Forest Cover Loss Research Articles

What, where, and how: a spatiotemporally explicit analysis of the drivers of habitat loss within the range of maned three‐toed sloths (Bradypus torquatus and Bradypus crinitus)

Abstract The first step towards understanding the conservation situation and informing conservation decision‐making is to identify the habitat loss drivers. However, for nearly all tropical biota, there is a glaring lack of information on the spatiotemporal patterns of anthropogenic drivers. Our objective was to analyse the spatial and temporal distribution of the main anthropogenic drivers of habitat loss for Bradypus torquatus and Bradypus crinitus, two endangered and endemic species to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We used land‐use information associated with seven major IUCN‐based threats to sloths, covering a three‐generation time window (1988–2020), to quantify the current area occupied, temporal changes, heterogeneity, and intensity of drivers across species distributions. We found that cattle farming and ranching dominate the range of both species (from 49% to 56%) and cover an area larger than the remaining native forest. Other drivers also represent important spatial and temporal features of land conversion across species distributions. Driven mainly by livestock expansion, both sloth species have experienced a significant loss of forest cover (Bradypus torquatus – 659098.70 ha; Bradypus crinitus – 139013.20 ha) in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Overall, Bradypus torquatus showed a higher rate of deforestation than forest regeneration, whereas forest gains outweighed habitat loss for Bradypus crinitus. Our results show that a substantial area of native forest – essential for strictly arboreal species – is being continuously replaced by cattle ranching and agricultural activities, which may lead to population isolation and decline, threatening the long‐term population viability.

Plant species diversity in cocoa and rubber tree landscapes in Côte d’Ivoire

In Côte d’Ivoire, although slash and burn practice, particularly associated with cocoa and rubber farming, have greatly contributed to the degradation of forest cover and biodiversity loss. There is a dearth of studies documenting the latter. A study was conducted in the central-west and southern regions respectively with the objective to bridge this gap by assessing the diversity of trees species in cocoa and rubber landscapes. An inventory of tree species in eighteen cocoa and rubber plantations was conducted respectively in 45 plots of 400 m² each. Also, 15 plots of the same area were delimited in forests considered as reference systems. Cocoa plantations are 8 times richer than rubber plantations. Moreover, tree density varied from 36 to 56.8 stems.ha-1 in cocoa plantations including 6 species with special-status for conservation and from 0 to 5 stems.ha-1 in rubber plantations. This study confirmed that rubber farming is a driver of tree diversity loss thereby revealing the need to work out credible rubber agroforestry options. As for cocoa farming, the high diversity of companion trees is indicative of the high potential of transitioning to cocoa agroforestry. The contribution of this study to agroecological transition based on cocoa and rubber agroforestry in Côte d’Ivoire is discussed.

Land cover changes and hydropower in Bhutan: Analyzing trade-offs in economic and ecosystem impacts

Hydropower is recognized as a vital renewable, stable and clean energy source that plays a crucial role in sustainable development. However, it often entails significant environmental impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in mountainous regions where its potential is greatest. This study assesses the land cover changes driven by the development of hydropower projects in Bhutan, specifically the projects Punatsangchu I, II, and Mangdechu, with a combined capacity of 2940 MWp. We employed high-resolution satellite imagery alongside historical land use data to quantify these changes. Our analysis reveals that over the course of around 17 years, 1400 ha of forest and 270 ha of agricultural land were cleared, leading to an average annual economic cost of USD 7.6 million. The relative forest cover loss, measured at 0.5 ha MWp−1, was significantly lower than earlier estimates of 2 ha MWp−1. The construction of transmission lines, often a neglected aspect, accounted for the majority (>80 %) of the forest area cleared. Conducting an economic analysis, the annual net benefits of hydropower generation and transmission from these plants are estimated at USD 217 million, about 9 % of Bhutan's 2020 GDP. However, these benefits significantly diminish to USD 8.6 million annually when only considering the transmission infrastructure. The study reveals that the trade-offs between the economic benefits of hydropower and the loss of ecosystem services are relatively modest but become more pronounced when excluding generation benefits and applying higher values to ecosystem services. Although the study assumes a complete loss of ecosystem services, the creation of transmission line corridors contributes to a higher landscape heterogeneity potentially benefitting biodiversity. The findings have significant implications for Bhutan's policy-making in spatial planning, energy, forestry, and agriculture, and highlight areas for further research on hydropower's environmental and economic impacts.

