Floodplain Forest Ecosystem Research Articles

Activity, foraging mode, and abundance of the aquatic coral snake Micrurus surinamensis (Cuvier, 1816) (Serpentes: Elapidae) in the western Brazilian Amazonia

ABSTRACT Elapids of the genus Micrurus actively search for their prey. Here we present new information on the foraging ecology of the aquatic coral snake Micrurus surinamensis based on observations in the western Amazon of Brazil. Eleven individuals of M. surinamensis were observed at night, four of them moving, four hunting in ambush posture, and three actively hunting. Here, we show that M. surinamensis is active mainly at night in aquatic environments and may also be active on the terrestrial environments. Land activity may be related with the search for fish which may eventually be found in this substrate, as well as with the search for water bodies, following the hydrological cycles of flooding and drought. When hunting, the snake uses both foraging modes, being able to actively search for its prey, or ambush it, by keeping the body partially in the water, with the head on the surface. Due to the greater availability of aquatic environments and available prey (fish), M. surinamensis should be more abundant in floodplain forest ecosystems. Additional field observations may help in elucidating the biology on this ecologically differentiated species within the genus Micrurus.

Geoparticipation as a tool for mapping calamities mosquito hotspots: A case study from Litovelské Pomoraví, Czechia

The coexistence of humans and nature has been a recurring theme throughout history, gaining particular importance in the context of climate change and the sustainability of our planet for future generations. However, the delicate balance between humans and nature is often disrupted, as exemplified by the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area in Czechia, where close interaction between humans and mosquitoes is a persistent issue. In this area, when environmental conditions are favorable for mosquito outbreaks, the local population living near the floodplain forests experiences significant discomfort for extended periods. The risk of mosquito overpopulation has intensified in recent years, largely attributed to climate change. Rising water temperatures in breeding habitats accelerate the developmental cycles of certain mosquito species, shortening the time required for maturation. This study aims to utilize modern geoinformation techniques to assess mosquito activity within the Litovelské Pomoraví region and evaluate the perceived impact on human populations. The methodological approach integrates the development of a representative population distribution layer and participatory mapping. These efforts culminate in the identification of active mosquito zones and the quantification of the at-risk population. While long-term data indicate that the situation is not deteriorating significantly, the study confirms that elevated mosquito activity continues to disrupt the daily lives of residents and visitors. Notably, summer mosquito outbreaks exert a broader impact than spring outbreaks, affecting both a larger geographic area and a greater proportion of the population.The study’s primary output, the spatial delineation of active mosquito zones and the identification of continuously populated areas at risk, holds significant value for the integrated management of the region. These findings can help mitigate the annual occurrence of mosquito outbreaks, improve the health of the floodplain forest ecosystem, and promote biodiversity conservation.

The effect of hydrogel on one- and two-year-old saplings of English oak Quercus robur L.

Survival rate of English oak ( Quercus robur L.) saplings (one- and two-year-old) on experimental plots under different hydrological conditions (long-interval flooding, short-interval flooding, no flooding) and the effect of hydrogel on the survival of the planted stock were studied. At present, these studies are relevant for the floodplain forest ecosystem of the Volga River, since the forests of this region are experiencing huge natural and anthropogenic loads, therefore, developments are needed for their conservation and restoration. The purpose of the research was to study the method of planting English oak ( Qurcus rbur ) with annual and biennial saplings using hydrogel to restore and increase the biodiversity of degraded forest phytocenoses in conditions of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain in the north of the Astrakhan region. In the work, the following methods were used: soil moisture was determined by the thermostatic-weight method (B.A. Dospekhov); experimental data were processed by the method of dispersion analysis using Microsoft Excel. According to the results of the study, the best survival rate (83 %) was observed in one-year-old saplings of English oak in the variant with using hydrogel in no-flooding site.

