Forest Restoration Research Articles

Spatial predictors of landowners' engagement in the restoration of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract Forest restoration can potentially contribute to multiple global sustainable development goals. Yet, little is known about the factors associated with local actors' choice to engage in restoration, limiting the development of effective scaling strategies. Our study examines the spatial socio‐ecological factors associated with landowners' engagement in forest restoration, documented by the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact in Brazil. We draw on Diffusion of Innovations theory to model associations between forest restoration and explanatory variables among 222,000 private properties in the Atlantic Forest. Properties with the highest cattle densities were 163.9% more likely to be restored (95% CI: 131.1%–201.3%) than those with the lowest. Large properties had a 120.0% higher restoration probability (95% CI: 90.9%–153.5%) than medium ones. Compared to reference levels, associations between forest cover (in 2010) and restoration probability were ambiguous, but properties with greater forest loss (1990–2010) were 9.0% less likely to be restored (95% CI: −12.5% to −5.3%). Properties with water bodies were 22.2% more likely to be restored (95% CI: 8.9%–37.1%), while upland properties were 46.6% less likely (95% CI: 32.3%–57.8%), and those with the highest ruggedness 22.2% less likely (95% CI: 12.4%–30.9%). Longer travel times to urban areas reduced restoration likelihood by 48.3% (95% CI: 39.7%–55.8%). Properties in the highest road distance quantile were 11.1% more likely to be restored (95% CI: 0.1%–23.2%). High forest management levels reduced restoration likelihood by 52.6% (95% CI: 15.5%–73.6%), while densely populated areas increased it by 53.8% (95% CI: 35.6%–74.4%). Properties in wealthier municipalities were more likely to be restored (54.7%, 95% CI 10.8%–116.4%). Landowners' decision‐making appears responsive to legislative requirements (on minimum forest cover and afforestation around waterbodies), underscoring their value for promoting restoration. Commercial landowners might have greater incentives to restore or be selectively targeted by restoration organisations, risking the marginalisation of smallholders in poorer areas from restoration agendas. Engagement with forest restoration is highest where there are more people and lower travel times to cities, suggesting restoration can potentially deliver ecological benefits in some of Brazil's most degraded landscapes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Exploring the driving factors of bird diversity in mangrove natural protected areas in Guangdong Province, China

IntroductionUnder the impacts of high intensity human activities, mangrove natural protected areas are pivotal strategies for biodiversity conservation and play a significant role in preserving bird diversity. Mangrove natural protected areas in Guangdong Province, China, lie along the migratory path of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, serving as breeding, feeding, and resting grounds for birds. Variations in bird responses to environmental factors are significant.MethodsTo comprehensively understand these variances, redundancy analysis was employed, focusing on bird diversity surveys conducted from March 2022 to February 2023 in natural protected areas of Guangdong to examine how driving factors such as mangrove habitat landscape, community structure, water quality, and soil sedimentation affected the diversity of avian species.ResultsThe findings were as follows: (1) A total of 193 bird species spanning 17 orders and 53 families were documented, including 74 songbirds, 60 wading birds, 27 swimming birds, 17 climbing birds, 10 raptors, and 5 terrestrial birds. (2) Regarding the impact of simple effects on all bird species, aquaculture pond area, mangrove extent, and mudflat area emerged as significant factors driving bird diversity, with explanatory rates of 31.0%, 28.9%, and 20.3%, respectively. Notably, the aquaculture pond area was the main driver of bird diversity, with an explanatory rate of 31.0%. (3) Mangrove extent has emerged as a pivotal factor shaping the songbird diversity, climbing birds, raptors, and terrestrial birds, whereas the aquaculture pond area was pivotal for wading birds, swimming birds, and others.DiscussionTo enhance mangrove bird diversity protection, management agencies overseeing natural mangrove protected areas should adopt science-based approaches when managing mangrove, mudflats, and aquaculture pond areas in mangrove forest protection and restoration plans. This would prevent extensive mangrove planting, which encroaches on non-mangrove habitats. Additionally, the scientific management of aquaculture ponds should accommodate diverse bird habitats through measures, such as water level adjustments.

