National Forest Research Articles

Climate Profile Over Jeldu Woreda of West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Identifying the climate profile of an area is essential for effective water resource management, agricultural planning and disaster preparedness. This study focuses on characterizing rainfall patterns and identifying the variability of Jeldu woreda in Oromia, Ethiopia. Previously and recently, little study tried to show the woreda profile, which did not bases on station data properly. Forty years (1981-2020) of stations’ rainfall and temperature data were utilized. The study area had natural forest, highland and mid land with varying topography. Based on the annual rainfall cycle, the woreda had bi-modal rainfall types, with the peak of the year being July. Statistical methods and python script were applied to identify the climate profile. The results show that main rainy seasonal rainfall starts on average from 12-14 June and ceases averagely around 10-15 October. During second rainy period, the rain starts from 25 February to 10 March. The mean annual rainfall of woreda is 1395.1 mm, and the average maximum temperature is 19.5°. Kiremt contributes the highest percent, which is more than 64 % of the annual total rainfall. The 1987 and 2015 were the driest years, and 1996 and 2010 is the wettest during kiremt, 1987 and 2010 the wettest, and 1999 and 2015 the driest during Belg. Seasonal rainfall had a regular to moderate precipitation concentration over woreda. Identifying the causes of unseasonal rainfall that happened during dry season over the study area can help to decrease weather hazard during the season.

Tree species diversity impacts on ecosystem services of temperate forests

Tree species diversity is crucial for forest ecosystem services as it relates to ecosystem functions. However, it remains unclear how spatially continuous tree species diversity affects multiple ecosystem services in temperate forests that undergo various management practices. We mapped the spatial pattern of tree species diversity represented by the Shannon diversity index, H’ in the temperate forests of Northeast China using 1,028 in situ observations and 846 Sentinel-2 images. We further analysed the relationships between tree species diversity and ecosystem services including carbon storage, water yield, and soil retention, while controlling for the covarying effects of multiple forest attributes including tree height, leaf area index (LAI), and stand age. Our results showed distinct spatial variations in tree species diversity across different forest management practices, with natural forests exhibiting a higher diversity compared to managed natural forests and planted forests. Tree species diversity was found to be positively associated with improved ecosystem services, particularly water yield and soil retention, while the effects plateaued above diversity of 1.0 (Shannon index values). We also showed that LAI was the most important factor influencing carbon storage, while tree species diversity and stand age were crucial for water yield and soil retention. These results highlight the importance of maintaining diverse tree species to improve ecosystem services in temperate forests, providing a robust framework for effectively monitoring and managing forest ecosystems with regards to sustainable forest functioning.

Temporal Shifts in Flower-Visiting Butterfly Communities and Their Floral Resources along a Vegetation Type Altered by Anthropogenic Factors

Habitat disturbance driven by human activities poses a major threat to biodiversity and can disrupt ecological interactions. Butterfly–plant mutualisms represent an ideal model system to study such anthropogenic impacts, as butterflies exhibit intimate dependencies on larval host plants and adult nectar sources, rendering them highly sensitive to habitat changes affecting the availability of these floral resources. This study examined flower-visiting butterfly communities and their associations with flowering plants in a landscape altered by anthropogenic factors in central Mexico. The study area encompassed a mosaic of vegetation types, including native juniper forests, agricultural lands, and introduced eucalyptus plantations, representing different degrees of human-induced habitat modification. Monthly surveys were conducted over a single year, covering both rainy and dry seasons, to analyze butterfly and plant diversity, community composition, and interactions. Results showed the highest diversity in juniper forests, followed by eucalyptus and agricultural sites. Seasonal turnover was the primary driver of community changes, with habitat-based segregation persisting within seasons. Butterfly diversity strongly correlated with flower abundance, while plant richness played a secondary role. SIMPER and indicator species analyses identified key taxa contributing to compositional dissimilarities among habitats and associated with specific vegetation types and seasons. Our research provides insights into temporal dynamics structuring butterfly–plant interactions across this forest disturbance spectrum, highlighting how habitat changes and seasonality shape these mutualistic communities in changing landscapes.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework needs headline indicators that can actually monitor forest integrity

