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Journal articles on the topic 'Agricultural and forest environments'
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1
Mahmoudi, Beytollah, Eric Ng, Davood Mafi-Gholami, and Fatemeh Eshaghi. "Forest Dwellers’ Dependence on Forest Resources in Semi-Arid Environments." Sustainability 15, no. 3 (February 2, 2023): 2689. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su15032689.
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Forests remain an important resource in Iran, as most of the livelihood activities of local communities, especially in the semi-arid environment of the Zagros forests, are dependent on forest resources. The aim of this study was to identify the type and extent of forest dependency. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from 170 households in Central Zagros. Results show that using firewood for fuel and non-fuel uses, harvesting edible and medicinal plants, agriculture and horticulture, and livestock grazing were the main forest livelihood activities undertaken by the households in the study area. On average, each household harvested 18.08 cubic meters of oak per year for water heating (bathing), baking bread, heating, cooking, heating milk and buttermilk, agricultural tools, house building, warehouses and shelters, fencing, branches for livestock, charcoal and harvesting firewood for sale. Of rural households, 72% used edible plants, and 86% used medicinal plants. Age, job, residence status, number of livestock, crop farming and household size were found to be correlated with forest dependency. Findings from this study contribute broadly to an integrated understanding of the bio-human dimensions of forest ecosystems, with specific reference to the study area.
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Rodrigues, MM, MA Uchôa, and S. Ide. "Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in three landscapes in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil." Brazilian Journal of Biology 73, no. 1 (February 2013): 211–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1519-69842013000100023.
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Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) in three landscapes in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Dung Beetles are important for biological control of intestinal worms and dipterans of economic importance to cattle, because they feed and breed in dung, killing parasites inside it. They are also very useful as bioindicators of species diversity in agricultural or natural environments. The aims of this paper were to study the species richness, and abundance of dung beetles, helping to answer the question: are there differences in the patterns of dung beetle diversity in three environments (pasture, agriculture and forest) in the municipality of Dourados, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. A total of 105 samplings were carried out weekly, from November 2005 to November 2007, using three pitfall traps in each environment. The traps were baited with fresh bovine dung, and 44,355 adult dung beetles from 54 species were captured: two from Hyborosidae and 52 from Scarabaeidae. Five species were constant, very abundant and dominant on the pasture, two in the agricultural environment, and two in the environment of Semideciduous forest. Most of the species were characterised as accessories, common and not-dominant. The species with higher abundance was Ataenius platensis Blanchard, 1844. The indexes of Shannon-Wiener diversity were: 2.90 in the pasture, 2.84 in the agricultural environment and 2.66 in the area of native forest. The medium positive presence of dung beetles in the traps in each environment were: 36.88, 42.73 and 20.18 individuals per trap, in the pasture, agricultural environment and in the native forest, respectively. The pasture environment presented a higher diversity index. The species diversity of dung beetles was superior where there was higher abundance and regularity of resource (bovine dung).
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Fail, Joseph L., Bruce L. Haines, and Robert L. Todd. "Riparian forest communities and their role in nutrient conservation in an agricultural watershed." American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 2, no. 3 (1987): 114–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0889189300001752.
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AbstractRiparian forests situated adjacent to agricultural uplands were studied to test the hypothesis that riparian forests intercept and utilize nutrients lost from these uplands. Production rates, tissue nutrient concentrations, and nutrient accretion rates of woody plants were compared between sites that were contiguous to agricultural areas (test sites) and sites that were separated from agricultural areas by grass buffer zones (reference sites). Net primary production was 10,344 kg ha–1yr–1, but trees within a riparian forest that received runoff directly from a pigpen (test site) had production rates that were 2.5 times higher than the average for all other sites. Above ground forest nutrient accretion rates were also highest at the pigpen test site. Woody plants in test site forests had, on the average, higher branch wood and leaf nutrient concentrations than plants in reference site forests. The data provide evidence that riparian forest communities within agricultural environments absorb and retain nutrients lost from agricultural uplands. As such they are important components of agricultural ecosystems helping to maintain acceptable stream water quality. It is suggested that ecologically sound agricultural practice should include longterm maintenance of natural riparian vegetation zones within agricultural areas.