Multi-reservoir system response to alternative stochastically simulated stationary hydrologic scenarios: An evaluation for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin

Study regionApalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin in the Southeast US Study focusOperational rules of managed river systems are typically developed based on historical hydrology. This approach fails to consider alternative plausible hydrologic conditions that may occur outside the observational period-of-record. Here, we evaluated operational rules of a transboundary managed river system—the ACF Basin—with multiple reservoirs under historical observations and 100 stochastic streamflow realizations representing the current streamflow conditions of the basin. These scenarios, which had comparable averages as the historical records but greater extremes, were simulated by coupling a stochastic streamflow model with a basin-wide river system model. We used these scenarios to evaluate the response of the ACF Basin against metrics for urban water supply, required freshwater inflows, floodplain forest ecosystem water needs and hydropower generation. The evaluation was done based on the magnitude, frequency, duration and seasonality of these metrics. New hydrological insight of the regionThe unique aspect of this paper is using a stochastic streamflow model coupled with a river basin model to evaluate the response of the ACF Basin’s current operational rules under several hypothetical plausible stationary hydrologic scenarios. We found that, overall, the basin response in terms of all the metrics used here was less favorable under the alternative stationary hydrologic scenarios than the historical hydrology. Our evaluations suggested that the reservoir operational rules should be revisited to consider a broader range of plausible hydrologic conditions.

Development of a computationally efficient floodplain ecological response model for large-scale, data-sparse riparian environments

Quantitative assessment of floodplain ecological response to flow regimes is challenging but essential for setting targets and estimating impacts for environmental water management. This paper proposes a model that takes long-term (90 years) and large-scale (9 million grid cells) flood maps as input to estimate the response of floodplain vegetation using infinitely differentiable functions. The model, named Floodplain Ecological Response Model (FERM), is calibrated against 1-D temporal Leaf Area Index (LAI) data from the WAVES energy and water balance model at a daily timestep, and validated on the entire floodplain using condition data of the Icon Sites of the Murray River aggregated to a yearly timestep. Results show that FERM can adequately simulate the response of different types of vegetation on the floodplain, while reducing the data requirements and runtime drastically compared to other approaches. The FERM modeling approach is a first step towards a quantitative modeling of floodplain forest ecosystems at large scale with realistic data and computation requirements. It is intended to indicate the potential of such an approach in semi-arid systems where data availability is limited, and to encourage the further research needed to improve our understanding of floodplain forests and our capacity to model the impact of floods on their ecological response.

Phenological Response of Flood Plain Forest Ecosystem Species to Climate Change during 1961–2021

The present study analyses 61 years of phenological observations (1961–2021) of five herb, five shrub, four tree, and one bird species representing the prevalent spring species of floodplain forest ecosystems in the Czech Republic, central Europe. The in situ observations were conducted at the Vranovice site (48°48′ N, 16°46′ E, 170 m above mean sea level) representing the Plaček’ forest National Reserve. The observed plants and bird species showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) shifts in phenological terms to an earlier date of the year, but the rate of the shift among the observed species differed. The most progressive shifts were detected for the herbs (14 days), followed by the shrubs (13 days), trees (9 days), and finally by the bird species (8 days). All the phenophases were significantly correlated with the daily maximum temperature (r = 0.72–0.91). The results also showed a decline in the correlation for species among the phenophases of the herbs and trees. The phenophases that were highly correlated in the past were less correlated and had higher variability in the last decades. We conclude that the phenological response of the ecosystem to warming in the spring resulted in higher variability and a lower correlation among the observed phenophases mainly caused by the most expressive phenological shifts of the early herbs.

Reduction, degradation and restoration of Salix alba habitat in the Kerkini National Park, northern Greece; an important habitat for endangered bird species

Floodplain forest ecosystems are considered important ecosystems for their high ecological and economical values and functions. Last decades human activities on floodplains have resulted in a large reduction of these ecosystems or/and high degradation, while in some cases they severely disrupted the regeneration of riparian tree species of the Salicaceae family. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ecology and the current conservation status of the Salix alba floodplain forest in Lake Kerkini National Park (northern Greece),which comprises the main habitat for many endangered bird species, as well as the success of a pilot reforestation project carried out, aiming at habitat restoration. The analysis of the quantification and mapping data showed that this floodplain ecosystem has suffered serious or maybe an irreversible damage during the last decade, and especially after 2016, when the woodland lost half of its area in a very short time period (10 years). Stand structural analysis showed that the woodland consists of only mature trees at a low density, with a great absence of young individuals. However, both the rich natural regeneration recorded in the fenced plots and the performance of planted seedlings in the experimental plots indicate that a Salix woodland regeneration can be succeeded if appropriate silvicultural treatments are applied. The plantings of high (big) size plants of S. alba and simultaneous protection from buffalos grazing, could greatly contribute to the habitat restoration.