Abstract Intact native forests under negligible large-scale human pressures (i.e. high-integrity forests) are critical for biodiversity conservation. However, high-integrity forests are declining worldwide due to deforestation and forest degradation. Recognizing the importance of high-integrity ecosystems (including forests), the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) has directly included the maintenance and restoration of ecosystem integrity, in addition to ecosystem extent, in its goals and targets. Yet, the headline indicators identified to help nations monitor forest ecosystems and their integrity can currently track changes only in (1) forest cover or extent, and (2) the risk of ecosystem collapse using the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE). These headline indicators are unlikely to facilitate the monitoring of forest integrity for two reasons. First, focusing on forest cover not only misses the impacts of anthropogenic degradation on forests but can also fail to detect the effect of positive management actions in enhancing forest integrity. Second, the risk of ecosystem collapse as measured by the ordinal RLE index (from Least Concern to Critically Endangered) makes it unlikely that changes to the continuum of forest integrity over space and time would be reported by nations. Importantly, forest ecosystems in many biodiverse African and Asian nations remain unassessed with the RLE. As such, many nations will likely resort to monitoring forest cover alone and therefore inadequately report progress against forest integrity goals and targets. We concur that monitoring changes in forest cover and the risk of ecosystem collapse are indeed vital aspects of conservation monitoring. Yet, they are insufficient for the specific purpose of tracking progress against crucial ecosystem integrity components of the GBF’s goals. We discuss the pitfalls of merely monitoring forest cover, a likely outcome with the current headline indicators. Augmenting forest cover monitoring with indicators that capture change in absolute area along the continuum of forest integrity would help monitor progress toward achieving area-based targets related to both integrity and extent of global forests.

Landscape pattern prediction method based on ANN-CA-Markov coupling model

The simulation and prediction of landscape patterns can provide a reference for the formulation of ecological space security policies and management and control measures. Therefore, it is necessary to use objective and accurate scientific methods to make accurate simulation predictions. In this study, the quantitative prediction of the Markov model is combined with the advantages of the space-time simulation of the CA model, and the artificial neural network (ANN) module is used for calculation and coupling correction. The Kappa coefficient and the FoM (figure of merit) index are used to test the simulation accuracy. Based on this process, the changes of the landscape pattern in Mudanjiang City at three time points in 2000, 2010 and 2020 were analyzed, and the simulation prediction was made based on this. The experimental results show that the CA-Markov model using the ANN module for coupling correction can be tested for accuracy in the study area, and its Kappa coefficient is 0.834 and the FoM index is 0.001. The model meets the requirements of the landscape pattern for the accuracy of simulation and prediction, and the prediction and analysis of the study area is carried out, and the accurate prediction results are obtained.The results of the study were: Looking at the change in landscape pattern over the 20 years from 2000 to 2020, significant changes occurred in the areas of arable land and artificial surface. The total area of arable land decreased by nearly 130 km2, while the area of artificial surface (i.e., built-up land) increased by about 167 km2. The forest area initially decreased and then increased, with an overall increase of approximately 56 km2, while the water and grassland areas first increased and then decreased. In terms of spatial distribution, the changes in agricultural and forest land are mainly concentrated in the central area where urban development is intensive and in the northern forest area. The results of this study are quite important for policy formulation, according to which it was found that human activities, especially urbanization, have led to a decrease in the area of forested land, and therefore the implementation of the natural forest protection policy can lead to a sustained increase in the area of forested land.