Remote sensing approaches to monitor tropical forest restoration: Current methods and future possibilities

Abstract Tropical forests are increasingly threatened by deforestation and degradation, impacting carbon storage, climate regulations and biodiversity. Restoring these ecosystems is crucial for environmental sustainability, yet monitoring these efforts poses significant challenges. Secondary forests are in a constant state of flux, with growth depending on multiple factors. Remote sensing technologies offer cost‐effective, scalable and transferable solutions, advancing forest restoration monitoring towards more accurate, efficient and real‐time data analysis and interpretation. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the current state and advancements in remote sensing technologies applied to monitoring tropical forest restoration. Synthesis and applications: This review brings together the state of the art of remote sensing technologies, such as very‐high‐resolution RGB imagery, multi‐ and hyperspectral imaging, lidar, radar and thermal‐infrared technologies and their applicability in monitoring forest restoration. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the potential of remote sensing technologies, coupled with advanced computational techniques, to enhance global efforts towards effective and sustainable forest restoration monitoring.

Editorial: Sustainable forest management under climate change conditions — A focus on biodiversity conservation and forest restoration

Editorial: Sustainable forest management under climate change conditions — A focus on biodiversity conservation and forest restoration

Evaluation of Coccotrypes rhizophorae on propagules of species of the genus Rhizophora on the Ecuadorian coast

Coccotrypes rhizophorae (Coleoptera), an insect native to Indonesia, has been introduced to several American countries, including Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. C. rhizophorae is the principal pest of mangrove species in the genus Rhizophora. Here, we examine the damage caused by C. rhizophorae infestations in a mangrove forest at eleven locations along the Ecuadorian coast throughout one year. We collected 13 200 Rhizophora spp. propagules in total (1200 individuals per site per year). The total C. rhizophorae infestation rate was 45%. The total prevalence of Rhizophora spp. propagules infested by C. rhizophorae was significantly higher during the rainy season (55%) compared to the dry season. Bellavista Island, Corazón and Fragatas Island, and Guayaquil Historical Park showed higher damage prevalence compared to other sites. In all sites and in both seasons, the prevalent location of damage in affected propagules was in the basal area (59.81%). There was an inverse relationship between the population size inside the propagule (larvae and adults) and rainfall. The number of holes created by C. rhizophorae in Rhizophora spp. propagules was associated with the damage intensity. These results are critical for the management, conservation, and restoration of mangrove forests in Ecuador and other countries where C. rhizophorae is present.

Report on climate and climate change on the East Coast of the United States

In the context of global climate change such as rising sea level, rising temperature, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the climate change of the East Coast of the United States in recent years, the report analyzes the current impact and future trends of four cases on the East Coast of the United States through relevant data and models: The damage scale of Atlantic hurricanes increases year by year, with increased vertical growth and carbon sequestration capacity of coastal wetlands, increased Vibrio vulnificus infection, and increased flood disasters. The relationship between human activities and climate change cases is explored. In the end, different specific recommendations are made based on the four major climate change phenomena on the East coast of the United States. And put forward the "forest vegetation restoration" plan, hoping to adjust the negative impact of climate change in the region through this plan.

Socioeconomic analysis of deforestation and economically sustainable farming systems to foster forest landscape restoration in central Togo

Cropland expansion, driven by increasing population pressure and economic demands, is a major contributor to accelerating deforestation. While most studies have focused on the spatial and temporal analysis of landscape changes using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, there has been less emphasis on the socioeconomic analysis of these changes. Understanding the socioeconomic dynamics of affected areas is essential for implementing practical corrective actions. We apply linear programming and welfare maximization theory to examine how population growth impacts competition between agriculture and forest land use, per capita cash income, and subsistence consumption from privately owned farms. Focusing on the Tchamba district in Togo, we aim to determine the sustainability of farming systems to better inform the ongoing Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) program. The findings show that the current agricultural systems can support the population growth rate (2.68% per year in the Tchamba district) and per capita income until at least 2063. However, the current agricultural systems cannot support one human generation, which is estimated to be 65 years. These results underscore the need to enhance farming technologies, boost land productivity, diversify income sources to meet the rising food demand and curb forest clearing for farmland expansion. By integrating these insights into the FLR program, this research highlights the importance of a comprehensive policy framework that supports sustainable agricultural practices, community engagement, enforcement of regulations, and economic diversification. This approach will guide restoration efforts and strengthen the resilience and productivity of agricultural systems under population and income pressures.

Restoration treatments enhance tree growth and alter climatic constraints during extreme drought.

