scholarly journals Old-growth forest loss and secondary forest recovery across Amazonian countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Smith ◽  
John Healey ◽  
Erika Berenguer ◽  
Paul Young ◽  
Ben Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Forest Recovery ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest

There is growing recognition of the potential of large-scale restoration in the Amazon as a “nature-based solution” to climate change. However, our knowledge of forest loss and recovery beyond Brazil is limited, and carbon emissions and accumulation have not been estimated for the whole biome. Combining a 33-year land cover dataset with estimates of above-ground biomass and carbon sequestration rates, we evaluate forest loss and recovery across nine Amazonian countries and at a local scale. We also estimate the role of secondary forests in offsetting old-growth deforestation emissions and explore the temporal trends in forest loss and recovery. We find secondary forests across the biome to have offset just 9.7% of carbon emissions from old-growth deforestation, despite occupying 27.6% of deforested land. However, these numbers varied between countries ranging from 9.0% in Brazil to 23.8% in Guyana for carbon offsetting, and 24.8% in Brazil to 56.9% in Ecuador for forest area recovery. We reveal a strong, negative spatial relationship between old-growth forest loss and recovery by secondary forests, showing that regions with the greatest potential for large-scale restoration are also those that currently have the lowest recovery (e.g. Brazil dominates deforestation and emissions but has the lowest recovery). Our findings identify three important challenges for policy makers: (1) incentivising large-scale restoration in highly deforested regions, (2) protecting secondary forests without disadvantaging landowners who depend on farm-fallow systems, and (3) preventing further deforestation. Combatting all of these successfully is essential to ensuring that the Amazon biome achieves its potential in mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

scholarly journals Old-growth forest loss and secondary forest recovery across Amazonian countries.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte C. Smith ◽  
John Healey ◽  
Erika Berenguer ◽  
Paul J. Young ◽  
Ben Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Forest Recovery ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest

Long-term performance and herbivory of tree seedlings planted into primary and secondary forests of Central Amazonia

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julieta Benítez-Malvido ◽  
Miguel Martínez-Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Central Amazonia ◽  
One Year ◽  
Term Performance ◽  
Over Time

Abstract:Plant survival and growth in tropical rain forest are affected by different biotic and abiotic forces. As time elapses and plants grow the relative importance of such forces as regeneration inhibitors and/or facilitators may change according to habitat and species. To detect within- and among-species divergences in performance over time in different habitats we followed, for nearly a decade, the survival, growth and herbivory of seedlings of the native tree species: Chrysophyllum pomiferum, Micropholis venulosa and Pouteria caimito. In Central Amazonia, young seedlings were planted into old-growth and secondary forests dominated by Vismia spp. One year after planting, C. pomiferum ranked first (i.e. fast growth, fewer dead and less herbivory) for both habitats, followed by M. venulosa and P. caimito. Initial trends changed over time. In the long term, M. venulosa ranked first for both habitats, followed by C. pomiferum and P. caimito ranked consistently lowest. Within-species divergences in growth and herbivory were greater in secondary forest. Initial seedling responses cannot always be used to predict species persistence in the long term. Contrary to previous estimations, old-growth-forest species can persist under Vismia spp. stands, at least when planted.

scholarly journals Recovery of Forest Structure Following Large-Scale Windthrows in the Northwestern Amazon

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
J. David Urquiza Muñoz ◽  
Daniel Magnabosco Marra ◽  
Robinson I. Negrón-Juarez ◽  
Rodil Tello-Espinoza ◽  
Waldemar Alegría-Muñoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Structure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Forest Recovery ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Central Amazon ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Study Sites

