Forest Area Research Articles

Improving the identification of pollution source areas with catchment-resolution sensitivity analysis

The significant impacts of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) on riverine ecosystems underscores the critical need to identify the primary nutrient source areas in watersheds. This study aims to unravel the influences of terrain and land use types on mean monthly TN (TNM) and mean monthly TP (TPM) export across varying catchment resolutions in the Qiantang River Watershed of China. The findings of this study illuminated the critical role of topography in understanding nutrient dynamics, wielding a profound influence over water flow patterns and nutrient dispersion. Both land slope and Stream Power Index (SPI) displayed substantial negative correlations (r < −0.6) with TNM and TPM concentrations, whereas the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) showed positive correlations with the nutrient indexes. In addition to terrain characteristics, impervious land surfaces had a positive correlation with nutrient concentrations, while grassland and forest areas exhibited negative correlations. Results further underscored the substantial influence of catchment resolution on correlations between watershed properties and riverine nutrient concentrations. It was imperative to choose an effective catchment resolution in watershed delineation – not too coarse, nor too fine – to accurately capture the topographic and land use impacts on nutrient dynamics. With the most appropriate catchment size (Catchment 700 km2), the critical pollution source areas for TN and TP pollution were identified, and thus could be used to guide future pollution reduction efforts. The study not only highlights the importance of identifying an appropriate catchment size for water pollution, but also emphasizes the necessity of effectively extracting critical pollution source areas to mitigate water nutrient pollution and increase the ecological integrity of the Qiantang River Watershed.

Expansión territorial de la fruticultura agroindustrializada en el sur de Jalisco, México

Objective: to identify the geographical distribution of fruit growing in the Southern region of Jalisco. Methodology: the georeferencing of avocado and berry orchards identified through satellite images provided by the Google Earth system. The resulting polygons were processed with the qgi s software, and we went on to corroborate the information on site. Results: it was estimated that in 2021, in the South of Jalisco, there were almost 40 000 hectares planted with avocado and more than 5 000 hectares ded-icated to the production of berries. In the case of avocado, more than 8 000 hectares had been planted in forest areas, which has created conditions of greater vulnerabili-ty in several parts of the region. Value: this work takes a step towards estimating the amount of land actually dedicated to agro-industrial fruit growing, which is underes-timated in official information. Limitation: the research used satellite images, so it is possible that some orchards were not identified, and it will be necessary to conduct more field work in the area to corroborate the data. Conclusions: since official sources tend to underestimate the size of the area planted with crops such as avocado, it is necessary to conduct further research that will clarify this point in order to help with the implementation of public and private policies, especially where there are mono-cultures that have strong repercussions on the environment. In Southern Jalisco, their effects are increasingly evident.

Analysis of land cover change in Magelang Regency And Magelang City over 15 years

Background: Land cover change is an ongoing phenomenon with significant impacts on the environment and human quality of life. An analysis of land cover change was conducted in the Magelang area, which includes both Magelang Regency and Magelang City, over a period of fifteen years from 2007 to 2023. This study aims to analyze these changes using spatial methods based on land cover maps from 2007 and 2023. Method: In this analysis, land cover was classified into five categories: settlements, dry fields, paddy fields, forests, and plantations, and then compared between the two years. Result: The analysis results demonstrate a significant increase in the area of settlements and dry fields, reflecting urban and rural development. On the other hand, there has been a decrease in the area of paddy fields and forests, which may be related to land conversion for industrial or infrastructure purposes. The change in the area of plantations was not significant, indicating continuity in the management of these lands. Conclusion: The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the dynamics of land cover change in the region and can serve as a basis for further actions to maintain a balance between development and environmental conservation. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study presents the first longitudinal spatial analysis of land cover changes over 15 years (2007–2023), revealing significant trends in urban and rural land use dynamics. This study provides a scientific basis for sustainable spatial planning by highlighting the urgency to balance development infrastructure with preserving farmland and forests.

