree canopy towards younger leaves with higher photosynthetic capacity. This internal dynamics of the rainforest drives seasonal changes in photosynthesis, which was not previously accounted for in climate models.
Researchers are collecting measurements of plant mass, tree distribution and diversity of species from Gabon's rainforest, wetlands and savanna. The data will help prepare for upcoming spaceborne missions to better gauge the role of forests in Earth's carbon cycle.
A new study reveals that certain fungi associated with tree roots can alter the fate of tropical forests, boosting plant diversity or giving one tree species a distinct advantage. The research found that these fungi, particularly ectomycorrhizas, make nitrogen unavailable to competing species, allowing dominant trees to thrive.
Researchers studied tree responses to temperature and dry-season stress in Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. The study found significant changes in second-growth tropical forests due to multi-year droughts.
A study published in Nature reveals that secondary tropical forests in Latin America are highly resilient and can recover up to 122 tons of biomass per hectare after 20 years. The research, led by Yale-NUS College Assistant Professor Michiel van Breugel, found carbon uptake rates 11 times higher than old-growth forests.
Researchers found that tropical secondary forests exhibit a high level of resilience and can sequester large amounts of carbon. These new-growth forests have accumulated enough biomass to uptake 3.05 tons of carbon per hectare per year, 11 times the rate of old-growth forests.
A collaborative study published in Nature finds that secondary tropical forests, especially those in wetter areas, can regain almost all their biomass within 70 years. This information provides significant insights into the resilience of these ecosystems and will help policymakers prioritize forests for conservation.
A study of secondary tropical forests reveals that they can recover biomass levels comparable to old-growth forests in as little as 66 years. The research highlights the potential of regenerating these forests to play a critical role in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration.
A study reveals chimpanzees struggle to find ripe fruit, the most energy-rich food source, in tropical rain forests. They must use cognitive strategies to outcompete other animals and optimize their search for high-energy foods.
A new study found that over-hunting large mammals in Amazonian forests could lead to significant loss of above-ground carbon stock, potentially disrupting seed dispersal and long-term forest dynamics. The research suggests that protecting large vertebrate populations is crucial for maintaining ecosystem services.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that 17% of monitored species populations increased, while 22% remained constant and 22% decreased in tropical forest protected areas. The results suggest that these areas can effectively maintain biodiversity, contrary to previous reports of declining species numbers.
A new study reveals that tropical rainforests' predictable structure is driven by competition for sunlight, which fuels the growth of small trees in sunlit patches. This finding can improve climate simulations and estimate carbon storage in tropical forests.
A new study by researchers at NIMBioS reveals that consistent size structures exist across tropical rainforests, driven by competition among trees for light following a gap disturbance. The findings have significant implications for modeling tropical forests' sustainability and carbon sequestration.
Researchers used data from the Smithsonian's ForestGEO network to develop biologically sound explanations behind mathematical rules of thumb for estimating tree density and size. This enables more accurate calculations of a tropical forest's ability to store carbon.
Researchers find that extinction of fruit-eating animals like primates and tapirs disrupts seed dispersal, leading to a decline in heavy-wooded trees and reduced carbon storage. This loss affects the ecosystem's ability to counter climate change.
New research reveals that sustainable forestry policies in the Congo Basin may inadvertently cause increased deforestation and timber production. The studies found that selective logging, often done under compliant policies, leads to indirect deforestation by spreading activities over larger areas. Human settlements also grow near lega...
A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that climbing vines are significantly reducing carbon storage in tropical forests by crowding out and killing trees. The researchers discovered that woody climbing plants, or lianas, substantially reduce forest-level carbon uptake and storage.
A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that woody vines, known as lianas, dramatically reduce tropical forests' ability to store carbon. By crowding out trees and killing them, lianas lead to reduced tree growth and increased tree death, resulting in a 76% decrease in above-ground biomass.
Lianas slow tree growth and reduce aboveground carbon uptake by over three-quarters, threatening carbon storage capacity. This reduction can lead to a positive feedback loop, accelerating climate change.
Researchers have developed an automated drone-based approach to monitor forest regeneration, reducing costs and labor intensity. The method uses low-cost drones equipped with cameras to create 3D images of vegetation, providing accurate results comparable to human monitoring.
Researchers found that sustainably logged tropical Amazonian forests can recover their carbon stocks within a cutting cycle of 20 to 30 years. The study suggests that the time to recover initial carbon stocks depends almost exclusively on logging intensity, providing useful insights for forest managers and policy makers.
The world has lost 129 million hectares of forest area since 1990, with tropical forests taking the hardest hit. However, there have been positive signs, including a halving of net forest loss from 7.3 to 3.3 million hectares between 2010 and 2015.
Ghana's Upper Guinea rain forests have seen a decline of over 50% in understory bird species due to increased illegal logging, which has more than doubled between 1995 and 2010
A global analysis raises the minimum number of tropical tree species to 40,000 to 53,000 globally. The study's findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive conservation efforts due to the high extinction risk faced by rare and localized species.
A multi-institutional effort led by Berkeley Lab will develop a new ecosystem model to explore how tropical forests respond to climate change. The project, NGEE-Tropics, will carry out experiments in tropical forests around the globe to reduce uncertainty and improve future climate projections.
Researchers have gained a better understanding of how tropical forests respond to seasonal climate variations. The new information helps predict future climate change impacts on the global tropics and informs global climate models.
Researchers found that young tropical forests experienced significant declines in manakin survival during dry weather associated with El Niño events. In contrast, mature forests showed stable survival rates regardless of climatic shifts, suggesting a constant abundance of fruit resources.
Researchers found that Reduced-Impact Logging (RIL) has little effect on bird, bat, and large mammal populations in Central Guyanese rainforests. RIL is a cost-effective option for timber companies to ensure long-term sustainability of biodiversity-rich tropical forests.
A new satellite-based study found that tropical forests lost 4 million hectares annually from 1990-2000 and 6.5 million hectares from 2000-2010, with a 62% increase in deforestation rate.
A recent study found that gold mining has led to significant deforestation in tropical forests of South America, resulting in the loss of around 1680 km2 of forest between 2001 and 2013. The research highlights the growing environmental impact of gold mining in biologically diverse regions.
Scientists have identified 30 new spider species in the Xishuangbanna tropical rainforest, a significant find considering the region's rich biodiversity and untouched terrain. This discovery underscores the importance of preserving these ecosystems, which are home to numerous untapped species.