ECOLOGY OF HORNBILL FOOD TREES AT BUKIT BARISAN SELATAN NATIONAL PARK

Hornbills play an important role in maintaining tree gene flow among fragmented populations in forests. But hornbill populations in Asia have been declining mainly due to loss of forest cover and poaching. The presence of hornbills in a forest is highly dependent on environmental factors such as the condition of food trees in their habitat. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution, dispersion patterns, density, and diversity of hornbill food trees at Sukaraja Atas Resort (SA) and Balik Bukit Resort (BB) of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP). We investigated a total of 10 transect (50 survey plots) for both SA and BB by collecting data on all types of hornbill food trees with a minimum diameter of 10 cm at breast height (DBH). We recorded 64 hornbill food tree species with a total of 98 individuals, which have a clumped and uniform dispersion pattern. This study showed that Lauraceae dominated in both resorts with the highest relative density. The results of the diversity index show that 9 transect have moderate diversity whereas 1 transect has low diversity; there was no significant difference between SA and BB. It can be concluded that the existing food trees in SA and BB may support the hornbill populations.

Predicting the impacts of clearing on vegetation communities: a model-based approach for identifying conservation priorities in Queensland, Australia

ABSTRACT Predicting outcomes is critical for conservation prioritisation. We predicted the areas that are likely to be impacted using a generalised estimating equation from a logistic regression and intersected our model with vegetation community mapping for Queensland, Australia. Under the assumption that areas with a high probability of clearing would eventually be cleared, we identified vegetation communities at risk of transitioning into a more vulnerable status, addressing a critical knowledge gap. Specifically, we identify: 1) areas within the study region's bioregions face the highest risk of forest cover loss; 2) communities may transition to more vulnerable according to their extent-based vulnerability status. Our analysis determined high-risk areas within the study region and vegetation communities vulnerable to changing status. Three clearing scenarios – low, moderate and high – were evaluated. In the low scenario, 0.3 per cent of vegetation communities experienced clearing, with 26 communities changing their status. The moderate scenario impacted 35 per cent of vegetation communities, with 103 communities at risk. In the high scenario (our most aggressive assumption), 45 per cent of vegetation communities overlapped with areas suitable for clearing, affecting the status of 158 communities. We emphaise the need to protect high-risk communities while implementing effective management strategies in areas where clearing poses minimal threat.

Patterns and impacts of an unprecedented outbreak of bark beetles in Central Europe: A glimpse into the future?

Natural disturbances have significantly intensified across European forests, with bark beetle outbreaks being the most rapidly escalating disturbance type. Since 2018, the Czech Republic (Central Europe) has become a Europe's disturbance epicentre due to the unprecedented outbreak of spruce bark beetle Ips typographus in the forests dominated by Norway spruce Picea abies. Here we provide novel insights into the impacts and dynamics of this disturbance from 2016 to 2022. The investigation is based on annual forest change maps developed by the classification of optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite imagery. We identified seven major outbreak foci across the country, where the outbreaks culminated between 2018 and 2021. Most of the outbreak waves exhibited a symmetric shape, characterized by a three-year build-up phase, a single culmination year, and the subsequent decline. The substantial proportion of spruce remaining in the outbreak areas after the culmination point implies that resource depletion is an improbable cause for the outbreak's retreat. In the year of retreat, the proportion of spruce in the forest ranged between 26% and 36% in most of the outbreak areas. The disturbance dynamics manifested a transition from the emergence of new tree mortality spots in the early outbreak phase to their short-range expansion, suggesting density-dependent changes in bark beetle dispersal during the studied period. The core disturbance zone, pinpointed in 2022, covered an area of 9,000 ​km2 and experienced a 38% loss in forest cover. Within this area, forest fragmentation increased significantly, leading to a greater forest patch complexity and reduced connectivity among the patches. The presented findings can serve as a glimpse into the future for other European regions, revealing the potential impacts of natural disturbances amplified by climate change.