Changes in rill detachment capacity after deforestation and soil conservation practices in forestlands of Northern Iran

Rill erosion is particularly intense after deforestation on hillslopes with steep and long profiles. Since the rill detachment capacity (“Dc”) shows a noticeable variability resulting from different soil properties and vegetation characteristics, there is a need to explore the changes in key soil properties and rill erosion rates under different natural or planted species and a variety of soil conservation practices after deforestation. This study evaluates the changes in four key soil properties (organic carbon content, bulk density and water-stable aggregates of soil, and weight density of plant roots) and rill detachment capacity in forest sites with natural tree species as well as in areas subjected to reforestation and soil conservation treatments in comparison to deforested sites. To this aim, 2000 soil samples have been collected in forestlands of Northern Iran. Sampling was done in deforested areas (assumed as reference condition), and in forest sites 14 plant species (natural or after reforestation). Deforested samples were subjected to five soil conservation treatments (using additives or hydromulching). On all soil samples, Dc has been measured in a laboratory flume at five water flow rates (0.27 to 0.69 L/m s−1) and five soil slopes (5.9 to 31.7 %). All soil properties, when compared to the reference condition, were significantly different (between −50 % to 124 %) among the three soil conditions (natural forests, reforested soils and deforested and treated sites), the natural forests and the treated sites showing a better quality compared to planted forests. Dc was noticeably lower in all conditions (0.022 ± 0.021 kg m−2 s−1) compared to the deforested and untreated sites (0.046 ± 0.023 kg m−2 s−1). Natural and planted forests showed a similar decrease in rill erodibility (−70 to 80 %), while a much lower reduction in Dc (−36 %) was measured for the treated areas. Overall, the study demonstrates that the changes in soil properties due to plant species and soil management as well as the associated variability in rill detachment are noticeably site-specific, and greatly depend on soil conservation treatments. The results of this study may give landscape planners clear indications about the relationships between rill detachment and the associated soil properties among treated and untreated (natural or reforested) soils.

Morphological aspects of Sticholecitha serpentis (Plagiorchiida: Plagiorchiidae) in a new Viperidae host in the Brazilian Amazon

Introduction: Sticholecitha serpentis is a poorly studied parasite of the snakes’ esophagus, with an unclear taxonomy. Currently, there are few records of S. serpentis in snakes in Brazil. Although it has been recorded in snakes of the family Viperidae, it has not yet been reported in Bothrops atrox. Objectives: To present new morphological characters, as well as ecological and parasitic relationships of S. serpentis with B. atrox. Methods: The samples were obtained in a dryland area in the Tapajós National Forest, Pará State, Brazil. Ten specimens of B. atrox were examined manually with the aid of tweezers, and three were positive for trematodes identified as S. serpentis in the oral cavity. Results: We provide scanning electron microscopy images, with detailed images of the S. serpentis tegument and its spines, as well as details of the dorsal keel using light microscopy methods. Moreover, we report the first record of S. serpentis parasitizing an Amazonian viperid, with infection frequency data of 30 %. Conclusion: We emphasize that the new morphological data presented in this manuscript provide additional information to facilitate the identification of this trematode in future studies.

Interactions between invasive pests and pathogens in a native chestnut forest

The introduction in the same area of different invasive species can result in novel interactions, with unpredictable consequences. We carried out a study in Galicia (northwestern Iberian Peninsula) with the aim of clarifying the interactions between two invasive species Cryphonectria parasitica and Dryocosmus kuriphilus. In 2018, we selected five chestnut plots affected by both species. We compared trees affected only by the insect and trees affected by both the insect and the fungus with respect to attack level, gall characteristics, female size and fecundity, and concentrations of nitrogen, water and secondary metabolites. We also evaluated female preferences in a greenhouse assay. There were higher levels of attack in trees affected by both invaders. However, the greenhouse assay showed that ovipositing females do not preferentially choose trees attacked by the fungus. The presence of the fungus had no effect on the size, wall thickness, or hardness of D. kuriphilus galls, but larvae were smaller in trees also affected by the fungus. The fecundity of females was strongly related to the presence of chestnut blight; the number of eggs per female was almost double in trees affected by the fungus. There were no relations between blight and the nitrogen or water content in the galls, where the insects feed. There were also no effects of chestnut blight on the concentration of terpenes or phenols, but condensed tannins were higher in trees with chestnut blight. The higher tannins induced by chestnut blight may directly or indirectly benefit gall wasps. Positive relationships between condensed tannin concentration and reproductive performance of other gall makers were previously reported. Tannins can also improve the negative effects of environmental conditions inside the gall. Our results indicate that the presence of chestnut blight can increase the suitability of chestnut trees for the invasive insect, D. kuriphilus, through the increase in tannins due to the presence of the fungus.