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Arunraj, Chuliath, Joseph P. Vineesh, and Thomas K. Sabu. "Darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of forest sites and agricultural fields in the south Western Ghats (South India)." Journal of Insect Biodiversity 5, no. 3 (February 20, 2017): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.12976/jib/2017.5.3.
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Data on the abundance, feeding guilds, flightlessness and endemic status of darkling beetles from selected forest sites and agriculture fields in the moist south Western Ghats in south India are provided. Overall abundance, diversity and evenness were higher in agriculture fields than in forest. Luprops tristis was the major species in agriculture field and Gonocephalum bilineatum in forest. Mycetophagous and detritivorous guilds were reported from the agriculture fields and detritivorous guild alone from the forests. Epigean, subterranean, corticolous, dung associated and mycetophagous darkling beetles were present in agriculture fields in contrast to the record of epigean and subterranean forms in forests. Higher abundance of flightless platynotine genus Menearchus, endemic to the Indian subcontinent in the agricultural field is attributed to the decaying organic matter availability in the open, dry environment conditions in agriculture field.
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McClain, Michael E., and Rosa E. Cossío. "The use of riparian environments in the rural Peruvian Amazon." Environmental Conservation 30, no. 3 (September 2003): 242–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892903000237.
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River margins are valued for agriculture in the western Amazon because of their fertile soils and level surfaces. Riparian forests along river margins also provide valuable ecosystem services by protecting water quality and providing resources to aquatic organisms. Because inhabitants of the region rely on these aquatic resources, riparian deforestation may have unintended negative feedbacks on the health and well-being of rural communities. A survey of 79 households of mixed cultural background investigated how riparian environments were used, what mechanisms were in place for their conservation, and how local people valued them. Corn, beans and peanuts were cultivated preferentially in riparian areas, complementing the manioc and plantains grown on upland soils. People valued riparian areas for their ecosystem services and generally left a protective buffer of forest along rivers. Both the agricultural and ecological values of riparian areas may be preserved through proper management.
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Hora, Benedikt, Fabian Almonacid, and Alvaro González-Reyes. "Unraveling the Differences in Landcover Patterns in High Mountains and Low Mountain Environments within the Valdivian Temperate Rainforest Biome in Chile." Land 11, no. 12 (December 11, 2022): 2264. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11122264.
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The Valdivian temperate rainforest (VTR) is a biome on the South American continent with high endemism that has experienced an intensive land-cover change in recent decades due to the expansion of agriculture, plantations of introduced forests, and urban growth. Today, the biome hosts key parts of the country’s agricultural and forestry industries. Previous studies focused on quantifying native forest and plantation cover area and exotic forest plantation area, among others. However, the importance of mountain areas as refuge of native forest in Chile remains unexplored. The aim of this research is to highlight the role of latitude and slope on land cover in the VTR. A new methodological approach was used combining global classified datasets. Our results indicate that high mountain areas are the core location of the remaining primary forests and endemism whereas low mountain areas are dominated by exotic forest plantations. Between 40–48° S (The Los Ríos, Los Lagos, and Aysén Regions and high-mountain areas), in general, serve as a natural reservoir where human-induced land-cover change has not occurred on a large scale. Most public and private conservation areas are in high mountain areas, whereas low mountain areas and plain areas lack conservation schemes and are more prone to land cover change towards forestry. Considering geomorphological features in land cover change analysis can reveal interesting new perspectives in this research area.
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Santoro, Antonio, Martina Venturi, Remo Bertani, and Mauro Agnoletti. "A Review of the Role of Forests and Agroforestry Systems in the FAO Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme." Forests 11, no. 8 (August 7, 2020): 860. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f11080860.
