Forest Clearance Research Articles

Mid-Term Effects of Forest Thinning on N Mineralization in a Semi-Arid Aleppo Pine Forest

In order to assess the sustainability of silvicultural treatments in semiarid forests, it is necessary to know how they affect the nutrient dynamics in the forest. The objective of this paper is to study the effects of silvicultural treatments on the net N mineralization and the available mineral N content in the soil after 13 years following forest clearings. The treatments were carried out following a randomized block design, with four treatments and two blocks. The distance between the two blocks was less than 3 km; they were located in Chelva (CH) and Tuéjar (TU) in Valencia, Spain. Within each block, four experimental clearing treatments were carried out in 1998: T0 control; and T60, T75 and T100 where 60%, 75% and 100 of basal area was eliminated, respectively. Nitrogen dynamics were measured using the resin tube technique, with disturbed samples due to the high stoniness of the plots. Thirteen years after the experimental clearings, T100, T75 and T60 treatments showed a twofold increase in the net mineralization and nitrification rates with respect to T0 in both blocks (TU and CH). Within the plots, the highest mineralization was found in sites with no plant cover followed by those covered by undergrowth. These results can be explained in terms of the different litterfall qualities, which in turn are the result of the proportion of material originating from Pinus halepensis Mill. vs. more decomposable undergrowth residues.

Bat phylogenetic responses to regenerating Amazonian forests

AbstractThroughout the tropics, regenerating secondary forests occupy vast areas previously cleared for agriculture and cattle ranching. However, despite the importance of regenerating forests in mitigating the pervasive negative consequences of forest loss and fragmentation on forest‐associated biodiversity, longitudinal studies on species' phylogenetic responses to matrix regeneration are rare.We surveyed bats in continuous primary forest, primary forest fragments and in the regenerating secondary forest matrix of a whole‐ecosystem Amazonian fragmentation experiment, ~15 and ~30 years after forest clearance, to investigate how changes in matrix quality through forest recovery affect phylogeneticα‐ andβ‐diversity.We found that temporal changes in phylogeneticα‐richness were more marked in the secondary forest matrix than in forest fragments and continuous forest, evidencing a significant increase in total evolutionary history over time. However, when the effects of species richness were accounted for, the phylogenetic structure of each assemblage was reduced close to zero, evincing a random pattern of lineages in all habitat types. Temporal differences in phylogeneticβ‐diversity were driven mainly byβreplacementin secondary forest and continuous forest ~30 years after forest clearance. Both habitats also clustered together in terms ofβrichness, indicating similar levels of evolutionary heritage. Consequently, regenerating secondary forest showed a reduction in the extinction probability of lineages over time.Synthesis and applications. Approximately 30 years of secondary forest regeneration were sufficient for phylogenetic richness to recover to levels similar to those observed in continuous forest. Promoting forest succession on degraded land through a combination of natural and active restoration, while ensuring the long‐term protection of secondary forests regardless of their age, is of key importance for conserving tropical bat diversity and their associated ecosystem services. Such restoration measures would stimulate the recolonization of fragments and matrix habitats by evolutionarily distinct bat species, safeguarding phylogenetically diverse assemblages and ecological functions. Our study suggests that forest restoration in tropical degraded areas should be encouraged and secondary forests be protected by law, especially in countryside ecosystems with high primary forest cover, and in the surroundings of protected areas.

Overbank silt-clay deposition and intensive Neolithic land use in a Central European catchment – Coupled or decoupled?