Assessing sediment CO2 effluxes in the coastal ecosystem of North Sumatra, Indonesia

Coastal wetlands including mangrove play a vital role in regulating the local and global carbon cycle. Coastal areas contribute greatly to the carbon exchange process due to the complex interactions that occur between the atmosphere, land, and oceans. One of the important components in coastal carbon dynamics is CO2 gas exchange between soil, water and the atmosphere. This study aims to assess CO2 efflux across various land covers (namely natural mangrove, restored mangrove, and converted mangroves to oil palm and aquaculture pond) in the coastal areas of North Sumatra Province, and analyze the effect of sea tides and ebbs on the rate of CO2 efflux and their connection with the number and area of macrozoobenthos burrows. We applied direct sampling by using the static closed chamber method attached to portable CO2 analyzer. The mean of CO2 efflux in natural mangrove forest land covers was 866±585 mgCO2/m2/h during low tide conditions and 1137±792 mgCO2/m2/h during high tide conditions, followed by oil palm plantations at 760.71±341 mgCO2/m2/h, restored mangroves during low tide of 575.24±326 mgCO2/m2/h and 597.11±180 mg CO2/m2/h during high tide conditions, and the lowest was recorded in ponds at 588.55±358 mgCO2/m2/h. Further, we observed that tidal conditions affect the magnitudes of CO2 efflux in natural and restored mangrove forests, and we did not observe similar pattern in oil palms and ponds since these land covers were not influenced by regular tidal input. We also observed that no significant relationship between the number and area of macrozoobenthos burrows and CO2 efflux. Our findings suggest that CO2 effluxes in coastal wetlands are highly dynamic and presumably driven by complex factors and therefore, understanding their magnitudes and drivers requires extensive measurement covering large spatial and temporal scales.

Spatial structure and individual competition characteristics of secondary Mongolian oak mature forests in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province, China.

The community structure of natural mature forests is determined by long-term forest succession, characterized by rational structure, rich biodiversity, and high ecological function. Understanding the spatial structure and formation mechanisms of mature forests is a fundamental prerequisite for forest management. We analyzed four structure parameters, including diameter structure, angular scale, size ratio, and mixture degree, as well as the Hegyi competition index, of secondary Quercus mongolica (Mongolian oak) mature forests in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province. The results showed that Q. mongolica predominated the tree layer. In the sapling layer, Q. mongolica, Tilia amurensis, and Acer pictum were the dominant species. In the seedling layer, Acer pseudosieboldianum, T. amurensis, and A. amurensis dominated, with very few Q. mongolica seedlings. The overall diameter distribution of the stand showed an inverse "J" shape, while the diameter distribution of Q. mongolica, the dominant tree species, followed a normal distribution. The horizontal spatial structure of the stand was generally randomly distributed, with an average angle scale of 0.505, size ratio of 0.219, and mixture degree of 0.670 for Q. mongolica. From the perspective of spatial structure binary distribution, Q. mongolica individuals which had a random distribution exhibited greater growth advantages and higher levels of mixing, in comparison to other distribution types. Randomly distributed dominant and subdominant individuals made up nearly half individuals in the stand, and showed a high degree of mixing with surrounding trees. The stand-level individual tree competition index decreased with increasing diameter classes. When the diameter at breast height exceeded 20 cm, the competition index tended to stabilize (ΔCI<2). The competitive radius of individual Q. mongolica trees was 8 m, with intraspecific competition as the main pressure. Other species experienced competition pressure primarily from interspecific sources. Our results suggested that competition played an important role in shaping the spatial structure of secondary Q. mongolica mature forests.