The frequency and severity of drought events are predicted to increase due to anthropogenic climate change, with cascading effects across forested ecosystems. Management activities such as forest thinning and prescribed burning, which are often intended to mitigate fire hazard and restore ecosystem processes, may also help promote tree resistance to drought. However, it is unclear whether these treatments remain effective during the most severe drought conditions or whether their impacts differ across environmental gradients. We used tree-ring data from a system of replicated, long-term (>20 years) experiments in the southwestern United States to evaluate the effects of forest restoration treatments (i.e., evidence-based thinning and burning) on annual growth rates (i.e., basal area increment; BAI) of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), a broadly distributed and heavily managed species in western North America. The study sites were established at the onset of the most extreme drought event in at least 1200 years and span much of the climatic niche of Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine. Across sites, tree-level BAI increased due to treatment, where trees in treated units grew 133.1% faster than trees in paired, untreated units. Likewise, trees in treated units grew an average of 85.6% faster than their pre-treatment baseline levels (1985 to ca. 2000), despite warm, dry conditions in the post-treatment period (ca. 2000-2018). Variation in the local competitive environment promoted variation in BAI, and larger trees were the fastest-growing individuals, irrespective of treatment. Tree thinning and prescribed fire altered the climatic constraints on growth, decreasing the effects of belowground moisture availability and increasing the effects of atmospheric evaporative demand over multi-year timescales. Our results illustrate that restoration treatments can enhance tree-level growth across sites spanning ponderosa pine's climatic niche, even during recent, extreme drought events. However, shifting climatic constraints, combined with predicted increases in evaporative demand in the southwestern United States, suggest that the beneficial effects of such treatments on tree growth may wane over the upcoming decades.

Setting priorities for floods mitigation through forest restoration: The threshold elevation hypothesis

Nature based solutions (NbS) for flood regulation (e.g., forest restoration) need to be informed by the analysis of climate change and land-use/cover change (LUCC) effects on floods, but these effects are still poorly understood. In this study, it is hypothesized that effects of climate change and LUCC on floods exhibit an abrupt change at a threshold elevation with implications for forest restoration. The study was carried out in the Tena watershed located in Ecuadorian Amazon. Hydrological simulations were run using TETIS model for different climate and LUCC scenarios. Projected precipitation from the Global Climate Models (GCMs) under the SSP5-8.5 scenario of CMIP6 was assessed. Isolated and combined effects of climate change and LUCC on floods across an altitudinal gradient were analyzed at 42 flow sites. Obtained results confirm the hypothesis showing the existence of a threshold elevation at 590 m a.s.l., where abrupt changes on floods occurred. The effects of LUCC prevailed over the effects of climate change in the upper basin, while in the lower basin, effects of climate change prevailed, especially for small and medium flood events. The results suggest that native forest is priority in the area above the threshold elevation, informing restoration as a NbS for flood regulation in humid tropical basins in a context of climate change.

Factors influencing the expressed willingness to transition from collection to cultivation of non-timber forest products: The case of Caesalpinia spinosa in southern Ecuador

Planting trees with additional non-timber products (NTFPs) (such as fruits) in agricultural lands is emerging as an important strategy in Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) to enhance the provision of ecosystem services and improve habitat quality. In many cases, the planting of NTFP trees follows a transition from collecting NTFPs in natural forests to integrating the respective trees into agricultural farms with ecological and socio-economic implications. Therefore, understanding the current practice and challenges of current NTFP collection and willingness for cultivation is crucial to effectively use such land-use trajectories for FLR. In this study, we investigate the case of Caesalpinia spinosa (tara), whose fruits provide an emerging NTFP in southern Ecuador. Using household data from 125 households currently collecting tara fruits, we first describe the relatively young production system and then use a Heckman two-step econometric model to identify the factors influencing the expressed willingness to cultivate tara trees on farms and the area to be cultivated. The econometric model results show that the characteristics of tara collection and trade (gender of collectors, distance to the collection site, and management practices) are important determinants of tara cultivation. However, it's the household labor availability and farm characteristics that play a significant role in impacting the willingness to cultivate. The area to be cultivated was mainly influenced by household labor and economic characteristics, and tara collection and trade (management practices) characteristics. Our findings help to understand NTFP-related land-use transitions, thus supporting the design of appropriate and specific policy interventions for the sustainable development of NTFPs.