Hydro-sedimentary processes such as soil erosion, sediment transport, deposition, and re-deposition influence the environmental evolution of floodplains, especially in loess-covered catchments. Holocene floodplain deposits are thus a source of information on previous hydro-sedimentary dynamics and land use in the catchment. Resulting from forest clearings in the catchment, the onset of overbank silt-clay deposition is considered as an initial and significant human-induced process affecting Central European floodplain evolution and ecosystems. However, it is difficult to separate climate-related from anthropogenic forces on depositional environments, and the complexity of the hydro-sedimentary responses is part of an ongoing debate in geoscientific, ecological, and archaeological communities. This study focuses on the Central European Weiße Elster river system, where humans have been influencing hydro-sedimentary processes since the Early Neolithic due to land-use-induced soil erosion predominantly in the loess-covered sub-basin of the middle course. A catchment-scale XRF element record of fluvial sediment sources combined with the geochemical characterisation of Holocene floodplain deposits aim for a better understanding of the interplay between past soil erosion, overbank deposition in the floodplain, and potential changes in sediment provenances. The Weiße Elster floodplain chronosequences show a geochemical differentiation into a lower (Neolithic) and an upper (post-Neolithic) overbank silt-clay deposition. The construction of a sediment source fingerprinting mixing model yields the significant finding that the Neolithic overbank silt-clay deposition reveals a remote provenance signal from the upper catchment and less from the proximal loess-covered sub-catchment. According to a systematic archaeological data survey, the upper catchment was not permanently settled and used for agriculture in the Neolithic period. This contradicts the previous assumption that Neolithic overbank silt-clay deposition primarily originates from forest clearings and subsequent farming-induced soil erosion in the catchment. From a more general perspective, further examination of existing hypotheses concerning overbank silt-clay deposition in Central European floodplains is thus in order.

Impact of land use change on agriculture sector of Tamil Nadu, India

Tamil Nadu is the southern-most state of Indian peninsula, which is one of the leading states of India in terms of economic as well as social development. The state is blessed with varied geography and different agro-climatic zones. The western, southern and north-western part are surrounded by hilly region and rich in vegetation. Land use pattern in Tamil Nadu has undergone tremendous transformation over the past few decades due to the impact of urbanization and industrialization. Changes in the land use patterns are associated with ecological changes evidently proven by the recent climate scenario. In Tamil Nadu, the per capita availability of land is only 0.18 ha while the per capita net sown area is only 0.07 ha. An analysis of land use/land cover dynamics has attempted to explore the quantification of fallow land has been converted into agriculture land and then, how much of it converted into built-up area and development of urban infrastructures. Similarly due to the clearance of forests and trees outside the forests (legal and illegal) for agriculture, plantations, residential, highways, railways, and other infrastructure project, has made sever fragmentation on important forest landscapes in Tamil Nadu. According to Bhuvan Portal Analysis between 2005–06 and 2016–17 of a decadal change revealed that Agriculture (Kharif) - 6.26% and 5.37%; Agriculture (Rabi) - 9.93% and 12.18%; Agriculture (Double or Triple Cropping) 18.75% and 16.47%; Agriculture (Current Fallow) 20.17% 22.51%. In another analysis of one decadal change was observed Net sown area was 36% in 2004 whereas 2014 it has increased just 36.17%. The present study analysed the patterns of land use change for three decades in the Thanjavur and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu. Among the thirteen land classes, the Zaid croplands has decreasing in the three decades for both the districts. Whereas, the built up and waste lands shows an increasing trend in all the assessed periods.

Tropical islands of the Anthropocene: Deep histories of anthropogenic terrestrial–marine entanglement in the Pacific and Caribbean

Islands are useful model systems for examining human–environmental interactions. While many anthropogenic effects visible in the archaeological and paleoecological records are terrestrial in nature (e.g., clearance of tropical forests for agriculture and settlement; introduction of nonnative flora and fauna), native peoples also relied heavily on marine environments for their subsistence and livelihood. Here we use two island case studies—Palau (Micronesia) and the Lesser Antilles (Caribbean)—and approach their long-term settlement history through a “ridge-to-reef” perspective to assess the role that human activity played in land- and seascape change over deep time. In particular, we examine the entanglement of terrestrial and marine ecosystems resulting from anthropogenic effects and cultural responses to socio-environmental feedback. We suggest that on the humanized tropical islands of the Anthropocene, mangroves, near shore and littoral areas, and coral reefs were major sites of terrestrial–marine interface chronicling and modulating anthropogenic effects.