Ecological Restoration Increases the Diversity of Understory Vegetation in Secondary Forests: An Evidence from 90 Years of Forest Closures

Ecological restoration and biodiversity are currently hot issues of global environmental concern. However, knowledge about the specific impacts of restoration duration on understory vegetation diversity remains limited. Therefore, this study comprehensive employed a spatial approach to compare the differences in understory plant diversity and species composition among secondary forests with varying ecological restoration ages (0, 10, 30, 60, and 90-year-old stands) in Huangfu Mountain National Forest Park. This methodology allowed us to clarify the key factors affecting the composition of the understory plant community and investigate the regulatory mechanisms influencing changes in understory plant diversity. The results showed that shrub Shannon’s index value, shrub evenness, herb Shannon’s index value, herb richness, and herb evenness were significantly affected by the years of restoration, with 10 years and 90 years being the highest and 60 years being the lowest. Substrate diversity was the main factor influencing plant diversity in the shrub layer. Overstory richness, soil C/N, soil C, soil N, soil bacterial Observed OTUs, soil bacterial Chao1, soil bacterial Pielou_e, and substrate diversity were the drivers of plant diversity in the herb layer. Overstory evenness had a direct effect (0.256) and an indirect effect (0.284) on herb evenness through light availability and fungal Simpson’s index value. Light availability directly negatively affected herb evenness (−0.360). In addition, 52.6% of the factors affecting the herb evenness index were from the arboreal layer evenness, light availability, and fungal Simpson’s index value. To sum up, moderate disturbance of the understory environment of natural secondary forests can be carried out after 10 years of restoration, which is more conducive to the increase of understory plant diversity. This comprehensive study provides a theoretical basis for formulating ecological restoration measures for secondary forests, particularly in understanding the optimal timing and nature of disturbance in the restoration process, reassuring the audience about the validity and reliability of the findings.

Landscape structures and stand attributes jointly regulate forest productivity

Forest productivity is a crucial integrator of ecosystem functions and services. Although the effects of landscape structure on species richness and stand structure have been extensively studied, how landscape structures affect forest productivity and their interactions with stand‐level attributes, especially in the context of considerable land use change, remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of landscape structures (fragmentation, complexity, and heterogeneity) and their interactions with stand‐level attributes on forest productivity in the conterminous United States across three spatial scales (1–3 km), using an extensive forest inventory dataset from the national forest inventories (NFI) plots. Our results revealed that all landscape indices around selected forest plots significantly increased from 2006 to 2016. Across three scales, forest productivity and stand‐level attributes (number of trees, tree species richness, and structural diversity) exhibited unimodal relationships with landscape fragmentation and complexity, while generally showed positive correlations with landscape heterogeneity. The interactions between landscape structures and stand attributes enhanced the explanatory power of forest productivity. Landscape complexity directly or indirectly reduced forest productivity by decreasing the number of trees and tree species richness, whereas landscape fragmentation and heterogeneity had the opposite effects. Furthermore, landscape heterogeneity and stand age had relatively stronger total effects (the sum of direct and indirect effects) on forest productivity, and their strength increased modestly with spatial scales. However, tree species richness consistently had the lowest total effects. Our study elucidates the complex driving mechanisms of landscape patterns on forest productivity across spatial scales, providing a deeper understanding of ecosystem complexity and responses to accelerating land use changes.