Impact Mechanisms of Different Ecological Forest Restoration Modes on Soil Microbial Diversity and Community Structure in Loess Hilly Areas

Impact Mechanisms of Different Ecological Forest Restoration Modes on Soil Microbial Diversity and Community Structure in Loess Hilly Areas

The influence of wildfire risk reduction programs and practices on recreation visitation

Background The increasing extent and severity of uncharacteristic wildfire has prompted numerous policies and programs promoting landscape-scale fuels reduction. Aims We used novel data sources to measure how recreation was influenced by fuels reduction efforts under the US Forest Service Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Program. Methods We used posts to four social media platforms to estimate the number of social media user-days within CFLR landscapes and asked: (1) did visitation within CFLR Program landscapes between 2012 and 2020 change in a manner consistent with the pattern on nearby lands, and (2) was there a relationship between the magnitudes of specific fuel treatment activities within CFLR landscapes and visitation to that landscape? Key results In aggregate, visitation to the CFLR landscapes changed at a rate mirroring the trend observed elsewhere. Within CFLR landscapes, pre-commercial thinning and pruning had slight positive influences on visitation whereas prescribed burning and managed wildfire had slight negative influences. Conclusions Fuel treatments can have a modest influence on visitation, but we didnot find any wholesale changes in visitation within CFLR landscapes. Implications Social media and other novel data sources offer an opportunity to fill in gaps in empirical data on recreation to better understand social-ecological system linkages.

Role of biochar made from low‐value woody forest residues in ecological sustainability and carbon neutrality

AbstractForest management activities that are intended to improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic fire generate low‐value woody biomass, which is often piled and open‐burned for disposal. This leads to greenhouse gas emissions, long‐lasting burn scars, air pollution, and increased risk of escaped prescribed fire. Converting low‐value biomass into biochar can be a promising avenue for advancing forest sustainability and carbon neutrality. Biochar can be produced either in a centralized facility or by using place‐based techniques that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and generate a high‐carbon product with diverse applications. This review explores the multifaceted roles of biochar produced from low‐value biomass during forest restoration activities in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation. First, the ecological benefits are evaluated, including soil restoration, nutrient cycling, and vegetation enhancement, which are pivotal for restoring post‐disturbance forest health and enhancing resilience to future disturbance. Second, we evaluate the role of biochar in carbon sequestration and carbon neutrality objectives, which also foster sustainable soil practices and sustainable forest management. In addition, we highlight biochar markets, commercialization, and carbon credit interactions as emerging mechanisms to incentivize biomass utilization for biochar. The integration of biochar made from low‐value woody residues from forest restoration can enhance restoration strategies, engage stakeholders in sustainable land management practices, and mitigate environmental problems while enhancing the resilience of forest ecosystems to future disturbances. The findings underscore the importance of leveraging low‐value woody biomass for biochar production as a strategic resource for achieving comprehensive forest restoration goals and fostering sustainable development in forested landscapes.

Harnessing Biomass and Blue Carbon Potential: Estimating Carbon Stocks in the Vital Wetlands of Eastern Sumatra, Indonesia

Global warming is a critical factor driving climate change, impacting every aspect of life on Earth. The escalating concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, the primary contributor to global warming, necessitates immediate action through effective climate mitigation strategies. This study aimed to quantify the biomass and blue carbon stocks in the eastern coastal mangrove forests of North Sumatra and Aceh Provinces in Indonesia, focusing on key sites in Langkat, Deli Serdang, Batu Bara, Tanjung Balai, and Aceh Tamiang Regencies. We measured carbon stock in three carbon pools: biomass (above and below ground), necromass, and soil. By analyzing tree stands using parameters such as tree height and diameter at breast height within circular plots (7 m in radius, 125 m apart), we gathered fundamental data on forest structure, species composition, and above- and below-ground biomass. Additionally, we collected soil samples at various points and depths, measuring the amount of wood, stems, or branches (necromass) that fell to or died on the forest floor. Data were collected in plots along a line transect, comprising three transects and six circular plots each. Sixteen diverse mangrove species were found, demonstrating rich mangrove biodiversity. The mangrove forests in the five regencies exhibited significant carbon storage potential, with estimated average above-ground carbon ranging from 96 to 356 MgC/ha and average below-ground carbon from 28 to 153 MgC/ha. The estimated average deadwood carbon varied between 50 and 91 MgC/ha, while soil carbon ranged from 1200 to 2500 MgC/ha. These findings underscore the significant carbon storage potential of these mangrove forests, highlighting their importance to global carbon cycling and climate change mitigation. This research contributes to a broader understanding of mangroves as vital blue carbon ecosystems, emphasizing the necessity of conservation efforts such as forest restoration and rehabilitation to enhance their role in stabilizing coastal areas and improving global climate resilience.