Restoration interventions produce opposite and non‐additive benefits on tree establishment in degraded forest clearings

The natural regeneration of forests is declining in human‐modified landscapes and overcoming ecological barriers to the seedling establishment is paramount to its restoration. This study focus on two common forest regeneration barriers: excessive sun exposure and low‐quality soils. A degraded clearing with eroded and compacted soils within a disturbed oak forest in Mexico was chosen, and 20 experimental plots in a randomized factorial block design were set up to test seedling performance in the artificial shade and in forest topsoil that was transferred from a nearby remnant forest, as well as a combination of both. We sowed 400 acorns from two oak species (Quercus eduardii and Q. viminea) and monitored the emerging seedlings for 63 months. Our results confirm different survival and growth rates between species, ontogenetic stages, and environmental micro‐conditions. The effect of artificial shade on seedling performance was positive in weathered soil but negative or neutral in transferred forest soil. Restoration interventions did not have additive benefits; seedling performance was improved by both restoration interventions applied separately though was not further enhanced when both actions were combined. Both species had different mechanisms to cope with water stress, which resulted in different photosynthetic rates under full sun. Trade‐offs resulted in different life stages that were more enhanced by different restoration strategies; survival and growth were most enhanced by applying artificial shade or transferring forest topsoil, respectively. Restoration practitioners may prioritize seedling survival in harsh conditions and growth in less severe degraded sites or apply interventions sequentially over time.

Habitat Suitability Index Modelling for Bluebull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in Pench Tiger Reserve, M.P. India

The habitats for the wild animals are shrinking due to the clearance of forests for agriculture and industrialization. The idea of wildlife conservation begins with the identification of their acceptable habitat. Since this crucial information helps in the development and maintenance of the protected areas. The requirement of habitat varies with different landscapes.The bluebull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is Asia’s largest antelope,widespread throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. Peter Simon Pallasin (1766) described it as the only member of the genus Boselaphus.The Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 lists it as a Schedule III animal, while the IUCN lists it as Least Concern (LC). Our goal was to design a habitat appropriateness model for blue bull so that it could reduce the conflict with farming community due to crop damage. Model will be develop using RS & GIS technique to protect the species inside the Pench Tiger Reserve (77° 55’ W to 79° 35’ E and 21° 08’ S to 22° 00’ N) the central highlands of India. The satellite data from LANDSAT-8 of 4th April 2015, Path- 144,Row- 45, with a ground resolution of 30 meters, were collected from the USGS website. This satellite image was then transferred in image format to ERDAS IMAGINE 2013 for further analysis. The data from satellites were gathered and analysed. The purpose of the field survey was to gather information about the presence of various ungulates. A ground truthing exercise was also carried out. For data processing and GIS analysis,ERDAS IMAGINE 13 and Arc GIS 10 were used. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used Factors were identified who were influencing the spatial distribution of the species for conservation planning. The linear additive model was used for HSI. The results show that 242 km2 (29.48 percent) of Pench Tiger Reserve forest was recognized to be highly suitable for bluebull, while 196 km2 (23.87 percent) was moderately suitable,231 km2 (28.14 percent) was suitable, 109 km2 (13.28 percent) was least suitable, and about 43 km2 (5.249 percent) of PTR was completely avoided by bluebull.

Early historical forest clearance caused major degradation of water quality at Lake Væng, Denmark

Although humans have impacted their environment over millennia, details of these impacts, especially on aquatic systems, is still surprisingly scarce despite potential disturbance by early land use. This study examined a high-resolution radiocarbon-dated Holocene record from the Danish Lake Væng, using geochemical and biological proxies, and related the observed impacts to other lake records with catchment disturbance. The results indicate a lengthy and varying history of aquatic eutrophication linked to human activity. Modest impacts on the lake coincided with the first signs of landscape disturbance during the Neolithic (c. 4500 cal. yrs BP). Observed impacts intensified in the Late Bronze and Pre-Roman Iron Age. Viking Age/Medieval deforestation and erosional inputs to the lake associated with new ploughing technology (1200 cal. yrs BP), however, led to a major reorganisation of the aquatic ecosystem . Filamentous bloom-forming cyanobacteria, common today in heavily culturally impacted lakes, reached a historical maxima. The lake ecosystem subsequently recovered somewhat but remains eutrophic to date. The erosion record from Lake Væng shows a striking similarity with other Danish lake records, especially the notable increase in Medieval Period catchment inputs, which are observed in other European lacustrine records. Numerous European lowland lakes may have shifted into a degraded ecological state millennia ago, but degradation intensified during the onset of the Medieval Period. Hence, assuming pre-industrial conditions as relatively pristine reference baselines for more recent cultural eutrophication could be flawed in landscapes intensively used by humans for millennia.