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Traditional agroforestry systems have received increasing attention in recent decades for their multifunctional role and as a sustainable development model for rural areas. At the international level, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) programme in 2002 with the aim of identifying agricultural systems of global importance; preserving landscapes, agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge; applying the dynamic conservation principles while promoting sustainable development. The aim of the research is to carry out a review of the inscription dossiers of all the 59 sites already included in the GIAHS programme, in order to analyze the role of forests and agroforestry systems. Moreover, the main traditional management techniques have been identified and briefly described, as traditional forest-related knowledge is particularly important for sustainable forest management. Forests and agroforestry systems have been found to be important or crucial in about half of the sites. The main role assigned to forests and agroforestry systems in GIAHS proposals is related to the production of timber, fuelwood and by-products for the local communities according to sustainable and traditional management techniques. Among these, they also play important roles in hydrogeological protection, water regulation and biodiversity maintenance, representing examples both of human adaptation to different environments and of resilient systems that could help to face global challenges such as hydrogeological risk and climate change. The review of the GIAHS inscription dossiers also highlighted the lack of a uniform approach in dealing with forest issues, especially for what concern the description of management plans and the relation with protected areas or forest planning instruments.
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NAYAK, Ananya, and Sunanda SASMAL. "Post-monsoon bird assemblages in rural and riverine environments of Northern Howrah, West Bengal, India: A spatio-temporal approach." Notulae Scientia Biologicae 14, no. 1 (February 10, 2022): 11078. http://dx.doi.org/10.15835/nsb14111078.
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The primary goal of this study was to evaluate avian assemblages in four different land types (Wetland Associated Bamboo Forest, Agricultural Land, Wetland Associated Agricultural Land and Riverside Agricultural Land) located in a flood prone area of South Bengal during the post monsoon months of 2020. Surveys were conducted for 48 days in a land type and time dependent manner to explore the changes in abundance, dominance, evenness and species richness. A total of 18654 observations belonging to 16 orders, 44 families, 70 genera and 81 species were recorded. Despite having lowest total count and third species rich area, Bamboo Forest emerged as the most diverse area with the highest Shannon index (3.37), Evenness index (0.4616) and lowest dominance index (0.06108). Bamboo forests exhibited the maximum values of Simpson 1-D (0.9389), Brillouin index (3.312), Menhinick Index (1.261), Equitability (0.8134) and alpha diversity (Fisher’s alpha 11.74). Having maximum number of species occurrence (69), Riverside agricultural land was found to be the least diverse land type (Shannon index 2.847) showing highest value of dominance (0.1203). December attracted the most diverse (Shannon index 3.474) bird community and October showed the lowest value of Shannon index (2.919) with maximum value of dominance (0.123). We conclude that protection of natural habitats like bamboo forests, wetland and tree cover in small villages and proper management of agricultural lands is necessary for promoting species diversity and evenness in a rural environment.
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Piffer, Pedro Ribeiro, Marcos Reis Rosa, Leandro Reverberi Tambosi, Jean Paul Metzger, and María Uriarte. "Turnover rates of regenerated forests challenge restoration efforts in the Brazilian Atlantic forest." Environmental Research Letters 17, no. 4 (March 25, 2022): 045009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5ae1.
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Abstract Natural forest regeneration is a key component of global ecosystem restoration scenarios. Regenerated forests, however, may not persist and a better understanding of the drivers of forest persistence is critical to ensure the success of restoration efforts. We used 35 years of detailed land cover maps to quantify forest regeneration and study the drivers of regenerated forest persistence and longevity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a restoration hotspot. We mapped over 4.47 Mha of native forest regenerated in the region between 1985 and 2019, of which, two thirds persisted until 2019 (3.1 Mha). However, mean age of ephemeral (i.e. cleared before 2019) forest regeneration was only 7.9 years, suggesting a rapid turnover of regrowing forests under certain conditions. Regenerated forests had greater longevity and probability of persistence in steeper slopes, close to rivers and existing forests, near permanent agriculture, and in areas with higher Gross Development Product and agricultural yield, but were less likely to persist in areas with higher rural-urban population ratios. Regeneration occurred predominantly in pasturelands and areas of shifting agriculture, but it was also less likely to persist within these dynamic landscapes. Specific public policies should stimulate forest regeneration in areas of consolidated agriculture, where forest permanence tends to be higher. The ephemerality of forest regeneration in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest highlights the importance of favorable conditions and policies that promote second-growth forest persistence in tropical regions. Conservation of regenerating forests is critical for meeting national and global restoration and climate mitigation goals.
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Flinn, Kathryn M., and P. L. Marks. "AGRICULTURAL LEGACIES IN FOREST ENVIRONMENTS: TREE COMMUNITIES, SOIL PROPERTIES, AND LIGHT AVAILABILITY." Ecological Applications 17, no. 2 (March 2007): 452–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/05-1963.