Progress of Tourism Development in East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia: A Path to Realize the Sustainable Economic Sector

The tourism sector in East Kalimantan Province is expected to contribute to the region’s economy over the domination of the mining industry. On the other hand, the main issue is that the province’s economy still relies much upon the mining-based sector, particularly coal. As green growth-based and sustainable development strategies have been embraced globally for future development, developing a tourism-based economy is associated with this implementation due to tropical and mangrove forest area resources owned by the province. This path, if consistently developed, means not only an improved proportion of non-mining sectors in total local GDP but also significant reductions of carbon emissions responsible for global warming and climate change. Less elaborated studies have discussed the case of tourism development for the case of coal-based at province level. This paper tries to contribute to the gap by descriptively summarizing the current conditions of the tourism destinations and their climate development in the region using SWOT analysis. Our study shows that East Kalimantan Province has a comparative advantage in natural tourism with ecotourism destinations. Mangrove forest attractions, for instance, recorded as many as 18 objects and if these objects are properly conserved, they may contribute to reducing the harmful effects led by greenhouse gases. Other tourist objects with nature backgrounds have also reached 124 in number, and there was one object recognized in the Indonesian Tourism Village Award. An increase in non-domestic tourist visits from 2013 to 2019 was also seen, though the number was less developed compared to national tourists, and it experienced a significant decrease due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some limitations such as accessibility and amenities, human resource, branding, and marketing of tourist destinations hamper the development of the tourism sector and should be addressed to optimize its competitiveness. Policies that cut these burdens may improve the realization of sustainability in East Kalimantan’s Province economy. Keywords: tourism, development, tourist destinations, ecotourism, East Kalimantan

Remote sensing data fusion approach for estimating forest degradation: a case study of boreal forests damaged by Polygraphus proximus

In the context of global climate change and rising anthropogenic loads, outbreaks of both endemic and invasive pests, pathogens, and diseases pose an increasing threat to the health, resilience, and productivity of natural forests and forest plantations worldwide. The effective management of such threats depends on the opportunity for early-stage action helping to limit the damage expand, which is difficult to implement for large territories. Recognition technologies based on the analysis of Earth observation data are the basis for effective tools for monitoring the spread of degradation processes, supporting pest population control, forest management, and conservation strategies in general. In this study, we present a machine learning-based approach for recognizing damaged forests using open source remote sensing images of Sentinel-2 supported with Google Earth data on the example of bark beetle, Polygraphus proximus Blandford, polygraph. For the algorithm development, we first investigated and annotated images in channels corresponding to natural color perception—red, green, and blue—available at Google Earth. Deep neural networks were applied in two problem formulations: semantic segmentation and detection. As a result of conducted experiments, we developed a model that is effective for a quantitative assessment of the changes in target objects with high accuracy, achieving 84.56% of F1-score, determining the number of damaged trees and estimating the areas occupied by withered stands. The obtained damage masks were further integrated with medium-resolution Sentinel-2 images and achieved 81.26% of accuracy, which opened the opportunity for operational monitoring systems to recognize damaged forests in the region, making the solution both rapid and cost-effective. Additionally, a unique annotated dataset has been collected to recognize forest areas damaged by the polygraph in the region of study.

The Urgency of Forest Governance: Learning from Brazil's Sustainable Tourism Development

This study aims to describe the development of sustainable tourism as a method for the enduring management of forests, ensuring the effectiveness of applicable laws, the direction of forest governance policies, and their impact on the environment. Furthermore, it compares these aspects with the conditions in another country, Brazil. This research is a legal study that employs legislative, conceptual, and comparative approaches. The findings indicate that despite relevant regulations, their effectiveness remains low, necessitating focused and directed forest governance guidelines. An integrated landscape approach based on ecotourism development is considered an appropriate solution. However, tourism development also poses risks to forest sustainability, with the potential for significant forest area loss. The study also discovers that the direction of Indonesian government forest governance policies tends to have a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, Indonesia requires an integrated landscape approach as a solution to the failures of sectoral approaches, aiming to prevent damage caused by development. Furthermore, Brazil offers legal comparisons as solutions for the Indonesian government in creating regulations and policies related to forests for tourism.