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) adapt their nesting behavior after large-scale forest clearance and community decline.

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) build nests at night for sleeping and occasionally during daytime for resting. Over the course of seven years, forest fragments in Bulindi, Uganda, were reduced in size by about 80% when landowners converted forest to agricultural land. However, unlike other studies on nesting behavior in response to habitat disturbance, chimpanzees at Bulindi had no opportunity to retreat into nearby undisturbed forest. To understand behavioral adaptations to forest clearance, we compared Bulindi chimpanzees' nesting characteristics before and after this period of major deforestation. After deforestation, chimpanzees built nests at lower heights in shorter trees, and reused a larger proportion of their nests. Additionally, average nest group size increased after deforestation, even though community size declined by approximately 20% over the same period. The substantial decrease in available forest habitat may have caused the chimpanzees to aggregate for nesting. However, more cohesive nesting may also have been influenced by dietary shifts (increased reliance on agricultural crops) and a need for enhanced safety with increased human encroachment. Conversely, the chimpanzees selected similar tree species for nesting after deforestation, apparently reflecting a strong preference for particular species, nested less often in exotic species, and built integrated nests (constructed using multiple trees) at a similar frequency as before fragment clearance. Chimpanzees living in unprotected habitat in Uganda, as at Bulindi, face mounting anthropogenic pressures that threaten their survival. Nevertheless, our study shows that chimpanzees can adjust their nesting behavior flexibly in response to rapid, extensive habitat change. While behavioral flexibility may enable them to cope with deforestation, at least to a certain point, the long-term survival of chimpanzees in fast-changing human-modified landscapes requires intensive conservation efforts.

Land use intensity determines soil properties and biomass recovery after abandonment of agricultural land in an Amazonian biodiversity hotspot

There has been widespread clearance of tropical forests for agriculture, but in many cases the cultivation phase is only transient. The secondary forests recovering on these abandoned sites may contribute to mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and protection of biodiversity, but the rates of recovery may be dependent on land-use intensity and changes in soil properties during cultivation. However fine-scale details on these changes are poorly known for many tropical forest locations. We quantified soil properties and recovery of woody biomass in 42 tropical forest fragments representing a chronosequence following two types of agricultural land-uses, and in 15 comparable reference old growth forests, between the Andes and the Amazon in Peru. Soil fertility, particularly base cation concentrations, responded negatively to increasing intensity of agricultural land-use, and either decreased or increased with time after abandonment dependent on prior land-use. The predicted mean recovery rate of woody biomass over the first 20 years following abandonment matched that predicted by a general model for the Neotropics, but recovery was three-fold higher on sites abandoned following traditional agriculture than on sites recovering from intensive agriculture. Estimated total biomass recovered to just above half that of reference old growth forests within 71 years. The inclusion of the biomass of lianas and smaller tree stems did not modify the apparent rate of ecosystem biomass recovery, however the proportion of the total biomass stored in small stems was greater following intensive than traditional agriculture, which suggests that patterns of stand structural development are sensitive to land-use history. We conclude that effects of historic land use on soil nutrient concentrations and their changes through time are required for a more complete interpretation of variation in biomass recovery rates at local scales. These results also highlight the critical importance of contemporary agricultural intensification for carbon storage in tropical forests.

A new species of wood-wren (Troglodytidae: Henicorhina) from the Western Andes of Colombia

A new species of Henicorhina wood-wren (Aves, Troglodytidae) is described from the Munchique massif of the Western Andes of Colombia. The Munchique Wood-Wren Henicorhina negreti is closely related to and probably derived from the Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys of Central and South America. Henicorhina negreti appears restricted to a narrow band of extremely wet, stunted cloud forest on the upper Pacific slope, characterized by nearly continuous fog, high epiphyte loads and frequent landslides; it is abruptly replaced in taller forest at lower elevations on this slope by H. l. brunneiceps, and on the drier east slope by H.l. leucophrys. The new species differs from adjacent forms of H. leucophrys in its distinctly barred abdomen, dark juvenal plumage, relatively short tail and longer tarsi. Its song is also very distinct, and the adjacent forms of H. leucophrys do not respond to it while they do to each others (despite the fact that the new species occurs between them). Conversely, the new species does not respond to songs of H. l. leucophrys or H. l. brunneiceps, strongly suggesting that it is reproductively isolated from them and has distinct habitat requirements. Similarities between the ecology of H. negreti and that of H. leucoptera, another restricted-range endemic sympatric but not syntopic with H. leucophrys, are discussed. Possible threats to H. negreti due to forest clearance and global climate change are discussed, and we suggest that the species be accorded Critically Endangered status.