The relationship between forest cover loss and annual rainfall in the departments of Peru, 2013-2022

Forest masses participate in the hydrological cycle and precipitation patterns. Therefore, the loss of these forest masses has significant implications for atmosphere-surface dynamics. The objective of this article is to determine the influence of forest cover loss on annual rainfall in the departments of Peru during the period 2013-2022. The methodology was quantitative, longitudinal non-experimental design, with panel data and a random-effects model was estimated. The results reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between tree cover loss and total annual precipitation, specifically, a 1% increase in deforestation is related to an average increase of 0.186% in annual rainfall. The findings contrast with most previous evidence documenting reductions in precipitation due to deforestation, however, they are consistent with some studies. The research concluded that there is a positive relationship between the loss of forest cover and annual rainfall in the departments of Peru during the period studied.

Woody species alongside earth contour bunds enhance the soil water‐infiltration capacity in the Sahel, West Africa

AbstractLand degradation, including the loss of tree, forest and vegetation cover, and its related loss of water availability are the main constraints affecting the rainfed agricultural systems in West African Sahel and dry savanna. Therefore, farmers are implementing various soil and water conservation techniques such as zaï pits, half‐moons, contour stone and earth bunds to improve crop production through reduced erosion and enhanced water retention. This study explores the effect of woody and herbaceous vegetation established along earth contour bunds on soil infiltration capacity in southern Mali. The soil infiltration measurements were carried out from September to December 2019 using single ring infiltrometers up‐slope and down‐slope of the bunds built on contour lines in 2015 and 2016 with four types of vegetation: (1) natural annual herbaceous vegetation; (2) planted Andropogon gayanus (perennial grass); (3) planted Gliricidia sepium (woody species) and (4) planted Acacia colei (woody species). The field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) was estimated from the infiltration data and subjected to statistical analysis to compare the effect of the four types of vegetation on soil infiltration capacity. The results revealed significant differences in infiltration rate and Kfs between the four vegetation types. The highest infiltration rate and Kfs were observed for earth contour bunds reinforced with woody species G. sepium (299.5 ± 0.6; 45.3 ± 1.4 mm h−1), followed by A. colei (232.2 ± 2; 38.2 ± 1.6 mm h−1). These were followed by the grass A. gayanus (189.4 ± 2.5; 33.0 ± 1.7 mm h−1) and natural annual herbaceous vegetation (132 ± 2.3; 20.7 ± 1.9 mm h−1). In addition, soil water‐infiltration rate and Kfs were higher for down‐slope compared to up‐slope areas for the two woody species. In practice, it is appropriate for farmers to reinforce contour bunds with woody species and perennial herbs given the beneficial effect on soil water infiltration and retention capacity and the expected socio‐economic benefit they can get from them.

The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian.

Amphibian declines are a global phenomenon but responses of populations to specific threats are often context dependent and mediated by individual physiological condition. Habitat degradation due to reduced riparian forest cover and parasitism are two threats facing the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), but their potential to interact in nature remains largely unexplored. We investigated associations between forest cover, parasitic infection and physiology of hellbenders to test the hypotheses that physiological condition responds to infection and/or habitat degradation. We sampled 17 stream reaches in southwest Virginia, USA, on a year-round basis from 2013 to 2016 and recorded 841 captures of 405 unique hellbenders. At each capture we documented prevalence of two blood-associated parasites (a leech and trypanosome) and quantified up to three physiological condition indices (body condition, hematocrit, white blood cell [WBC] differentials). We used generalized linear mixed models to describe spatiotemporal variation in parasitic infection and each condition index. In general, living in the most heavily forested stream reaches, where hellbender density was highest, was associated with the greatest risk of parasitism, elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N:L) ratios and eosinophils, slightly lower hematocrit and lower mean body condition in hellbenders. All condition indices fluctuated temporally in a manner consistent with seasonal variation in hellbender metabolic demands and breeding phenology and were associated with land use during at least part of the year. Paradoxically, relatively low levels of forest cover appeared to confer a potential advantage to individuals in the form of release from parasites and improved body condition. Despite improved body condition, individuals from less forested areas failed to exhibit fluctuating body condition in response to spawning, which was typical in hellbenders from more forested habitats. We postulate this lack of fluctuation could be due to reduced conspecific competition or reproductive investment and/or high rates of filial cannibalism in response to declining forest cover.