Using plant–pollinator interactions to identify key species for planning tropical forest restoration

There is still a lack of practical guidelines for understanding species roles and planning restoration strategies to enhance plant–pollinator interactions and support ecosystem functioning. We applied a network approach to understand the evolution of plant–pollinator restoration patterns and identify priority species, thus advancing restoration planning. Specifically, we compared species composition and network metrics along a gradient of time postdisturbance, from the initial stage of restoration to pristine forest in the Eastern Amazon. We found that mining type is a predictor of species composition. We observed the recovery of interaction diversity and pollinator specialization in the early stages of restoration. Mining type affected connectance, interactions, and species richness, and the restoration stage affected the number of links. From the interactions, we built a trait‐based framework to select manageable native species for initial restoration. The species selection framework proposed here is useful not only for forest restoration but also for the restoration of other areas and case studies (e.g. agroecosystems, conservation units, and ecological corridors) and can be adapted depending on the goals of each project. Here, we provide practical information for the management of mined land restoration in the Eastern Amazon and for restoration planning across broader scales.

Active restoration increases tree species richness and recruitment of large-seeded taxa after 16-18 years.

Tropical forest restoration presents a potential lifeline to mitigate climate change and biodiversity crises in the Anthropocene. Yet, the extent to which human interventions, such as tree planting, accelerate the recovery of mature functioning ecosystems or redirect successional trajectories toward novel states remains uncertain due to a lack of long-term experiments. In 2004-2006, we established three 0.25-ha plots at 10 sites in southern Costa Rica to test three forest restoration approaches: natural regeneration (no planting), applied nucleation (planting in patches), and plantation (full planting). In a comprehensive survey after 16-18 years of recovery, we censused >80,000 seedlings, saplings, and trees from at least 255 species across 26 restoration plots (nine natural regeneration, nine applied nucleation, eight plantation) and six adjacent reference forests to evaluate treatment effects on recruitment patterns and community composition. Both applied nucleation and plantation treatments resulted in significantly elevated seedling and sapling establishment and more predictable community composition compared with natural regeneration. Similarity of vegetation composition to reference forest tended to scale positively with treatment planting intensity. Later-successional species with seeds ≥5 mm had significantly greater seedling and sapling abundance in the two planted treatments, and plantation showed similar recruitment densities of large-seeded (≥10 mm) species to reference forest. Plantation tended toward a lower abundance of early-successional recruits than applied nucleation. Trees (≥5 cm dbh) in all restoration treatments continued to be dominated by a few early-successional species and originally transplanted individuals. Seedling recruits of planted taxa were more abundant in applied nucleation than the other treatments though few transitioned into the sapling layer. Overall, our findings show that active tree planting accelerates the establishment of later-successional trees compared with natural regeneration after nearly two decades. While the apparent advantages of higher density tree planting on dispersal and understory establishment of larger seeded, later-successional species recruitment is notable, more time is needed to assess whether these differences will persist and transition to the more rapid development of a mature later-successional canopy. Our results underscore the need for ecological restoration planning and monitoring that targets biodiversity recovery over multiple decades.

Identification of Agricultural Areas to Restore Through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)

This study aims to present a methodological approach based on the objectives of the Nature Restoration Law and the concept of Forest Landscape Restoration to identify areas that are best suited for the implementation of Nature-based Solutions for the improvement of landscape and habitat status in the city of Campobasso (1028.64 km2). Using open data (ISPRA ecosystem services and regional land use capability), an expert based approach (questionnaire), and a multicriteria analysis (Analytical Hierarchy Process), the Total Ecosystem Services Value index was determined as a weighted additive sum of the criteria considered. The index was then classified into eight clusters, and the land use “Cropland” was extracted. Cluster 1 croplands (740.09 Ha) were identified as the areas to be allocated to Nature-based Solutions since they were those characterized by fewer ecosystem services provisioning, while Cluster 8 croplands (482.88 Ha) were identified as valuable areas to be preserved. It was then possible to compare the “Forest” areas currently present in the study area with those of a possible future scenario, represented by the areas occupied today by forest with the addition of Cluster 1 croplands. A landscape analysis was conducted; it showed greater dispersion and fragmentation of forest patches in the future scenario, but also greater connectivity and thus greater ecological functionality of the patches.