IMPACT OF FOREST CONVERSION TO PASTURE ON SOIL ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY IN THE NORTHERN AMAZON

The conversion of forests to pastures in the Amazon results in deforestation and the loss of environmental services. This practice affects biogeochemical cycles and impairs soil enzyme activity, which is essential for maintaining soil quality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of converting part of the Amazon forest into pastures, focusing on soil enzyme activity. The study was conducted at Fazenda Canto Verde, Roraima, comparing native forest areas and pastures of Brachiaria brizantha and Brachiaria humidicola, established on Haplic acrisol, without fertilization or tillage, under a management regime of 30 days of grazing and 60 days of rest. Sampling involved 12 mini trenches per hectare at two depths, with analysis of enzyme activity post-incubation. Higher activity of carbon cycle enzymes (Cellulase, Invertase, β-Glucosidase) was observed in the forest compared to pastures, especially with B. humidicola. Nitrogen cycle enzymes (Urease, BAA-Protease) were more active in the forest, while B. humidicola showed the highest Casein-Protease activity. In the phosphorus and sulfur cycles, the forest led in Phosphomonoesterase and Phosphodiesterase, while B. humidicola excelled in Arylsulfatase. This study demonstrates that replacing forest with pastures significantly alters soil functionality, impacting biogeochemical cycles and their ecological functions.

Strategy of geothermal energy development as a renewable energy source in West Java Indonesia

Background: Indonesia has vast renewable energy potential, including biofuels, biomass, and bioenergy from tropical biodiversity spread across the country. Hydropower and geothermal energy are the only forms of renewable energy used to generate electricity and are connected to the grid. Geothermal energy may be incorporated into the grid to create hybrid energy systems that will help to reduce the high energy demand while maintaining low energy costs and net present costs. There are now 14 biosphere reserves in Indonesia, divided into 24 units of core zones, six units of buffer zones, and 13 units of transition zones. The West Java Province has a geothermal potential of 6,101 MWe or 21% of Indonesia's total geothermal resources. Currently, the installed capacity of electricity from geothermal energy in West Java is 1075 MWe or 89% of the total national installed capacity of 1196 MWe. Method: This paper reviews West Java Province data collection from official government bureaus, state-owned businesses, and non-governmental organizations (NGO) reports on geothermal energy capacity, electricity installation, and used area of ​​geothermal power plant and will be limited to the years 2010 through 2020. The collected data will then be refined, extrapolated, and analyzed by the connected trend to aid in studying West Java geothermal growth and use SWOT method analysis. Finding: The result of this research is a strategy for optimizing the development of geothermal energy utilization. The strategies that can be developed are infrastructure improvement as an investment facilitation strategy, a strategy to leverage a costly investment and capital investment, underground mining in conservation forest areas to avoid degradation improvement and supervision of related institutions and stakeholders, implementation of environmentally sustainable development, and socializing programs and providing job opportunities for the local community. Conclusion: Indonesia has an enormous potential for renewable energy, especially geothermal, with West Java Province having the largest installed capacity. This study suggests strategies to optimize geothermal energy development, including improving infrastructure, investment facilities, underground mining, improving supervision, and sustainable development. Novelty/Originality of this study: Research on geothermal energy in West Java provides a comprehensive analysis and specific strategies to optimize the development of this energy in the area, including innovative underground mining approaches.

Bioluminescence Inhibition Bioassay for Estimation of Snow Cover in Urbanised Areas within Boreal Forests of Krasnoyarsk City

It has been proposed that the level of air pollution in a city should be estimated based on the accumulation of pollutants in the snow cover of urban forests. This study presents a bioluminescence method for estimating the extent of snow cover pollution in the urbanised areas of boreal forests in Krasnoyarsk city. A bioluminescent assay involving NAD(P)H:FMN oxidoreductase (Red) and luciferase with luminous bacteria (BLuc) was employed to measure the concentrations of six heavy metals (As, Cd, Zn, Co, Hg, and Pb) in the snow cover. The tested snow samples demonstrated a correlation between the reduced activity of the enzyme system and variations in Cd concentration. Furthermore, the research indicated that the period of unfavourable meteorological conditions in Krasnoyarsk city resulted in a notable decline in the activity of the BLuc–Red enzyme system, which may be associated with elevated air pollution levels. This study underscores the potential of the bioluminescence method for monitoring environmental pollution in urban forested areas.