Estimates of Soil Organic Carbon in the Ojos de Agua and El Quinillal Forests in the Central Huallaga of Peru

The Peruvian Amazon has experienced large losses of forest cover due to changes in land use, contributing to increases in CO2 in the atmosphere. This study estimated the organic carbon content of forest soil in two forests “Ojos de Agua” and “El Quinillal” in the Central Huallaga of Peru, establishing three types of cover: (i) primary, (ii) intervened, and (iii) deforested. For this purpose, 24 plots of 100 m2 were established and samples were extracted at a depth of 0–20 cm. The effect of the type of forest cover on soil carbon (Organic Carbon‐SOC, Inorganic Carbon‐SIC, Saturated Carbon‐SC, Critical Carbon‐CC, Saturated Carbon Deficit‐SCD, and Organic Carbon‐OC) was analyzed by means of an Analysis of Variance, correlation. Likewise, the relationship between carbon (C) and soil properties was evaluated by principal component analysis and correlation network. The results indicated that the highest SOC averages were found in the primary forests of Ojos de Agua and El Quinillal with 3.54% and 2.51%. The lowest values were found in the deforested forests with 1.34% and 1.46%. The calculation of the saturated C levels of the soil showed an average of 28.63% ± 2.14% and the saturated carbon deficit of 26.63% ± 2.45%, whereas the critical threshold of C showed an average of 2.21% ± 0.18%. The highest SOC content found in the Ojos de Agua primary forest is due to the presence of dominant forest species such as Manilkara bidentata and Brosimum alicastrum. Likewise, the C deficit in the soils of the study area is very alarming because it is very close to saturation levels, especially in deforested forests.

Deciphering Forest Cover Losses and Recovery (1990–2022) Using Satellite Data in Behali Reserve Forest of Northeastern Himalaya

Deciphering Forest Cover Losses and Recovery (1990–2022) Using Satellite Data in Behali Reserve Forest of Northeastern Himalaya

How does soil nutritional stress limit restoration in the Amazon?

Forest restoration is an urgent demand in the national and global scenario, especially in the Amazon due to the advance of forest cover loss. On the other hand, the nutritional limitation of soils in this biome is a challenge for this practice, considering the entire impact of stress on plants. Considering it, this review sought to compile the findings on the impacts of nutritional stress on tree species, as well as the strategies used to reverse this impasse in the Amazon. As a result, it was possible to observe biochemical, physiological, and morphological responses in tree species. In general, we found that nutritional stress results in changes in the biochemical and physiological activities of the plant since most nutrients are related to the function, structure, and/or composition of cellular elements. For morphological characteristics, a decrease in height, biomass and leaf area are the most recurrent damages. Regarding restoration methods used to minimize nutritional stress, besides conventional techniques such as phosphate fertilization and liming, it was observed the scientific community has invested in strategies mainly based on the reuse of waste. Furthermore, the application of biostimulants, biochar, and biofortification is increasingly common and promising. In this context, the promotion of research in the Amazon biome is strongly recommended to reduce existing gaps.