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Miyashita, Tadashi, and Aya Shimazaki. "Insects from the grazing food web favoured the evolutionary habitat shift to bright environments in araneoid spiders." Biology Letters 2, no. 4 (July 18, 2006): 565–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2006.0518.
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The Araneoidea comprises a diverse group of web-building spiders, and part of this diversity is believed attributable to habitat expansion to bright environments. We clarified the fitness-related advantages of living in such environments by examining prey availability and the growth rates of 10 species in three families inhabiting grassland (bright) and forest understory (dim) habitats. Spiders in the grassland habitat captured more prey, derived mainly from the grazing food web, than those in the forest-floor environment, and this difference was manifested in their growth rate. Independent contrasts indicated that increased utilization of insects from the grazing food web led to an evolutionary increase in adult body size. These results suggest that the shift to bright environments enabled araneoid spiders to evolve diverse life-history traits, including rapid growth and large size, which were not possible in dim environments.
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Demite, PR, RJF Feres, and AC Lofego. "Influence of agricultural environment on the plant mite community in forest fragments." Brazilian Journal of Biology 75, no. 2 (May 2015): 396–404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.14913.
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The mite community has been surveyed in Seasonal Semideciduous Forest with three types of surrounding agricultural environments to test the hypothesis that abundance and richness of mites in forest fragments are influenced by the type of agricultural environment. The survey has been carried out in six fragments, divided into sets of two fragments, each one neighboring one sort of agricultural environment: sugarcane crop (FS), orange crop (FO) and pasture (FP). In each fragment, ten individuals of Actinostemon communis (Euphorbiaceae) were selected, five at the edge and five within each fragment. Iphiseiodes zuluagai, often registered in orange crops, was more abundant in the fragments neighboring such crop, as well as some species of Tarsonemidae. In this study, the Phytoseiidae were more abundant in the fragments neighboring pasture, while sugarcane crops probably favored occurrence of phytophagous mites in the neighboring fragments. Tetranychidae were less abundant in FO, which can be explained by periodical use of pesticides in the orange crops. Forest fragments are important for colonies of predators in the neighboring crops, mainly for annual crops such as sugarcane, where the close perennial environment is very important for colonization of the crop. Maintenance of those areas, besides favoring preservation of wild species of mite, is very important to increase diversity of the neighboring agricultural ecosystems.
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Simmons, Cynthia, Marta Astier, Robert Walker, Jaime Fernando Navia-Antezana, Yan Gao, Yankuic Galván-Miyoshi, and Dan Klooster. "Forest Transition and Fuzzy Environments in Neoliberal Mexico." Land 12, no. 4 (April 6, 2023): 840. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land12040840.
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Although deforestation remains a continuing threat to both the natural world and its resident human populations, a countervailing land cover dynamic has been observed in many nations. This process of landscape turnaround, the so-called forest transition, holds the potential of regenerating ecosystem services by sparing land from agricultural activities and abandoning it to forest succession. Here, we present a case study of a long-term process of forest transition that is ongoing in the Patzcuaro watershed of the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The research to be discussed comprises a remote sensing analysis designed to (1) capture the land cover impacts of a multidecadal process of trade liberalization (1996–2018); (2) ascertain the role that land tenure plays in land use dynamics affecting forest cover, and (3) resolve forest cover types into native forest, secondary vegetation, and “commodity” covers of fruit trees, in this case, avocado. Mexico presents a useful case for addressing these three design elements. Our analysis, undertaken for both private property and collective modes of resource management in five communities, reveals a forest transition annualized at 20 ha-yr−1, or a gain of eight percent for the period. This translates into a relative rate of forest transition of 0.39%-yr−1 which is three times faster than what is occurring in the temperate biome on a national scale (0.07%-yr−1). Most of the forest transition is occurring on private holdings and stems from field abandonment as farming systems intensify production with avocado plantations and cow–calf operations. As this study demonstrates, forest transitions are not occurring ubiquitously across nations but instead are highly localized occurrences driven by a myriad of distal and proximate factors involving disparate sets of stakeholders. Consequently, policy makers who are keen to expand forest transitions to fulfill their national climate action commitments under the Paris Agreement must first promote research into the complexity of landscapes and drivers of land change at regional and local scales.