Shrubland habitats in Dragoman municipality: a case study from western Bulgaria

The current research focuses on the investigation of shrubland vegetation in Dragoman municipality. The study is motivated by the willingness of the authors to check the shrubland habitats’ territorial extent and their importance to ecosystem processes, following the increased degree of succession over the last three decades. On the other hand, governmental subsidizing has been common for the last decade, leading to a clearance of lands with shrubs. Shrublands were studied through the application of the Braun-Blanquet approach and were defined by the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) classification. One main habitat type with three subtypes have been defined. Those are the Subcontinental and continental deciduous thickets (F3.24) that covers the largest area, Peri-Pannonic dwarf almond scrub (F3.24122), Moesian oriental hornbeam thickets (F3.2431), Moesian lilac thickets (F3.2432), covering a total area of 52.32 km2. Secondary succession has to be considered among the main reasons for shrubland distribution. The lower number of grazing animals and forest clearings act as boosters for this ecological process. Large areas in Dragoman municipality are characterized also by shallow soils that are unable to sustain forest vegetation, thus giving way to shrubs.

Upward expansion and acceleration of forest clearance in the mountains of Southeast Asia

Upward expansion and acceleration of forest clearance in the mountains of Southeast Asia

Lateglacial and Holocene changes in vegetation and human subsistence around Lake Zhizhitskoye, East European midlatitudes, derived from radiocarbon-dated pollen and archaeological records

The numerous lake and peat sedimentary archives of Central European Russia are ideal for studying the Lateglacial–Holocene climate and vegetation history of the region. However, robustly dated palaeoenvironmental records have only become available in the last decade and are still few and far between. Together with the continuously growing archaeological record and increasing focus on absolute dating of cultural assemblages, such records, where available, offer an excellent opportunity to study human-environment interactions in the region. For this study we selected one of the most detailed regional pollen records, from a 4.5-m-long sediment section from Zmeinoe Mire (56°16′53″ N, 31°15′36″ E) at Zhizhitskoye Lake (165 m a.s.l.). We performed quantitative pollen-based biome reconstruction and constructed a Bayesian age-depth model to ensure maximum chronological control of the sediment succession. To link the reconstructed vegetation changes to human activities, we gathered and summarized available archaeological data from the study area. Our results show that humid conditions and taiga-like patchy forests (spruce, pine, birch) dominated the study region during the Lateglacial. The Early Holocene (ca. 11,650–8000 cal yr BP) was marked by a warming and drying trend indicated by the spread of cool-temperate summergreen broad-leaved trees and shrubs (elm, lime, hazel) and the retreat of spruce. Warmest conditions, expressed by the maximum contribution of temperate deciduous woody taxa to the pollen assemblages, were recorded during the Middle Holocene (ca. 8000–4000 cal yr BP) when Mesolithic and Neolithic hunter-fisher-gatherer groups flourished in the region. The pollen record suggests that the regional climate became cooler and wetter after 4000 cal yr BP, which may explain the decline of the Neolithic pile dwelling settlement Naumovo at Zhizhitskoye Lake around 3800 cal yr BP. Evidence for human impact on natural forest vegetation becomes visible from 5000 cal yr BP, although it remains at modest levels until the end of the Neolithic (3500–3000 cal yr BP). Decline in arboreal pollen percentages intensified after ca. 2800 cal yr BP, indicating the onset of increased deforestation for pasture, farmland, construction material and fuel by Iron Age populations. This is in line with the foundation of the fortified Iron Age Anashkino settlement north of Zhizhitskoye Lake dated to around 2750 cal yr BP. Forest clearance further increased during the second half of the Iron Age (5th century BCE–5th century CE) and again from ca. 1200 cal yr BP after the onset of the Middle Ages.