Analisis dan Prediksi Pemanfaatan DAS Sebangau Secara Berkelanjutan di Desa Garung Provinsi Kalimantan Tengah

People who have lived in watersheds for a long time rely on fish and wood for their livelihoods, but these resources are still getting worse because of people. On the one hand, growth keeps going, and the population keeps growing yearly without anyone stopping it. This means that market demand keeps increasing, which makes people using the watershed do too much fishing and logging.
 Along the Sebangau watershed, social and environmental problems are now, such as the loss of peat swamp forest land cover and fewer fish. There are also social and cultural problems, such as the incomes of the people who really do sustainable fishing are still decreasing. To solve these complicated and interconnected problems, we need methods from different fields that work together.
 The system dynamics methodology is one way to figure out policy scenarios for how watersheds will be used in the future in a complicated, dynamic way that involves many parts and pieces. System dynamics can make the behaviour of the environmental management system easier to understand and model. This helps area managers and the government devise other ways to make decisions about the future.
 Palangka Raya University's academics did this study to give TNS managers and local governments information about climate change and the global environment and to predict symptoms or events that are bad for the people, nation, and state of RI. This study is about the University of Palangka Raya's Principal Scientific Pattern (PIP), the Development of Science and Technology in Tropical Peat Swamp Areas and River Streams, also known as Science and Technology Innovation.

Fine-scale forest structure, not management regime, drives occupancy of a declining songbird, the Olive-sided Flycatcher, in the core of its range

Abstract Climate change, management legacies, pest outbreaks, and fire regimes are combining to pose a growing risk of broad-scale loss of forest cover throughout western North America. Already, habitat changes have been linked with declines in numerous bird species; understanding the relative importance of management regimes and habitat structure may be critical to conserving at-risk species. The Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) is a declining songbird associated with tall, open forests in California’s Sierra Nevada, the core of its breeding range, where the management regimes of the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have led to divergent forest conditions over the past century. We combined a landscape-scale passive acoustic monitoring program, the BirdNET animal sound identification algorithm, and single-season occupancy models to explore the relationships between Olive-sided Flycatchers in the Sierra Nevada and both management regimes and fine-scale forest structure. Olive-sided Flycatcher site occupancy increased as canopy cover decreased relative to mean tree diameter, which is consistent with their preference for mature, open forests. These “open forest” conditions were most prevalent on NPS-managed lands, which is consistent with the assumption that the NPS management regime is more faithful to the historical conditions that had supported a larger Olive-sided Flycatcher population than at present. Thus, the support we found for a positive association with USFS-managed lands after controlling for “open forest” suggests that other habitat features are also important. Our results suggest that conservation strategies for Olive-sided Flycatcher breeding habitat should prioritize the protection and generation of open canopies in areas with large trees, as well as the identification of other important habitat features. Prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and a return of Indigenous forest management practices could help to restore historical forest and fire conditions beneficial to this and other species with similar habitat requirements. Fine-scale alterations to forest structure can be implemented much more rapidly and at much broader scales than the imposition of strict protected status, suggesting that there may be multiple pathways to conservation when species respond to habitat at fine spatial scales.

Gold mining's environmental footprints, drivers, and future predictions in Ghana

The last two decades have seen a surge in gold mining operations around the world. Despite mining occupying a smaller geographical area compared to other land use/land cover (LULC) classes, it exhibits strong interconnections with various land uses and serves as a major driver for changes in mining landscapes. Understanding and evaluating historical and potential future LULC changes in these landscapes are crucial in assessing the environmental impact of mining. Traditionally, these assessments heavily rely on geospatial techniques, with limited emphasis on projecting future LULC trends. This research aims to monitor, analyse the drivers of change, and predict future changes in LULC under two scenarios: the “business as usual” scenario and the "remedial measures" scenarios. Utilising the CA-Markov model, this article predicts LULC changes and offers comprehensive insights into the environmental impacts of mining, combining geospatial and social research methodologies. The investigation spanned a 34-year period (1986–2020) and employed a blend of supervised and unsupervised image classification methods, complemented by interviews, focus groups, and field observations. The findings reveal substantial land degradation, water pollution, and a significant loss of forest cover, accounting for 27,333 ha (36%). Continuation of current mining practices is predicted to lead to further ecological deterioration.