Critical social perspectives in forest and landscape restoration – a systematic review

In response to increasing calls for better consideration of social dimensions in Forest (and) Landscape Restoration (FLR), this systematic literature review identifies and synthesises relevant themes associated with critical social perspectives in FLR. Critical perspectives are methodologically diverse but generally share an intention to interrogate power and knowledge, challenge the ‘status quo’ and ‘taken-for-granted’ assumptions, alongside promoting social justice. Critical perspectives therefore play a key role in illuminating complex social dimensions in global environmental governance. This review asks: What is the role of critical social perspectives within the academic discourse on FLR, and what key insights about FLR have these perspectives provided over the period 2000–2023? A total of 449 relevant academic papers were published during this period. An initial assessment of the abstracts, title and keywords found social dimensions were addressed in some way, even if only negligibly, in 211 of the 449 papers, and themes associated with critical social perspectives were evident in only 40 papers. These 40 papers were then read in full, and six key topic areas emerged: 1) Assumptions underpinning the links between FLR and human-wellbeing, particularly the tendency to measure human-wellbeing using simple economic indicators, were challenged as naïve and potentially misleading; 2) Tenure issues appear to be frequently under-appreciated, with serious consequences such as displacement of communities; 3) Top-down, technocratic models of governance are problematised for neglecting the socio-political contexts of FLR, which are laden with value and power asymmetries, as well as the implications of historical legacies (e.g., colonialism); 4) While there has been a proliferation of discursive intent to better ‘engage local stakeholders’, doing so remains opaque in principle and practice; 5) The heterogeneity of ‘local stakeholders’ emphasises the need to consider multiple intersections of social identities and diversity, and attend to gendered dimensions of FLR; 6) Accepting epistemological pluralism is considered fundamental to incorporating local and Indigenous Peoples’ knowledges into more people-centred, locally-relevant FLR governance and practice. The review concludes that, if FLR is to genuinely pursue the imperative to enhance human-wellbeing alongside the goal of regaining ecological integrity, a recalibration of research priorities toward interdisciplinary social sciences, and better representation of locally-situated stakeholders, are required. This will involve deliberation between researchers, from both social and natural sciences, as well as practitioners; and making concerted efforts to steer away from simplistic framings of the issues, toward more nuanced understandings of and responses to the systemic complexities embedded in FLR.

Oxygen and pH fluxes in shallow bay habitats: Evaluating the effectiveness of a macroalgal forest restoration.

Marine macroalgae are important primary producers in coastal ecosystems. Within sheltered and shallow bays in the Mediterranean, various Fucalean macroalgae and seagrasses coexist, creating habitats of high ecological importance. These habitats have historically suffered from various disturbances, and on this basis, active restoration actions have been proposed as potential solutions for their recovery. Here, we assessed the restoration success of a 10-year restored macroalgal forest by evaluating the recovery in terms of oxygen and pH fluxes and comparing those data with those of a healthy marine forest and a degraded habitat counterpart. We estimated the overall changes in dissolved oxygen and pH using light and dark community insitu incubations. We also determined the biomass and composition of macroalgal and macroinvertebrate compartments of each assemblage. During light incubations, the healthy and restored forest assemblages showed similar average net oxygen production, 5.7 times higher than in the degraded one, and a greater increase in pH. More than 95% of the incubated biomass corresponded to macroalgal and seagrass species. The restored forest showed a six-fold increase in biomass, most likely being responsible for the recovery of primary production. This work provides empirical evidence that the restoration of a single structural species, once successful in the early stages, can yield positive results by recovering processes such as primary production and dark respiration. Moreover, these results showcase differences in ecosystem functions between healthy (either mature or restored) and degraded habitats, highlighting the importance of protecting and preserving coastal marine forests.

Infiltration and Hydrophobicity in Burnt Forest Soils on Mediterranean Mountains

Forest fires are a major global environmental problem, especially for forest ecosystems and specifically in Mediterranean climate zones. These fires can seriously impact hydrologic processes and soil erosion, which can cause water pollution and flooding. The aim of this work is to assess the effect of forest fire on the hydrologic processes in the soil, depending on soil properties. For this purpose, the infiltration rate has been measured by ring infiltration tester, and the hydrophobicity has been quantified by the “water drop penetration time” method in several soils of burnt and unburnt forest areas in the Mediterranean mountains. The infiltration rates obtained are higher in burnt than in unburnt soils (1130 and 891 mm·h−1, respectively), which contradicts most of the research in Mediterranean climates in southeast Spain with calcareous soils. Burnt soils show no hydrophobicity on the surface, but it is there when the soil is excavated by 1 cm. Additionally, burnt soils reveal a low frequency of hydrophobicity (in less than 30% of the samples) but more severe hydrophobicity (above 300 s); whereas, in unburnt soils, the frequency is higher (50%) but the values of hydrophobicity are lower. The results obtained clearly show the infiltration processes modified by fire, and these results may be useful for land managers, hydrologists, and those responsible for decision-making regarding the forest restoration of burnt land.