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Sobreiro, Ana Isabel, Lucas Lopes da Silveira Peres, Jessica Amaral Henrique, Rosilda Mara Mussury, and Valter Vieira Alves-Junior. "Recover and They’ll Come: Flower Visiting Bees Benefit from the Continuous of Micro-Environments Set by Regenerating Forest Fragments." Sociobiology 68, no. 1 (March 30, 2021): 5861. http://dx.doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v68i1.5861.
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Forest habitats are important sources of food and nesting resources for pollinators, primarily in urban areas and landscapes with intense agricultural activity. The forest fragmentation and environmental changes occurring in these green refuges are known to impose survival challenges to pollinating bees, leading to species loss. However, it is not well known how the species of bees that visit flowers are distributed in forest micro-environments. To fill this gap, we sampled flower visiting bees in a continuous forest matrix with micro-environments of two forest types (mature and regenerating forest). We examined how the local environmental changes and climatic conditions affect the composition and uniformity of bee communities in the different micro-environments. Our results indicated that both abundance and richness were similar between forest types studied here, however climatic conditions and plant flowering patterns affect the composition of bees. Thus, our results demonstrated that the continuous micro-environments can favor floral visits and the reintegration of bee communities, and still, that this strategy can be used to minimize the impacts of environmental changes at local scales.
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Scarascia-Mugnozza, Giuseppe, Giovanni Callegari, Antonella Veltri, and Giorgio Matteucci. "Water Balance and Forest Productivity in Mediterranean Mountain Environments." Italian Journal of Agronomy 5, no. 2 (June 30, 2010): 217. http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/ija.2010.217.
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Lo, Michaela, James Reed, Leandro Castello, E. Ashley Steel, Emmanuel A. Frimpong, and Amy Ickowitz. "The Influence of Forests on Freshwater Fish in the Tropics: A Systematic Review." BioScience 70, no. 5 (April 1, 2020): 404–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa021.
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Abstract Tropical forests influence freshwater fish through multiple pathways, only some of which are well documented. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the current state of knowledge on forests and freshwater fish in the tropics. The existing evidence is mostly concentrated in the neotropics. The majority of studies provided evidence that fish diversity was higher where there was more forest cover; this was related to the greater heterogeneity of resources in forested environments that could support a wider range of species. Studies quantifying fish abundance (or biomass) showed mixed relationships with forest cover, depending on species-specific habitat preferences. We identify the key challenges limiting our current understanding of the forest–fish nexus and provide recommendations for future research to address these knowledge gaps. A clear understanding of the functional pathways in forest–freshwater ecosystems can improve evidence-based policy development concerned with deforestation, biodiversity conservation, and food insecurity in the tropics.
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Guo, Xiaona, Ruishan Chen, Michael E. Meadows, Qiang Li, Zilong Xia, and Zhenzhen Pan. "Factors Influencing Four Decades of Forest Change in Guizhou Province, China." Land 12, no. 5 (May 3, 2023): 1004. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land12051004.
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Globally, the loss of forest vegetation is a significant concern due to the crucial roles that forests play in the Earth’s system, including the provision of ecosystem services, participation in biogeochemical cycles, and support for human well-being. Forests are especially critical in mountains environments, where deforestation can lead to accelerated biodiversity loss, soil erosion, flooding, and reduced agricultural productivity, as well as increased poverty rates. In response to these problems, China has implemented a series of ecological restoration programs aimed at restoring forests. However, there is a lack of knowledge as to whether the forest cover is increasing or decreasing, as well as the relative roles played by natural and human factors in forest change. Here, we aim to address these issues by analyzing the pattern and process of the forest changes in Guizhou province, a typical mountainous karst area with a fragile environment in southwestern China, between 1980 and 2018, and evaluating the extent to which these forest changes were influenced by natural and anthropogenic driving forces. Using a temporal sequence of satellite images and a Markov model, we found that the forest cover increased by 468 km2, and that over 33% of the cropland in Guizhou province was converted into forest between 1980 and 2018, with the most significant increases in the forest cover occurring in Qiandongnan. Through correlation analyses and generalized linear model (GLM) regression, we demonstrate that management factors exerted a more significant positive impact on the forest cover than climate change. While the mean annual precipitation and temperature were mostly stable during the period studied, the effects of population and gross domestic product (GDP) on the forest changes weakened, and the influence of land-use change markedly increased. These findings provide valuable information for resource managers engaging in forest protection, deforestation prevention, and ecological restoration in similar regions.