The uncertain future of mountaintop-removal-mined landscapes 1: How mining changes erosion processes and variables

Surface mining may be humanity's most tangible impact on Earth's surface and will become more prevalent as the energy transition progresses. Prediction of post-mining landscape change can help mitigate environmental damage, but requires understanding how mining changes geomorphic processes and variables. Here we investigate surface mining's complex influence on surface processes in a case study of mountaintop removal/valley fill (MTR/VF) coal mining in the Appalachian Coalfields, USA. The future of MTR/VF landscapes is unclear because mining's effects on geomorphic processes are poorly understood. We use geospatial analysis—leveraging the existence of pre- and post-MTR/VF elevation models—and synthesis of literature to ask how MTR/VF alters topography, hydrology, and land-surface erodibility and how these changes could be incorporated into numerical models of post-MTR/VF landscape evolution.MTR/VF reduces slope and area–slope product, and rearranges drainage divides. Creation of closed depressions alters flow routing and casts doubt on the utility of models that assume steady flow. MTR/VF creates two contrasting hydrologic domains, one in which overland flow is generated efficiently due to a lack of infiltration capacity, and one in which waste rock deposits act as extensive subsurface reservoirs. This dichotomy creates localized hotspots of overland flow and erosion. Loss of forest cover probably reduces cohesion in near-surface soils for at least the timescale of vegetation recovery, while waste rock fills and minesoils also likely experience reduced erosion resistance. Our analysis suggests three necessary ingredients for numerical modeling of post-MTR/VF landscape change: 1) accurate routing and accumulation of unsteady overland flow and accompanying sediment across low-gradient, depression-rich, engineered landscapes, 2) separation of the landscape into cut, filled, and unmined regions, and 3) incorporation of vegetation recovery trajectories. Improved modeling of post-mining landscape evolution will mitigate environmental degradation from past mining and reduce the impacts of future mining that supports the energy transition.

Evaluation of Tree-Growth Rate in the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve Using GEDI and Airborne-LiDAR Data

Loss of forest cover and derived effects on forest ecosystems services has led to the establishment of land management policies and forest monitoring systems, and consequently to the demand for accurate and multitemporal data on forest extent and structure. In recent years, spaceborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) missions, such as the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) instrument, have facilitated the repeated acquisition of data on the vertical structure of vegetation. In this study, we designed an approach incorporating GEDI and airborne LiDAR data, in addition to detailed forestry inventory data, for estimating tree-growth dynamics for the Laurentides wildlife reserve in Canada. We estimated an average tree-growth rate of 0.32 ± 0.23 (SD) m/year for the study site and evaluated our results against field data and a time series of NDVI from Landsat images. The results are in agreement with expected patterns in tree-growth rates related to tree species and forest stand age, and the produced dataset is able to track disturbance events resulting in the loss of canopy height. Our study demonstrates the benefits of using spaceborne-LiDAR data for extending the temporal coverage of forestry inventories and highlights the ability of GEDI data for detecting changes in forests’ vertical structure.

Spatiotemporal Vegetation Variability and Linkage with Snow-Hydroclimatic Factors in Western Himalaya Using Remote Sensing and Google Earth Engine (GEE)