Natural forest colonisation as a management strategy to restore soil functioning of abandoned agricultural lands

Abstract Land abandonment promotes forest expansion into abandoned agricultural lands in Europe. This process leads to changes that affect several ecosystem services, but it is considered a low‐cost strategy to restore soil functions in past agricultural lands. Soil microbial communities play a key role in restoring functions. However, the relationship among forest expansion, microbial communities, and soil functioning is unclear. In this study, we used a Juniperus thurifera expansion gradient on abandoned agricultural lands in Alto Tajo National Park (Spain) to discover the changes elicited by the soil microbial communities and their functions along this gradient considering two microhabitats, under the canopy and open areas. Specifically, our objectives were (i) to analyse how soil properties (organic matter and pH), microbial communities (using PLFAs‐NFLAs) and enzymatic activities (related to C, N and P cycling) varied along the forest expansion gradient and between microhabitats and (ii) to decipher the pathways by which soil properties control the carbon and nutrient cycling in soils. The forest expansion gradient had a direct negative effect on phosphatase activity. The microhabitat showed a positive direct effect on organic matter content, pH, actinomycetes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi biomass and on soil C and P cycling. Moreover, the biomass of gram‐positive bacteria determined the biomass of other microbial groups. Synthesis and Applications: Though its effectiveness is variable, passive restoration can be more effective than active restoration. Our research indicates that passive tree colonisation of past agricultural land is enough to achieve soil functionality similar to a mature forest for most variables studied. However, some variables would need more time to reach mature forest levels, such as total microbial biomass and organic matter content. Therefore, to support ecosystem recovery, the management of this applied forest ecology strategy requires continuous monitoring of newly established trees and soil to elucidate the time needed to achieve mature soil properties.

Impact of Ecological Cognitive Bias on Pesticide Reduction by Natural Rubber Farmers in China: Insight from Price Insurance Satisfaction

Some natural rubber farmers mistakenly equate the ecological functions of rubber plantations with those of primary forests. This cognitive bias can hinder pesticide reduction efforts. Meanwhile, natural rubber farmers gain security through price insurance, which helps them adopt a long-term perspective on environmental protection, mitigating the negative impact of cognitive biases on pesticide use decisions. However, existing research often overlooks the influence of ecological cognitive bias on pesticide reduction and the moderating role of price insurance satisfaction. This study utilizes field survey data from Hainan and employs logit models and double machine learning models to empirically analyze the impact of ecological cognitive bias on pesticide reduction among natural rubber farmers. It further tests the underlying mechanisms using moderation models. The results indicate that (1) ecological cognitive bias negatively affects pesticide reduction among natural rubber farmers, and (2) price insurance satisfaction mitigates the impact of ecological cognitive bias on pesticide reduction. Based on these findings, the government should enhance education and training to raise ecological awareness among natural rubber farmers and reduce ecological cognitive biases. Disseminating knowledge about price insurance and establishing a comprehensive insurance system can secure farmers’ income and promote the rational use of pesticides.

Allometric Models of Aboveground Biomass in Mangroves Compared with Those of the Climate Action Reserve Standard Applied in the Carbon Market

The standardized methods used in carbon markets require measurement of the biomass and carbon stored in trees, which can be quantified through allometric equations. The objective of this study was to analyze aboveground biomass estimates with allometric models in three mangrove species and compare them with those used by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) standard. The mangrove forest in Tabasco, Mexico, was certified with the Forest Protocol for Mexico Version 2.0 (FPM) of the CAR standard. Allometric equations for mangrove species were reviewed to determine the most suitable equation for the calculation of biomass. The predictions of the allometric equations of the FPM were analyzed with data from Tabasco from the National Forest and Soil Inventory 2015–2020, and the percentages of trees within the ranges of diameters of the FPM equations were determined. The FPM equations generated higher biomass values for Rhizophora mangle and lower values for Avicennia germinans than the seven equations with which they were compared. In the mangrove swamp of Ejido Úrsulo Galván, Tabasco, 81.8% of the biomass of A. germinans, 34.4% of Laguncularia racemosa and 24.0% of R. mangle were within the diameter range of the FPM equations, and in Tabasco, 28.5% of A. germinans, 16.7% of L. racemosa and 5.7% of R. mangle were within the diameter range. For A. germinans and R. mangle, we recommend using the equation that considers greater maximum diameters. The allometric equations of the FPM do not adequately predict a large percentage of the biomass.