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He, Qingqian, Qing Meng, William Flatley, and Yaqian He. "Examining the Effects of Agricultural Aid on Forests in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Causal Analysis Based on Remotely Sensed Data of Sierra Leone." Land 11, no. 5 (April 29, 2022): 668. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11050668.
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In sub-Saharan Africa, extreme poverty highlights the tension between development aid and the environment. Foreign aid is considered one of the most important factors affecting forest health in this region. Although many studies have empirically examined the effects of different kinds of foreign aid on forests, few have investigated the potential impact of agricultural aid. This study investigated the causal effects of agricultural aid on forests in Sierra Leone, a country that relies heavily on agricultural products. We constructed a fine-grained (16-day) indicator of forest growth from 2001 to 2015 by combining remotely sensed data of land cover and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. The high frequency of forest growth data enables us to trace the dynamic causal process. To reduce the confounding effects of heterogeneity, we applied a difference-in-difference design with data at the sub-national level to estimate the causal effect. This study provides robust empirical evidence that foreign agricultural aid harms forests both in the short term (i.e., 16 days) and long term (i.e., years) in Sierra Leone. Agricultural aid projects with agricultural development as their primary objective or aid projects without specific objectives lead to the highest levels of forest degradation.
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Wiersum, K. F. "From natural forest to tree crops, co-domestication of forests and tree species, an overview." Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 45, no. 4 (December 1, 1997): 425–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.18174/njas.v45i4.503.
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The process of domestication of tree crops has only been given limited attention. This process starts with the protection of natural forests and ends with the cultivation of domesticated tree crops. In this evolutionary process three types of human-influenced forest environments may be distinguished: (1) conserved forests, (2) modified forests, and (3) transformed forests. During the process of domestication an increasing input of human energy per unit of exploited forest takes place. Accordingly three phases in the domestication of forests may be distinguished: (1) an acculturalization phase in which social measures aimed at controlling the utilization of valuable tree species or patches of forests are implemented, (2) a phase of manipulation of wild tree species in which the socially-oriented management practices are enhanced with measures aimed at enhancing the (re)productive potential of valued species, and (3) a phase of cultivation of genetically modified tree crops. As a result of the co-domestication of forests and trees various types of forests and/or tree cultivation systems can be distinguished. So far more attention has been given to understanding the characteristics of the early and end phases than to the various intermediate phases represented by indigenous forest management and agroforestry systems. These are characterized by a modification of the highly diverse natural forest ecosystems to a state in which the biodiversity has been somewhat reduced, but in which a larger proportion of useful resources are present. Such systems provide interesting examples of the wide range of options for managing forest resources with varying degrees of biodiversity and productive values.
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Cristea, Dragos Sebastian, Sarina Rosenberg, Adriana Pustianu Mocanu, Ira Adeline Simionov, Alina Antache Mogodan, Stefan Mihai Petrea, and Liliana Mihaela Moga. "Modelling the Common Agricultural Policy Impact over the EU Agricultural and Rural Environment through a Machine Learning Predictive Framework." Agronomy 11, no. 11 (October 20, 2021): 2105. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112105.