Assessment and Driving Factors of Wetland Ecosystem Service Function in Northeast China Based on InVEST-PLUS Model

Wetland ecosystem service function provides and maintains the Earth’s life system, which supports human and social development. However, in recent years, with the intensification of human social activities, the wetland area in northeast China has been reduced, and wetland ecosystem service function has been damaged. This paper evaluates the ecosystem service function of wetlands in northeast China based on the InVEST model, taking 40 prefecture-level cities as the evaluation unit, calculating the carbon stock, soil retention, and habitat quality of the wetlands in the study area and analyzing the drivers of changes in ecosystem service function using the PLUS model. The following results were obtained: temporally, the wetland carbon stock decreased from 754 Tg in 2000 to 688 Tg in 2020; the wetland soil retention increased from 24,424 Tg in 2000 to 33,160 Tg in 2010, and then decreased to 28,765 Tg in 2020; and the quality of wetland habitats was roughly unchanged. The wetland habitats in the study area were categorized into 5 types, classified as I, II, III, IV, or V, and the spatial changes in the 40 prefecture-level cities in northeast China were analyzed. The driving factors affecting the change in the wetland ecosystem service function were further analyzed, mainly focusing on changes in the wetland area itself. The influence of other land-use types and the influence of related policies were analyzed in three aspects, among which the GDP and spatial density of the population are social factors, and the elevation and slope are natural factors that provide larger contributions to the change in wetland area. The reduction in forest and grassland areas and the increase in cultivated land and construction land areas have a negative effect on the ecosystem service function of wetlands, and the implementation of relevant wetland protection policies promotes the ecosystem service function of wetlands. According to the problems faced by wetlands in different regions, the government formulates strategies that are in line with local development, with a view to implementing wetland ecological development in the northeast region in the new context, which will help to realize intensive land use and stimulate the vitality of the region.

Unearthing Lactococcus lactis and Scheffersomyeces symbionts from edible wood-boring beetle larvae as a bio-resource for industrial applications

BackgroundGut microbiota have several advantages in influencing the host nutrition, metabolism, immunity and growth. However, the understanding of the gut microbiota in key edible wood-boring beetle larvae remain largely undefined. In the present study, the characteristics of the gut microbiota of two edible wood-boring species (Titocerus jaspideus and Passalus punctiger) from two indigenous forested areas were investigated.ResultsOver 50% of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) constituted of Firmicutes in T. jaspideus. The dominant phyla in both beetle species were Bacteroidota (4.20–19.79%) and Proteobacteria (15.10–23.90%). Lactococcus lactis was the most abundant and core prokaryote in the guts of T. jaspideus. The fungi identified in the gut of both insects belong to the phylum Obazoa (66%) and Ascomycota (> 15%). Scheffersomyeces sp. was the core eukaryote recorded. The diversity of gut microbiota in both insect species did not vary significantly. Most of the prokaryotic genes expressed were predominantly associated with biosynthesis and metabolism.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that Lactococcus lactis and Scheffersomyeces are core gut microbes of wood boring beetle larvae with desirable probiotic properties and promising use in food product fermentation for improved growth performance, gut barrier health, intestinal flora balance and immune protection for human and animals. Further studies to highlight the latest medical-based applications of L. lactis as live-delivery vector for the administration of therapeutics against both communicable and non-communicable diseases are warranted.