Protected areas and frugivorous fish in tropical rivers: Small‐scale fisheries, conservation and ecosystem services

Abstract Frugivorous fish provide often conflicting ecosystem services of seed dispersal and food provisioning in tropical rivers. Fishing may reduce the size and abundance of frugivorous fish, thus affecting their potential as seed dispersers, which could affect the conservation of these fish and of floodplain forests. The goal of this study was to assess the influence of co‐managed protected areas in the form of extractive reserves (RESEX) and small‐scale fisheries on frugivorous fish in the Tapajós and Negro rivers, in the Brazilian Amazon. The study examined whether: (i) frugivorous fish are important for fisheries and selectively caught; and (ii) frugivorous fish abundance, size and fisheries catch per unit of effort are higher inside the RESEX than outside. The analyses included fisheries‐dependent data (3,753 fish landings) and independent data (12,730 sampled fish) collected in 16 fishing communities (eight for each river). In both rivers, frugivorous fish are among the 10 species caught the most and frugivorous biomass was proportionately higher in landings than in samplings, indicating fisheries selectivity towards these fishes. In both rivers, catches of frugivorous fish were higher outside the RESEX than inside. Catch per unit effort and the proportion of frugivores in the catch were higher outside the RESEX in the Tapajós River but did not vary between sites inside and outside the RESEX in the Negro River. Frugivorous fish were larger inside the RESEX in the Negro, but smaller inside the RESEX in the Tapajós. The results indicated that the ecosystem services of seed dispersal and food source provided by frugivorous fish are not in conflict in the tropical rivers studied. Therefore, these clearwater and blackwater rivers in the Brazilian Amazon show a balance between fisheries and conservation of frugivorous fish, which play an essential role in the functioning of tropical floodplain forest ecosystems.

Tree mortality and regeneration of Euphrates poplar riparian forests along the Tarim River, Northwest China

BackgroundTree mortality and regeneration (seedling and sapling recruitment) are essential components of forest dynamics in arid regions, especially where subjected to serious eco-hydrological problems. In recent decades, the mortality of the Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica) along the Tarim River in Northwest China has increased. However, few studies have quantified the causes of mortality and regeneration in this azonal riparian forest type.MethodsThe present study describes the annual hydrological response of tree mortality and regeneration in forest gaps. A total of 60 canopy gaps were investigated in six replicate grid plots (50 m × 50 m) and the annual runoff and water consumption data during the period of 1955–2016 were collected from hydrological stations in the middle reaches of the Tarim River. We compared the regeneration density of seedlings and saplings within the canopy gap areas (CGAs), undercanopy areas (UCAs), and uncovered riverbank areas (RBAs) through detailed field investigation.ResultsOur study found that the mortality of young and middle-aged gap makers has increased remarkably over recent decades, particularly since the year 1996. The main results indicated that regional water scarcity was the primary limiting factor for long-term changes in tree mortality, as shown by a significant correlation between the diameter at breast height (DBH) of dead trees and the annual surface water. The average density (or regeneration rate) of seedlings and saplings was highest in the RBAs, intermediate in the CGAs, and lowest in the UCAs. Compared with the UCAs, the CGAs promote tree regeneration to some extent by providing favorable conditions for the survival and growth of seedlings and saplings, which would otherwise be suppressed in the understory. Furthermore, although the density of seedlings and saplings in the CGAs was not as high as in the RBAs, the survival rate was higher in the CGAs than in the RBAs.ConclusionForest canopy gaps in floodplain areas can play a decisive role in the long-term germination and regeneration of plant species. However, as a typical phreatophyte in this hyper-arid region, the ecosystem structure, functions and services of this fragile P. euphratica floodplain forests are threatened by a continuous decrease of water resources, due to excessive water use for agricultural irrigation, which has resulted in a severe reduction of intact poplar forests. Furthermore, the survival of seedlings and saplings is influenced by light availability and soil water at the regional scale. Our findings suggest that policymakers may need to reconsider the restoration and regeneration measures implemented in riparian P. euphratica forests to improve flood water efficiency and create canopy gaps. Our results provide with valuable reference information for the conservation and sustainable development of floodplain forest ecosystems.