POLLUTION INDEX AND ECONOMIC VALUE OF VANNAMEI SHRIMP (Litopenaeus vannamei) FARMING IN INDONESIA

Shrimp farming has contributed a large share in Indonesia’s aquaculture portfolio for at least a decade, and a national plan to increase shrimp production by 250% has been recently laid out. However, boosting shrimp productions could lead to unintended consequences in environmental and socio-economic negative impacts. The rapid development of vannamei farming in Java has increased coastline land clearings and demands of fertilizers, feeds, and chemicals to sustain the farming activities. Such pressures will eventually lead to a reduced environmental capacity and the farming efficiency itself. This study aimed to study the environmental impacts and business performance of intensive shrimp farming in Indonesia. The study was conducted in Aquaculture Business Center (ABC) in Karawang for four months, from July to October 2020. In-situ and ex-situ measurements of water quality parameters were done at six sampling stations directly post-harvest water discharge. The measured parameters consisted of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia (NH3), nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), phosphate (PO4), alkalinity, and salinity. Pollution Index (PI) was used as the primary method to determine the environmental impacts of the shrimp farming. The R/C Ratio was used to analyze the business performance of the company. The results showed that the water quality index in the ABC area was categorized as lightly polluted in station 1 (PIj 4.52) and station 5 (PIj 4.37), moderately polluted in station 2 (PIj 6.24), station 3 (PIj 6.72), and station 4 (PIj 6.13) and heavily polluted in station 6 (PIj 111.06). The determined R/C ratio was 1.10, meaning that the shrimp farming is classified as economically profitable. Although the shrimp farming’s economic performance value is very good, the water conditions affected by waste from the shrimp pond culture will reduce the R/C ratio in the future if not properly managed.

Modelling forest degradation and risk of disease outbreaks in mainland Equatorial Guinea

Background: Epidemiologists have testified for a rise of emerging infectious diseases (EID) events in the tropical areas undergoing forest clearance episodes and make the case for their association to forest degradation and loss. In view of this, we developed a workflow of analyses based on open data to model the EID risk in a context of forest degradation, integrating both exposure to hazardous areas and vulnerability to EID. We applied the workflow to mainland Equatorial Guinea to assess population at risk and understand how anthropic activities overlap with hazardous areas.

Activity of Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) In Two Clearings within Ogooué Leketi National Park, Congo Brazzaville

In order to increase our understanding of forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) vocal communication, this study examined the spatial and temporal activity of elephants from two forest clearings (Bissoloko and Madjouama). To obtain data on the visit of elephant in the clearings daily, it requires considerable human and financial resources for conservation programs observations. However, we deployed autonomous acoustic recorders “SM2” to assess elephants’ activities both day and night time from 2013 to 2014. Elephant visitation in these clearings depends on certain factors as, seasons, years, and preferences of elephant to use one or more site. As a results this study found that (i) elephants visited Bissoloko clearing more than Madjouama, although these two clearings were within 5 km distant one another; (ii) Eighty six per cent of elephant calls occurred at night, and large changes in call density at night often were not reflected in similar changes during the day; (iii) there were significant differences in the calls made at night; (iv) elephants were found to be visiting clearings more often in the wet season than in the dry season; (v) visitation was significantly higher in 2013 than in 2014. Elephants used randomly one or other clearings. This empirical study suggests that African forest elephant has two vocal communication practices. Spatially separated females engage in rumble exchanges that help them to coordinate their movements and to bring them together. Both male and female elephants produce "mate attraction" rumbles to inform the opposite sex of their reproductive status. These results show the value of acoustic monitoring as a tool for better understanding of forest elephant behaviour. We suggest that passive acoustic monitoring should be incorporated into forest elephant monitoring programs to complement direct observations at forest clearings.