The Impact of Gold Mining Activities on the Environment and Community in Nagari Tambang, IV Jurai District, South Pesisir District

Nagari Tambang has an area of 14.97 𝐾𝑚2 . The population consists of 1,948 1,030 men and 918 women. Population density 130.12 per 𝐾𝑚2 . The types of mining in Nagari Tambang are coal, gold, and sirtukil. The coal mine is no longer operating, but gold and copper are still active. The local community carries out this mining activity. Problem activity mining will have an impact: the increased threat of landslides, loss of ground cover vegetation, soil erosion, increased sedimentation, decreased water quality, reduced forest area due to mining that has penetrated the forest, seawater pollution due to coal barge loading and unloading activities, as well as impacts on existing biota around the sea. Meanwhile, the effects on society include Washing waste, hazardous substances for human health, and environmental damage caused by mining. Research methods carried out are quantitative. The research location is in Nagari Tambang, IV Jurai District, Pesisir Selatan Regency. The research population is people living in Nagari Tambang, IV Jurai District, Pesisir Selatan Regency. Samples were taken purposively. Research results: 1. The Impact activity mining gold on the environment is: decreasing the quality environment, because impact of mining gold carried by the people of Nagari Tambang. Such as: a). Morphology land changed namely: layers soil, color land, structure soil, and consistency land. b). River water discharge is reduced Because water catchment in the hills Already decrease and amount plants stand forests is also decreasing. c). Public health is disturbed, such as their skin becoming dry and itchy and there are problems with their breathing. d). Haven't done it yet waste water treatment remainder from the separation process gold with material other. 2. Impact activity mining gold to society: a). Decreased interaction social with the community, b) Many young people in Nagari Tambang do not continue education to Higher Education, c). Life public No increase in a way significant, because mining use method traditional Not yet there is a business entity.

Effect of Planting Ground Treatments Using Artificial Rainfall Slope Simulating Degraded Forestland on Drought Stress Susceptibility of Pinus densiflora

Trees in degraded forest areas are generally exposed to water stress due to harsh environmental conditions, threatening their survival. This study simulated the environmental conditions of a degraded forest area by constructing an artificial rainfall slope and observing the physiological responses of Pinus densiflora to control, mulching, and waterbag treatments. P. densiflora exhibited distinct isohydric plant characteristics of reducing net photosynthetic rate and stomatal transpiration rate through regulating stomatal conductance in response to decreased soil moisture, particularly in the control and waterbag treatments. Additionally, the trees increased photochemical quenching, such as Y(NPQ), to dissipate excess energy as heat and minimize damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. However, these adaptive mechanisms have temporal limitations, necessitating appropriate measures. Under extreme drought stress (DS45), mulching treatment showed 4.5 times and 2.2 times higher in PIabs and SFIabs than in the control, and after the recovery period (R30), waterbag and mulching treatment showed similar levels, while PIabs and SFIabs in the control were only 45% and 75% of those in the mulching and waterbag treatments, respectively. Specifically, mulching extended the physiological mechanisms supporting survival by more than a week, making it the most effective method for enhancing the planting ground in degraded forest areas. Although the waterbag treatment was less effective than mulching treatment, it still significantly contributed to forming better growth conditions compared to the control. These findings highlight the potential for mulching and waterbag treatments to enhance forest restoration efforts, suggesting future research and application could lead to more resilient reforested areas capable of withstanding climate change-induced drought conditions.

Analysis of Potential, Impact and Design of a Sustainable Ecotourism Management System Using an Industrial Engineering Approach in The Kuala Bubon Mangrove Forest, West Aceh

The discourse of the West Aceh government and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, which aims to develop the Kuala Bubon West Aceh mangrove forest area into an ecotourism site to boost the community's economy, has drawn attention from many parties. This is due to the rich biodiversity present in the mangrove forest. Pre-ecotourism studies need to be conducted to ensure that the use of this forest can be managed properly, including studying potential tourist attractions, analyzing negative impacts, and engineering a sustainable ecotourism management industry. This involves using an industrial engineering approach, which offers an optimal framework for achieving these goals. The research was conducted in the Kuala Bubon mangrove forest, West Aceh, in July 2024. Survey techniques and direct observation were used to gather data on the ecotourism potential in the Kuala Bubon mangrove forest. This potential data will be mapped using Quantum GIS and then analyzed to assess the potential and impact of environmental damage as part of ecotourism and the ecosystem. The impact of the damage will then be addressed with alternative industrial engineering solutions, creating an effective management design using AutoCAD. The research results identified five ecotourism attraction points: sunset observation ecotourism, flora &amp; fauna exploration, fishing, duck games, and shellfish searching. Based on this potential, a negative impact analysis and industrial engineering of the ecotourism area will be conducted, focusing on three aspects: infrastructure, waste management, and the utilization of renewable energy.Type your abstract here.