Empirical evaluation of two-dimensional unsteady hydraulic models for applications in floodplain forest ecology

ABSTRACT Two-dimensional unsteady hydraulic models can be attractive tools for characterizing the inundation dynamics relevant to floodplain forest ecosystems because of their ability to make dynamic, spatially continuous predictions. Such models are challenging to evaluate because they require spatially and temporally extensive datasets that are expensive or logistically difficult to collect. As a result, there are few examples of model evaluation methods intended for ecological applications in terrestrial or semi-terrestrial areas. Here, we demonstrated one evaluation approach using 3D arrays of low-cost temperature sensors to characterize wetted extent, depth and duration. Simulations of observed flood events in two geomorphically distinct river reach exhibited strong agreement with indirect measurements of wetted extent (>80%). Errors in depth prediction (average 24–29 cm) were similar to those of other ecological applications. Discrepancies in simulated flood durations were almost exclusively less than 24 h in length, which we interpreted as acceptable for the intended model applications. We found that unsteady 2D hydraulic models can capture a level of reality in wetted extent, depth and duration appropriate for characterizing key environmental gradients thought to drive forest composition. We also demonstrated a spatio-temporal model evaluation method that can be tailored to specific ecological research questions.

Remote Infiltration Areas as a Main Source of Ground Water for Floodplain Forest Without Floods

This article brings new information about phenomenon of the growth of floodplain forest without influence of floods over 50 years. Floodplain forest and its hydrogeological regime are under detail research for 10 years and detail 10 years data from hydrogeological well is used in this study. The area of interest belongs to nature reserve Plackuv les what together with brook Satava represents a unique relic of a floodplain forest in the confluence area of the rivers Svratka and Jihlava in southern Moravia (South‑Moravian Region). The damming of the channel of the river Svratka has caused the end of floods. Despite the anthropogenic regulations performed, the hydrogeological conditions have remained preserved at the site. Stream channel was rised due to the regulation at the above the level of the existing ground; this eliminated its drainage functions for groundwater. The contact between the base of floodplain loams and the groundwater Tab. is not lost and the capillary rise in them remains preserved. Analysis of groundwater level confirmed multi‑component refilling of the hydrogeological structure, which is drained in Plackuv les and the river Satava. All last 10 years, the maximum of the groundwater level measured is from July to September. It means, that groundwater reaches the highest level in the period, when the minimum flow rates are recorded on the surface flows. In this period, the locality displays the maximal infiltration of the precipitation from the last hydrological year from distant infiltration area. Because of the absence of floods, groundwater at this site is the most significant resource of water, and it represents a key‑factor which enables the growth and thriving of the floodplain forest ecosystem.

Massive tree mortality from flood pulse disturbances in Amazonian floodplain forests: The collateral effects of hydropower production

Large dams built for hydroelectric power generation alter the hydrology of rivers, attenuating the flood pulse downstream of the dam and impacting riparian and floodplain ecosystems. The present work mapped black-water floodplain forests (igapó) downstream of the Balbina Reservoir, which was created between 1983 and 1987 by damming the Uatumã River in the Central Amazon basin. We apply remote sensing methods to detect tree mortality resulting from hydrological changes, based on analysis of 56 ALOS/PALSAR synthetic aperture radar images acquired at different flood levels between 2006 and 2011. Our application of object-based image analysis (OBIA) methods and the random forests supervised classification algorithm yielded an overall accuracy of 87.2%. A total of 9800 km2 of igapó forests were mapped along the entire river downstream of the dam, but forest mortality was only observed below the first 49 km downstream, after the Morena rapids, along an 80-km river stretch. In total, 12% of the floodplain forest died within this stretch. We also detected that 29% of the remaining living igapó forest may be presently undergoing mortality. Furthermore, this large loss does not include the entirety of lost igapó forests downstream of the dam; areas which are now above current maximum flooding heights are no longer floodable and do not show on our mapping but will likely transition over time to upland forest species composition and dynamics, also characteristic of igapó loss. Our results show that floodplain forests are extremely sensitive to long-term downstream hydrological changes and disturbances resulting from the disruption of the natural flood pulse. Brazilian hydropower regulations should require that Amazon dam operations ensure the simulation of the natural flood-pulse, despite losses in energy production, to preserve the integrity of floodplain forest ecosystems and to mitigate impacts for the riverine populations.