The dynamics of forest recovery after windthrows (i.e., broken or uprooted trees by wind) are poorly understood in tropical forests. The Northwestern Amazon (NWA) is characterized by a higher occurrence of windthrows, greater rainfall, and higher annual tree mortality rates (~2%) than the Central Amazon (CA). We combined forest inventory data from three sites in the Iquitos region of Peru, with recovery periods spanning 2, 12, and 22 years following windthrow events. Study sites and sampling areas were selected by assessing the windthrow severity using remote sensing. At each site, we recorded all trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm along transects, capturing the range of windthrow severity from old-growth to highly disturbed (mortality > 60%) forest. Across all damage classes, tree density and basal area recovered to >90% of the old-growth values after 20 years. Aboveground biomass (AGB) in old-growth forest was 380 (±156) Mg ha−1. In extremely disturbed areas, AGB was still reduced to 163 (±68) Mg ha−1 after 2 years and 323 (± 139) Mg ha−1 after 12 years. This recovery rate is ~50% faster than that reported for Central Amazon forests. The faster recovery of forest structure in our study region may be a function of its higher productivity and adaptability to more frequent and severe windthrows. These varying rates of recovery highlight the importance of extreme wind and rainfall on shaping gradients of forest structure in the Amazon, and the different vulnerabilities of these forests to natural disturbances whose severity and frequency are being altered by climate change.

scholarly journals Deforestation scenarios show the importance of secondary forest for meeting Panama’s carbon goals

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefferson S. Hall ◽  
Joshua S. Plisinski ◽  
Stephanie K. Mladinich ◽  
Michiel van Breugel ◽  
Hao Ran Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Forest Growth ◽  
Carbon Accumulation ◽  
Carbon Gain ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Central Panama

Abstract Context Tropical forest loss has a major impact on climate change. Secondary forest growth has potential to mitigate these impacts, but uncertainty regarding future land use, remote sensing limitations, and carbon model accuracy have inhibited understanding the range of potential future carbon dynamics. Objectives We evaluated the effects of four scenarios on carbon stocks and sequestration in a mixed-use landscape based on Recent Trends (RT), Accelerated Deforestation (AD), Grow Only (GO), and Grow Everything (GE) scenarios. Methods Working in central Panama, we coupled a 1-ha resolution LiDAR derived carbon map with a locally derived secondary forest carbon accumulation model. We used Dinamica EGO 4.0.5 to spatially simulate forest loss across the landscape based on recent deforestation rates. We used local studies of belowground, woody debris, and liana carbon to estimate ecosystem scale carbon fluxes. Results Accounting for 58.6 percent of the forest in 2020, secondary forests (< 50 years) accrue 88.9 percent of carbon in the GO scenario by 2050. RT and AD scenarios lost 36,707 and 177,035 ha of forest respectively by 2030, a carbon gain of 7.7 million Mg C (RT) and loss of 2.9 million Mg C (AD). Growing forest on all available land (GE) could achieve 56 percent of Panama’s land-based carbon sequestration goal by 2050. Conclusions Our estimates of potential carbon storage demonstrate the important contribution of secondary forests to land-based carbon sequestration in central Panama. Protecting these forests will contribute significantly to meeting Panama’s climate change mitigation goals and enhance water security.

scholarly journals Forest structural parameters and aboveground biomass in old-growth and secondary forests along an elevational gradient in Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Alrutz ◽  
Jorge Antonio Gómez Díaz ◽  
Ulf Schneidewind ◽  
Thorsten Krömer ◽  
Holger Kreft
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests

Background: Tropical montane forests are important reservoirs of carbon and biodiversity but are threatened by deforestation and climate change. It is important to understand how forest structure and aboveground biomass change along gradients of elevation and succession. Questions: What are the interactive effect of elevation and two stages of succession on forest structure parameters? Studied species: Tree communities. Study site and dates: Cofre de Perote, Veracruz, Mexico. August to December 2015. Methods: We studied four sites along an elevational gradient (500, 1,500, 2,500, and 3,500 m). At each elevation and each forest type, we established five 20 × 20 m plots (n = 40 plots). Within each plot, we measured stem density, mean diameter at breast height (dbh), and tree height and derived basal area and aboveground biomass (AGB). Results: AGB peaked at 2,500 m and was significantly related to elevation and succession, with higher values in old-growth forests than in secondary forests at higher altitudes. Lower values of mean dbh and basal area were found at higher elevations. At the lowest elevation, both successional stages had the same values of stem density and AGB. At both lower elevations, secondary forests had higher values of dbh and basal area. There were high biomass stocks in the old-growth forest at 2,500 and 3,500 m. Conclusions: Old-growth forests at higher elevations are threatened by deforestation, consequently these remaining fragments must be preserved because of their storage capacity for biomass and their ability to mitigate climate change.