PRELIMINARY MONITORING OF WATER QUALITY AT BANTURUNG VILLAGE, BUKIT BATU DISTRICT, PALANGKA RAYA CITY

Water is a vital necessity for human and living things in general. It is undeniable that the decline in water quality today is the result of human activities that overexploit the environment. People's lifestyles that pay less attention to environmental aspects such as throwing garbage out of place, disposing of hazardous waste, and changing the function of forest areas that can increase the potential for erosion and often cause sedimentation at the bottom of the waters have a negative impact both directly and indirectly on the natural environment, especially water sources. High rate of forest degradation and deforestation has a significant impact on changes and decreases in water quality. In this study, water quality monitoring was conducted using several parameters as an initial step to understand the condition at the Dam and Clean Water Facility in Banturung Village, Bukit Batu District, Palangka Raya City. The results obtained from the analyzed parameters include odorless, pH 5.9, turbidity 1.0 NTU, temperature 28.1 °C, color 3.63 TCU, total dissolved solids (TDS) 10.2 mg/L, nitrate (NO3-) 0.608 mg/L, nitrite (NO2-) 0.002 mg/L, iron (Fe) 0.038 mg/L, and manganese (Mn) 0.006 mg/L.

Quantifying habitat and biodiversity services and hotspots of Indian forests: A GIS-Based assessment

The present study attempted to quantify and value of supporting services of India's forest ecosystem. The supporting services comprises by habitat and biodiversity services across India's sixteen forest types was estimated using data for various factors through Remote Sensing and secondary sources as per the proposed model. Indicators were combined using an Analytical Hierarchical Process, and various class of each service was also estimated using the equal interval method in QGIS. Hotspot analysis was used to identify key areas for forest conservation. The results suggest that littoral and swamp forest had maximum habitat services and tropical semi-evergreen forest had maximum biodiversity service and tropical wet evergreen forest had maximum supporting services. Out of total forest of country, 11.52%, 17.48% and 10.34% forest area was having high value for habitat, biodiversity and supporting service, respectively. Hotspot analysis revealed that 22.93%, 23.61% and 26.44% Indian forest had high habitat, biodiversity and supporting service, respectively. The annual per hectare economic value using Benefit Transfer method for habitat, biodiversity and supporting services of forests was US$ 4330.71, US$ 5987.38 and US$ 10,624.23, respectively. The annual economic value of habitat, biodiversity and supporting services from Indian forests was US$ 303,506.09 million, US$ 419,609.45 million and US$ 744,570.85 million, respectively. In totality, tropical dry deciduous forest, tropical moist deciduous and tropical semi-deciduous forest had high economic value for supporting service. Monetary valuation of forest ecosystem services assists to determine the net present value and costs for conservation interventions. Biodiversity hotspots as the Western Ghats, Indo-Burma region, and Eastern Himalayas offer high ecosystem service and thus attach prime importance for conservation, while the Western Himalayas, with lower ecosystem service, requires customized ecosystem management strategies.

Energetic sustainability in the Amazon region: Exploring impacts, environmental solutions, and rebound effect analysis