Sparse large trees in secondary and planted forests highlight the need to improve forest conservation and management

Large trees are essential for carbon storage and biodiversity conservation. While an increasing number of studies have focused on large trees in primary forests, little is known about them in secondary and planted forests. We surveyed 86,936 trees in secondary forests and 91,294 trees in planted forests in Zhejiang, China, to investigate the distribution patterns and determinants of large trees in these forests. We found a mean density of large trees (DBH ≥ 30 cm) of 15 ± 13 stems ha−1 in secondary forests and 11 ± 9 stems ha−1 in planted forests. Moreover, the mean density of trees with DBH ≥ 60 cm was 0.36 stems ha−1, indicating that large trees are particularly rare in secondary and planted forests. These large trees were primarily occurred in secondary forests that living in high-elevation area with less human exploitation and colder and wetter climates, and in planted forests with higher species richness and lower tree density. In addition, the density of large trees in these forests significantly increased with tree species richness and decreased with increasing tree density. These results indicate that the sparse large trees were the legacy of historical human activities in the studied area, but currently, the development of large trees is still limited by the improper forest structure characterized by low species diversity and high tree density. To better conserve large trees, there is an urgent need for enhanced conservation policies for secondary forests, such as establishing forest parks for forests with large trees, and implementing near-natural forest management practices for planted forests, which include planting mixed native tree species and maintaining moderate tree density.

Local factors drive leaf breakdown in tropical streams

Plants of riparian forests provide abundant dead leaves for freshwater stream ecosystems which support detritus-based food webs. The increased replacement from natural riparian forests to Eucalyptus plantations, an exotic species distributed throughout the neotropic landscapes, alters leaf breakdown as a key ecosystem process. We evaluate the breakdown of native and exotic leaf species with distinct physical and chemical characteristics (traits) in two different tropical reference condition streams located in Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. We tested the hypothesis that regardless of the leaves’ origin (native or non-native species), leaf litter with higher nutrients and less recalcitrant compounds has higher decay rates. Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf breakdown was faster than the native species Miconia chartacea in both streams. Leaf breakdown was driven by local characteristics (context dependent) and the macrodecomposer community, with more intensity to the litter's intrinsic physical and chemical quality. The higher leaf breakdown of E. camaldulensis was evidenced in the Atlantic Forest stream, that with the most increased water flow, further accelerating the leaf breakdown. Our findings indicate that due to the innate physical and chemical characteristics of E. camaldulensis, its decomposition occurs at a faster rate compared to native tropical species, as evidenced by the stream flows.

The Combined Effects of the Thermal Environment and Air Quality at Recreation Places on the Physiology and Psychology of People in Urban Parks