scholarly journals Mexican agricultural frontier communities differ in forest dynamics with consequences for conservation and restoration

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madelon Lohbeck ◽  
Ben DeVries ◽  
Frans Bongers ◽  
Miguel Martinez-Ramos ◽  
Armando Navarrete-Segueda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Forest Conservation ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Agricultural Frontier ◽  
Forest Regrowth ◽  
Land Availability

Forest regrowth is key to achieve restoration commitments, but we need to better understand under what circumstances it takes place and how long secondary forests persist. We studied a recently colonized agricultural frontier in southern Mexico. We quantified the spatiotemporal dynamics of forest loss and regrowth and tested how temporal variation in climate, and spatial variation in land availability, land quality and accessibility affect forest disturbance, regrowth and secondary forest persistence. Marqués de Comillas consistently exhibits more forest loss than regrowth, resulting in a net decrease of 30% forest cover (1991-2016). Secondary forest cover remained relatively constant while secondary forest persistence increased, suggesting that farmers are moving away from shifting cultivation. Temporal variation in disturbance and regrowth were explained by the annual variation in the Oceanic El Niño index combined with dry season rainfall and key policy and market interventions.Across communities the availability of high-quality soil overrules the effects of land availability and accessibility, but that at the pixel-level all three factors contributed to explaining forest conservation and restoration. Communities with more high-quality soils were able to spare land for forest conservation, and had less secondary forest that persisted for longer. Old forest and secondary forests were better represented on low-quality lands and on communal land. Both old and secondary forest were less common close to the main road, where secondary forests were also less persistent. Forest conservation and restoration can be explained by a complex interplay of biophysical and social drivers across time, space and scale. We warrant that stimulating private land ownership may cause remaining forest patches to be lost and that conservation initiatives should benefit the whole community. Forest regrowth and secondary forest persistence competes with agricultural production and ensuring farmers can access restoration benefits is key to success.

Responses of seedling transplants to environmental variations in contrasting habitats of Central Amazonia

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 397-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julieta Benítez-Malvido ◽  
Miguel Martínez-Ramos ◽  
José Luis C. Camargo ◽  
Isolde D. K. Ferraz
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Insect Herbivory ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Seedling Performance ◽  
Relative Growth Rates ◽  
Seedling Size ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Contrasting Habitats

In the Central Amazon we investigated whether seedling performance (survival, and relative growth rates in height and leaf numbers) was affected by initial seedling size (height and leaf numbers) in habitats that varied in their degree of human disturbance: cattle pasture, young secondary forest, 1-ha forest fragment and old-growth forest. Additionally, effects of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), litter standing crop (LSC) and insect herbivory were evaluated 12 mo after transplantation in seedlings from the native canopy trees Chrysophyllum pomiferum, Micropholis venulosa and Pouteria caimito. Seedling performance changed rank across the understorey environment depending on species. Seedlings of Chrysophyllum thrived in all conditions but under high PAR, Micropholis thrived only in intermediate light conditions, whereas Pouteria thrived under high PAR. Effects of initial seedling size, PAR and herbivory after 1 y were specific to species, whereas LSC had no effect on performance. Initially larger seedlings resulted in lower survival for Chrysophyllum and Pouteria. Herbivory affected seedling performance in all species. Negative effects of herbivory were intensified under low PAR. Overall, our results showed that, as seedlings, species of the same family and characteristic of old-growth forests respond differently to the environmental constraints present in contrasting human-disturbed conditions. Larger seedlings may not always present greater tolerance to physical and biotic mortality risks.

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