Clearing forests to make way for a sustainable economy transition in Switzerland

While many countries around the world are advancing their efforts to transition to more sustainable economies, it is important to be aware of goal conflicts that can be induced by these transition processes. In this paper we focus on land use, especially forest clearances to provide space for transitions in other sectors. The key questions for our empirical case study in Switzerland are: 1) to what extent forests are being cleared to advance sustainability transitions in other sectors and 2) whether pressure on forest area is higher in the Central Plateau than in other parts of the country. We build a conceptual framework based on existing literature that allows us to identify overlaps and differences between three sustainable economy transition concepts (i.e. green, bio- and circular economy) and apply the framework to our data on forest clearances. Our analysis is the first empirical assessment of the Swiss national forest clearances database. In this paper, we included the records of all forest clearances in Switzerland from 2001 to 2017.The analysis revealed that overall, 14.5% of the clearances in the database are attributable to the sustainable economy classes defined by our framework. ‘Transportation’, ‘energy and lines’, and ‘waste disposal and recycling’ are the three clearance categories that harbor most sustainable economy related clearances. Inspecting the data over time, we identified a trend towards more green economy related clearance reasons in the Plateau and in the Alps. Related to our second question, the data analyses revealed that the pressure, measured as absolute clearance area (definitive and temporary) as well as clearance area relative to the regions' forest area, is higher in the Plateau than in other regions. It was not possible to identify a trend in terms of clearance area over time. Our results should enable future discussions of forest clearances to be more nuanced, especially to take into account regional contributions to the sustainable economy transition.

The legacy of forest disturbance on stream ecosystem functioning

Abstract Forest clearance is a pervasive disturbance worldwide, but many of its impacts are regarded as transient, diminishing in intensity as forest recovers. However, forests can take decades to centuries to recover after severe disturbances, and temporal lags in recovery of ecosystem properties for different forest habitats are mostly unknown. This includes forest streams, where most studies of the impacts of forest clearance are restricted to the first years of recovery, typically finding that temporary increases in light and nutrient run‐off diminish as forest recovers. Implications of longer term changes remain little investigated. In a space‐for‐time substitution experiment, we assessed changes in organic matter processing and in the functional and taxonomic composition of litter‐consuming detritivores along a riparian forest age gradient ranging from 1 to 120 years since last timber harvesting. Variation in organic matter processing and detritivore functional diversity along the forest succession gradient were both expressed as second‐order polynomial relationships (peaking at ~50 years along the forest age gradient). Decomposition rates were lowest in both the more recently clear‐cut and older riparian forest streams. Variation of litter decomposition rates among litter bags within streams, measured by the coefficient of variation, was lowest in recent clear‐cuts and increased linearly along the succession gradient. This result indicates higher within‐stream heterogeneity in decomposition rates in older forest streams. Synthesis and applications. We found that the decomposition of leaf litter, a component of carbon cycling in forests, was higher in streams flowing through intermediately aged forest, and that several key attributes of the organisms regulating litter decomposition also varied systematically with forest age. These findings highlight the longer term consequences of forest succession following forest clear‐cutting for stream habitats. Our findings further illustrate complications arising from the use of forested sites as references for newly cleared sites without properly accounting for forest age, given conclusions regarding biotic responses will depend on the age of the reference forests. Finally, our results emphasise the potential of intensive forest management centred on vast, one‐time clear‐cutting events to drive long‐term homogenisation not only in forest age structure but also in the functioning of associated forest stream habitats. ​.

Genetic divergence between isolated populations of the North Island New Zealand Rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris granti) implicates ancient biogeographic impacts rather than recent habitat fragmentation.

This research investigates the extent and causal mechanisms of genetic population divergence in a poorly flighted passerine, the North Island Rifleman or Titipounamu (Acanthisitta chloris granti). While this species has a historically widespread distribution, anthropogenic forest clearance has resulted in a highly fragmented current distribution. We conducted analyses of mitochondrial DNA (COI and Control Region) and 12 nuclear DNA microsatellites to test for population divergence and estimate times of divergence. diyabc and biogeobears were then used to assess likely past dispersal scenarios based on both mtDNA and nDNA. The results reveal several significantly divergent lineages across the North Island of New Zealand and indicate that some populations have been isolated for extensive periods of time (0.7–4.9 mya). Modeling indicated a dynamic history of population connectivity, with a drastic restriction in gene flow between three geographic regions, followed by a more recent re‐establishment of connectivity. Our analyses indicate the dynamic influence of key geological and climatological events on the distribution of genetic diversity in this species, including support for the genetic impact of old biogeographic boundaries such as the Taupo Line and Cockayne's Line, rather than recent anthropogenic habitat fragmentation. These findings present a rare example of an avian species with a genetic history more like that of flightless taxa and so provide new general insights into vicariant processes affecting populations of passerines with limited dispersal.