The mountain systems of the Himalayan regions are changing rapidly due to climatic change at a local and global scale. The Indian Western Himalaya ecosystem (between the tree line and the snow line) is an underappreciated component. Yet, knowledge of vegetation distribution, rates of change, and vegetation interactions with snow-hydroclimatic elements is lacking. The purpose of this study is to investigate the linkage between the spatiotemporal variability of vegetation (i.e., greenness and forest) and related snow-hydroclimatic parameters (i.e., snow cover, land surface temperature, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), and Evapotranspiration (ET)) in Himachal Pradesh (HP) Basins (i.e., Beas, Chandra, and Bhaga). Spatiotemporal variability in forest and grassland has been estimated from MODIS land cover product (MCD12Q1) using Google Earth Engine (GEE) for the last 19 years (2001–2019). A significant inter- and intra-annual variation in the forest, grassland, and snow-hydroclimatic factors have been observed during the data period in HP basins (i.e., Beas, Chandra, and Bhaga basin). The analysis demonstrates a significant decrease in the forest cover (214 ha/yr.) at the Beas basin; however, a significant increase in grassland cover is noted at the Beas basin (459 ha/yr.), Chandra (176.9 ha/yr.), and Bhaga basin (9.1 ha/yr.) during the data period. Spatiotemporal forest cover loss and gain in the Beas basin have been observed at ~7504 ha (6.6%) and 1819 ha (1.6%), respectively, from 2001 to 2019. However, loss and gain in grassland cover were observed in 3297 ha (2.9%) and 10,688 ha (9.4%) in the Beas basin, 1453 ha (0.59%) and 3941 ha (1.6%) in the Chandra basin, and 1185 ha (0.92%) and 773 ha (0.60%) in the Bhaga basin, respectively. Further, a strong negative correlation (r = −0.65) has been observed between forest cover and evapotranspiration (ET). However, a strong positive correlation (r = 0.99) has been recorded between grassland cover and ET as compared to other factors. The main outcome of this study in terms of spatiotemporal loss and gain in forest and grassland shows that in the Bhaga basin, very little gain and loss have been observed as compared to the Chandra and Beas basins. The present study findings may provide important aid in the protection and advancement of the knowledge gap of the natural environment and the management of water resources in the HP Basin and other high-mountain regions of the Himalayas. For the first time, this study provides a thorough examination of the spatiotemporal variability of forest and grassland and their interactions with snow-hydroclimatic factors using GEE for Western Himalaya.

Assessment of forest cover and forest loss using satellite images in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam

Deforestation in the tropics continues inexorably with severe implications for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation and ecosystem services. This study investigated variation in forest cover in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam, using the Landsat Thematic Mapper and Operational Land Imager satellite images over the period 1989–2021. Imageries were classified using the maximum likelihood classification technique for the years 1989, 2006, and 2021 and were evaluated for accuracy using the kappa coefficient for each year. Furthermore, forest cover losses and gains were evaluated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, which were compared with the output of the supervised classification. Results showed that the forest cover of Thua Thien Hue province has drastically declined over the years. The forest cover, which was estimated at 68.88% (3461.46 km2) of the total land area in 1989, increased to 69.04% (3469.51 km2) in 2006 and subsequently decreased to 57.55% (2891.81 km2) in 2021. Severely reduced forest cover is often associated with the expansion of agriculture on the forest edge; other contributing factors include logging, illegal production land, and forest fires. Overall, our results show the necessity of forest management, rational land-use planning policy, and increased community awareness of conservation and sustainable development of forest resources in the study area in the future.

Evaluation of forest cover loss in properties in the Sierra Madre Occidental, State of Durango, Mexico, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council

Currently, most of the world's forests are governed by policies and regulations that contribute to sustainable forest management. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a voluntary, non-governmental mechanism, proposes a market-based international certification scheme whose mission is to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management. Despite the broad scope of the Principles and Criteria of this scheme, there is limited empirical evidence and a lack of rigorous evaluation in relation to the real impact on forest ecosystems. In order to generate evidence to contribute to the discussion, 42 properties (covering a total area of 1.1 Mill. ha) in northern Mexico, with and without FSC certification, were identified and evaluated in the period between 1986 and 2012. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.14) in forest cover loss between certified and non-certified properties for the period before the properties joined this scheme. Similarly, for the nine-year period after certification, there were no significant differences (p = 0.23) between the two groups. This indicates that the certification scheme has not resulted in significant additional reductions in forest cover loss in certified forest areas. It is therefore important to review the standards imposed and the evaluation methods used in the scheme, in order to identify the real environmental impacts on forest resources and, if necessary, to implement rigorous and reliable methodologies, such as remote sensing tools, to continuously analyze the forest resource in the long term.