Ungulate Browsing Limits Bird Diversity of the Central European Hardwood Floodplain Forests

Temperate hardwood floodplain forests along lowland rivers are considered important forest biodiversity refugia in the European cultural landscape. The absence of apex predators combined with an artificial feeding of herbivore populations in winter seasons has caused an increase in browsing pressure on hardwood trees, nearly preventing their regeneration in some localities. There are still important knowledge gaps in understanding the relationships between deer abundance (and browsing pressure) and the abundance (and diversity) of forest bird species in unmanaged hardwood forests. We have studied the red deer and fallow deer browsing pressure in Central European unmanaged hardwood floodplain forests using a novel method based on monitoring browsing pressure along transects combined with bird census data in the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area (Czech Republic). The monitoring data suggested a very high browsing pressure on hardwood trees, causing a strong reduction of the shrub layer and young tree layer (30–210 cm above ground surface). The bird census data from the study area were collected using the territory mapping method. Our results revealed a bird diversity decline in all study plots and the bush nesters guild was found to be completely absent. As bird species from the bush nesters guild are generally common (usually dominant) in hardwood floodplain forest ecosystems with a rich shrub and young tree layer and low browsing pressure, we conclude that intense browsing by large herbivores represents a limiting factor to the bird diversity (especially bush nesters) of hardwood floodplain forests.

Landcover Mapping of Floodplains along the Naryn River, Kyrgyzstan Based on Sentinel-2

The article presents the results of studies on the use of Sentinel-2 satellite data and the application of SNAP and ArcGIS software for the classification and mapping of forest cover of the Naryn river floodplain. Available inventory maps of the Kyrgyz Forestry Administration are outdated and do not meet current requirements and need to be updated with the use of satellite images from different systems. High resolution Sentinel-2A multispectral imagery has been used to study the supervised forest cover classification of the floodplain areas of the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan for contributing to forest inventory and general analysis of the floodplain forest ecosystems. Using such high resolution images in this study was due to the peculiar properties of classification and mapping of small vegetation areas of the unstable floodplains of mountain rivers. Supervised classification was performed using S2A MSI and World View 2 satellite images through SNAP software and field investigation data. Level-1C S2A multispectral images are processed to the Level-2A using Sen2Cor for the atmospheric corrections and further classification. The research results show the usefulness of high resolution Sentinel-2 imagery for land use and land cover classification as weil as the best freely available tool for thematic mapping of riparian forests.

Variation of the floodplain forest ecosystem service value in the lower reaches of Tarim River, China

AbstractEcosystem service and human activity assessment are essential for effective natural resources allocation; however, these were seldom researched in arid region. This study used the theory proposed by Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to analyse ecosystem services provided by the floodplain forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River. Results showed the following: (a) In the research area, the ecosystem service values of approximately US$216.78 × 108 occurring from 1972 to 2015 showed a decreasing trend; (b) the total ecosystem service values for floodplain forest and water area for all land use and land cover types accounted for 87.43% of the total value in the research area, and water supply, biodiversity protection, and waste treatment accounted for 55% of the total function values—these were the highest service values; (c) this research showed that the estimated ecosystem service values of research area were inelastic to value coefficients. This study showed that future work should allow land use and Ecological Water Conveyance Project to follow with rigorous environmental impact analyses. These analyses will be crucial to maintain the stability and sustainable development in the lower reaches of the Tarim River and also can provide references for research in the arid regions of Northwest China and Central Asia.

Effect of the Gabčíkovo Waterworks (Slovakia) on riparian floodplain forest ecosystems in the Danube inland delta: vegetation dynamics and trends

AbstractHuman alteration of watercourses is global phenomenon that has had significant impacts on local ecosystems and the services they provide. Monitoring of abiotic and biotic changes is essential to mitigating long-lasting effects, and the 23-year dataset from the Gabčíkovo Waterworks provided a rare opportunity to assess the impact of groundwater regimes on vegetation. The main aim of this study was to describe the effect of the Gabčíkovo Waterworks on vegetation structure and species composition of the adjacent riparian floodplain forests over the past 23 years. The results are based on studies of three permanent monitoring plots (PMPs) located in the Danube inland delta – two outside (PMP 1 and 3) and one (PMP 2) fully under the influence of the artificial supply system. Our results demonstrate that the Danube inland delta was negatively affected by the Gabčíkovo construction, particularly for sites outside of the artificial supply system. There was a significant decrease in soil moisture and increase in nitrogen at both external PMPs (1 and 3). Alter soil conditions were accompanied by negative changes in plant species composition demonstrated by decreases in the number of typical floodplain forest species that are characteristic for the alliance