The Amazon, a vital global ecosystem, renowned for biodiversity and climate regulation, faces unprecedented challenges due to escalating non-renewable energy consumption. This article sheds light on climate change's implications, exploring the intricate interplay in Amazon sustainability. The focus is on comprehending the impacts and exploring potential solutions to mitigate adverse effects. The research spans from 2002 to 2022, covering countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and Ecuador. This broad geographic and temporal scope provides valuable insights into the dynamic changes occurring in the Amazon region over the years. Employing a robust methodological approach, double log regression analysis is utilized as a powerful tool for a precise examination of the complex relationships between energy consumption, environmental preservation, and sustainable development. The study incorporates various estimators, including Non-Renewable Energy (EnR), Forest Area (FA), Forest Income (FI), Endangered Mammals (EM), Endangered Birds (EB), Endangered Fish (EF), Endangered Plants (EP), Freshwater Capitation (FC), Greenhouse Gases (GHG), Socioeconomic Factors (SF), Water Availability (WA). This comprehensive list enhances clarity and transparency, ensuring a thorough understanding of the research methods. The study uncovers the wide-ranging impact of growing non-renewable energy demand on Amazon biodiversity, forests, and species vulnerability, driven by direct rebound effects. It highlights both the backfire and super conservation effects, emphasizing the need for strategic, holistic approaches to energy and environmental management. Navigating this balance, the research informs decisions for a sustainable Amazon future, fostering awareness and inspiring action toward environmental stewardship and global conservation.

Extraction of 10 m Resolution Global Mangrove in 2022

With the intensification of global climate change, there is an increasing emphasis on protecting natural resources. Mangrove forests, critical to tropical and subtropical intertidal ecosystems, have garnered considerable attention in recent years for their strong carbon sink capacity, rich species diversity, and abundant natural resources. This study utilizes the 2020 global mangrove vector data as a baseline to construct a reasonable buffer zone by calculating the increase in mangrove crown width. The Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and its Sentinel-2 data from 2022 are employed to acquire synthetic images across all regions using the mosaic algorithm. Then, mangrove forests are extracted using the Otsu algorithm, and a map depicting the global spatial distribution of mangrove forests in 2022 is obtained. The average overall accuracy of the extracted mangrove forests in this study reaches 92.4%, and it is determined that the global mangrove forest area expanded by 4920.6 km2 between 2020 and 2022, This study provides crucial data support for the global monitoring of mangrove changes and holds significant importance for protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems.

Global atmospheric methane uptake by upland tree woody surfaces

Methane is an important greenhouse gas1, but the role of trees in the methane budget remains uncertain2. Although it has been shown that wetland and some upland trees can emit soil-derived methane at the stem base3,4, it has also been suggested that upland trees can serve as a net sink for atmospheric methane5,6. Here we examine in situ woody surface methane exchange of upland tropical, temperate and boreal forest trees. We find that methane uptake on woody surfaces, in particular at and above about 2 m above the forest floor, can dominate the net ecosystem contribution of trees, resulting in a net tree methane sink. Stable carbon isotope measurement of methane in woody surface chamber air and process-level investigations on extracted wood cores are consistent with methanotrophy, suggesting a microbially mediated drawdown of methane on and in tree woody surfaces and tissues. By applying terrestrial laser scanning-derived allometry to quantify global forest tree woody surface area, a preliminary first estimate suggests that trees may contribute 24.6–49.9 Tg of atmospheric methane uptake globally. Our findings indicate that the climate benefits of tropical and temperate forest protection and reforestation may be greater than previously assumed.

Estimated distribution of high nature value forest in the Republic of Ireland

High Nature Value (HNV) farmland and forest systems play a vital role in supporting biodiversity and delivery of ecosystem services. Estimates of HNV forest area and distribution in the European Union (EU) are rarely conducted, despite having been a requirement of Rural Development Programmes. This work represents the first attempt to identify and estimate the area of HNV forest in the Republic of Ireland in a repeatable and transparent way. Relevant geo-datasets available for Ireland were collated and analysed. We investigated whether the datasets contained information on the indicators used in a recently-developed Nature Value (NV) index, and explored the potential of proxy indicators to determine the likelihood of a mapped area of forest being HNV. Based on these analyses, a likelihood map of the distribution of forest in different NV categories was produced and an accuracy assessment conducted. Results from this study suggest that HNV forest accounts for approximately 1 % of the Irish land area, or 8 % of the total forest area. Accuracy assessments indicated substantial agreement between the likelihood map classifications and the calculated NV status of National Forest Inventory plots. The methodology presented here could also be applied to existing similar datasets to estimate the extent and distribution of HNV forest in other regions. The mapped output provides a likelihood of a forest area being HNV and can provide evidence to inform the development of forest conservation policies.