Urban forests, crucial to urban ecosystems, are increasingly threatened by the challenges of urbanization, such as deteriorating thermal environments and declining air quality. Despite their recognized benefits to city dwellers’ quality of life, a systematic understanding of the impact of these environmental factors on public psychophysiological well-being in recreational sites is a notable gap in the literature. The objective of this research was to bridge this gap by examining the effects of the thermal environment and air quality in urban forests on the public’s perception, offering scientific evidence to inform environmental optimization and health management strategies for urban parks, essential for sustainable urban development and public health. Three urban parks in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, namely Fuzhou National Forest Park, Xihu Park, and Jinniushan Sports Park, were selected as research sites. Environmental monitoring and questionnaire surveys were conducted at 24 recreation places from October to December 2020, collecting temperature, humidity, and wind speed; the atmospheric composition includes PM2.5, PM10, negative oxygen ion, and psychophysiological data from the public. Multivariate statistical methods were employed to assess the environmental characteristics of different recreation places types and their impact on public health. The findings reveal that environmental factors explained 1.9% to 11.8% of the variation in physiological and psychological responses, mainly influenced by temperature, wind speed, and negative oxygen ions. Forests and waterfront recreation places significantly outperform canopy and open recreation places in promoting mental invigoration, stress relief, emotional tranquility, and attention restoration. Environmental monitoring results indicate that favorable meteorological conditions and good air quality are crucial for enhancing the service functions of recreation places. Notably, the positive correlation between a negative air ion concentration and psychological well-being provides a novel perspective on understanding the health benefits of urban forests. The thermal environment and air quality of urban recreation places exert a significant influence on the psychophysiological status of the public. Increasing green coverage, improving water body environments, and rationally planning recreation places layout are of great theoretical and practical significance for enhancing the environmental quality and service functions of urban forests.

Salt tolerance of native trees relevant to the restoration of degraded landscapes in the Monte region, Argentina

Afforestation with native trees can enhance the conversion of degraded saline lands into productive landscapes with considerable economic and environmental benefits. To identify the native salt‐resistant species for restoration, we investigated how salinity affects the growth and water status of sapling from two Neltuma species from the Monte region. We produced Neltuma flexuosa and Neltuma chilensis saplings using seeds harvested from native forests with multiple provenances (Fiambalá, Chilecito, Mogna, Pipanaco, Talampaya, and Andalgalá). We conducted a greenhouse trial in which 810 saplings of different species/provenance combination received one of three saline irrigations, that is, sodium chloride solutions of 0.01 (no stress), 0.10 (moderate stress), and 0.25 M (severe stress). We found that Neltuma saplings exhibited varying degrees of reduction in their growth (plant height and aboveground biomass) and water status (e.g., stomatal conductance and leaf water potential) traits with increasing salt stress. N. flexuosa‐Fiambalá and N. flexuosa‐Chilecito were the most tolerant and sensitive, respectively, while all provenances of N. chilensis showed intermediate tolerance to salinity. These results suggest that N. flexuosa displays highly variable plasticity to salt stress compared to N. chilensis, emphasizing the need to select appropriate provenances for afforestation in saline‐degraded areas.

Taxonomic and functional diversity of foliage‐dwelling ants in conventional and organic agroecosystems in southern Brazil: A landscape perspective

Abstract In modern landscapes, understanding how land use and land cover, specifically agriculture, affect biodiversity and ecological functions is essential for conservation. According to Brazilian law, agroecosystems must include areas designated for biodiversity conservation called Legal Reserves. We evaluated the taxonomic and functional diversity of foliage‐dwelling ants in Legal Reserves of agroecosystems in the south of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We aimed to understand how land use and land cover at different landscape scales affect the ant fauna. We sampled ant communities in organic and conventional agroecosystems using passive and active sampling methods (arboreal pitfall traps and active sample, respectively). For the analysis of functional diversity, we measured morphological attributes related to the ecological strategies of ants, such as perception of visual cues, foraging and resource acquisition. We characterized the landscape by visual interpretation of high‐resolution satellite imagery within a 100 m, 500 m and 1 km radius of the sampling areas. We did not identify any effects of cultivation systems on ant fauna. However, we found that landscape characteristics, such as the proportion of natural forest within 100 m, positively affected functional richness. Additionally, within 500 m, natural forest coverage, along with the proportion of cultivation, positively influenced ant incidence. We emphasize the function of Legal Reserves around farms, of serving as support to maintain the presence of ants and the diversity of ecological functions performed by these organisms. We also emphasize that new studies in the region should investigate how a higher homogenization of cultures and cultivation systems, including other phyto‐physiognomies, influence the myrmecofauna of these environments.