Combining a growth-simulation model with acoustic-wood tomography as a decision-support tool for adaptive management and conservation of forest ecosystems

The paper deals with the application of growth-simulation model SYBILA in conjunction with pulse tomography ARBOTOM for the evaluation of the strategy that was chosen for the management and protection of hardwood floodplain-forest in two study sites in Litovelske Pomoravi Protected Landscape Area (Czech Republic). The results of the simulation-growth model, supplemented by wood tomography showed that the current method of protection and management of the studied floodplain-forest ecosystems would lead to a change in habitat character, which is in conflict with the basic mission of Natura 2000. Simultaneous application of both non-invasive methods enables adjustments to the protected area management plan in accordance with the principles of adaptive ecosystem management. The results of the paper show that the combination of the two relatively new non-invasive methods of ecological research can be a promising support tool for adaptive ecosystem management and protection of forest ecosystems in protected areas.

Dominance and Diversity of Bird Community in Floodplain Forest Ecosystem

The paper is aimed to assessment of diversity and structure of bird community in floodplain forest ecosystem. Authors present results of analyses data on bird communities obtained at two transects in the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area (Czech Republic) in the period 1998–2012. Research of bird communities was carried out using the point-count method. The article deals with qualitative and quantitative representation of breeding bird species, including their relation to habitat type (closed floodplain forest, ecotone). Altogether 63 breeding species were recorded at the Vrapač transect and 67 at the Litovelské luhy transect, respectively. To be able to detect all recorded species, 11 out of 14 years of monitoring were needed at the Vrapač transect and all 8 years of monitoring at the Litovelské luhy transect, respectively. Authors show that the values in dominant bird species change significantly among the particular census dates within one season, mainly with respect to their activity and detectability. Results are discussed in the frame of sustainable forest management in floodplain forest ecosystems. The presented article can promote to discussion aimed to management strategy for floodplain forest ecosystems, which ranks among natural habitat types of Community interest protected under the Natura 2000 European network.

Detectability as an important factor influencing the knowledge of bird diversity in a floodplain forest ecosystem

Knowledge of the structure and diversity of bird populations in forest ecosystems is important for the conservation of forest biodiversity. The results of bird population studies in forest ecosystems are influenced by the detectability of the subject birds. In spite of this fact, the detectability of birds in different forest habitats is often paid little attention. The aim of the present study is an assessment of the key factors which are important for the detectability of birds in floodplain forest ecosystems. The paper analyses the detectability of bird species in floodplain forests (LitovelskĂŠ PomoravĂ­, Czech Republic) during the period 1998-2012. In this study the authors analysed data with relation to the date of the census, climatic factors (cloud cover, air temperature, wind and precipitation) and the main two habitat types (closed mature forest and ecotone). The results of the study show that the numbers of dominant bird species change significantly during the particular census dates within one season, mainly with respect to bird detectability.

Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change: Experience from Smallholder Floodplain Forest Management

Ecosystem‐based Adaptation (EbA) is a strategy to use ecosystem services to help farmers’/communities to adapt to negative effects of climate change. This strategy is appropriate for smallholders to strengthen their livelihood security, diversify earning streams by taking advantage of their traditional knowledge. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to analyze how ecologically‐based management system of floodplain Barringtonia forest helps the traditional communities to sustain their livelihood while managing the forest under changing climate. Barringtonia acutangula constitute floodplain forest ecosystem in Chatla wetland of Barak Valley, Assam. Fishery management for commercial fish production is the primary vocation of the floodplain communities. The species is managed for sprout production (sprout diameter >10cm and length >150cm, tree diameter > 20 cm), the latter is used extensively in fish farming to protect fishes from predator, poaching and theft, besides its commercial utility. Smallholder’s forested Barringtonia zone ranges in size from 0.03 to 0.26 ha with mean stand density of 1293 trees ha ‐1 . Study revealed a unique ecologically compatible branch cutting technique which has been developed by the farmers’ to facilitate high branch production from the limited number of trees that farmers’ own. Such traditional technique sustainably utilizes the forest ecosystem and provide both on and off site ecosystem services. Therefore, ecologically based management practices can also contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing emissions from ecosystem loss and degradation, and enhancing carbon sequestration.