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This research provides an analytical and predictive framework, based on state-of-the-art machine-learning (ML) algorithms (random forest (RF) and generalized additive models (GAM)), that can be used to assess and improve the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) impact/performance over the agricultural and rural environments, easing the identification of proper instruments that can be used by EU policy makers in CAP’s financial management. The applied methodology consists of elaborating a custom-developed analytical framework based on a dataset containing 22 relevant indicators, considering four main dimensions that describe the intricacies of the EU agricultural and rural environment, in the CAP context: rural, emissions, macroeconomic, and financial. The results highlight that an increase of the agricultural research and development funding, as well as the agriculture employment rate, negatively influence the degree of rural poverty. The rural GDP per capita is influenced by the size of the employment rate in agriculture. It seems that environmental sustainability, identified by both fertilizers used and emissions from agriculture parameters, significantly influences the GDP per capita. In predicting emissions in agriculture, the direct payment, degree of rural poverty, fertilizer use, employment in agriculture, and agriculture labor productivity are the main independent parameters with the highest future importance. It was found that when predicting direct payments, the rural employment rate, employment in agriculture, and gross value added must be considered the most. The agricultural, entrepreneurial income prediction is mainly influenced by the total factor productivity, while agricultural research and development investments depend on gross value added, direct payments, and gross value added in the agricultural sector. Future research, related to prediction models based on CAP indicators, should also consider the marketing dimension. It is recommended for direct payments to be used to invest in upgrading the fertilizers technologies, since environmental sustainability will influence economic growth.
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Franklin, E., EMR Santos, and MIC Albuquerque. "Edaphic and arboricolous oribatid mites (Acari; Oribatida) in tropical environments: changes in the distribution of higher level taxonomic groups in the communities of species." Brazilian Journal of Biology 67, no. 3 (August 2007): 447–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1519-69842007000300009.
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We analysed the community of oribatid mites in 25 environments of northern Brazil and one in a rain forest in Peru, encompassing fauna sampled on natural and artificial (nylon-mesh bags) substrata, from primary and secondary forests, caatinga, savannahs, flooded forests, bark and epiphytes of trees, and polyculture. A hundred and forty six species are definitively identified from a total of 444 taxa. To determine changes in the community, we took as a basis of comparison the species dominance of Lower Oribatida vs. Oppioidea and Lower Oribatida vs. Poronota. Even considering the different periods in which the inventories were realized and the different sampling methodology compared, the partition of the species of Oribatid mite in larger groups shows tendencies indicating partition of species dominance among the environments studied, showing that they differed in their suitability as habitats for the Oribatid mite community, mainly in respect to the Lower Oribatida, Oppioidea and Poronota composition. These tendencies should be explored in more detail as more becomes known about the species composition in each environment.
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Aguiar, André Silva, Filipe Neves dos Santos, José Boaventura Cunha, Héber Sobreira, and Armando Jorge Sousa. "Localization and Mapping for Robots in Agriculture and Forestry: A Survey." Robotics 9, no. 4 (November 21, 2020): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/robotics9040097.
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Research and development of autonomous mobile robotic solutions that can perform several active agricultural tasks (pruning, harvesting, mowing) have been growing. Robots are now used for a variety of tasks such as planting, harvesting, environmental monitoring, supply of water and nutrients, and others. To do so, robots need to be able to perform online localization and, if desired, mapping. The most used approach for localization in agricultural applications is based in standalone Global Navigation Satellite System-based systems. However, in many agricultural and forest environments, satellite signals are unavailable or inaccurate, which leads to the need of advanced solutions independent from these signals. Approaches like simultaneous localization and mapping and visual odometry are the most promising solutions to increase localization reliability and availability. This work leads to the main conclusion that, few methods can achieve simultaneously the desired goals of scalability, availability, and accuracy, due to the challenges imposed by these harsh environments. In the near future, novel contributions to this field are expected that will help one to achieve the desired goals, with the development of more advanced techniques, based on 3D localization, and semantic and topological mapping. In this context, this work proposes an analysis of the current state-of-the-art of localization and mapping approaches in agriculture and forest environments. Additionally, an overview about the available datasets to develop and test these approaches is performed. Finally, a critical analysis of this research field is done, with the characterization of the literature using a variety of metrics.
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Silvério, Divino V., Robson Santana Oliveira, Bernardo Monteiro Flores, Paulo M. Brando, Hellen Kezia Almada, Marco Túlio Furtado, Fabio Garcia Moreira, Michael Heckenberger, Katia Yukari Ono, and Marcia N. Macedo. "Intensification of fire regimes and forest loss in the Território Indígena do Xingu." Environmental Research Letters 17, no. 4 (March 21, 2022): 045012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5713.
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Abstract The contemporary fire regime of southern Amazonian forests has been dominated by interactions between droughts and sources of fire ignition associated with deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture. Until recently, wildfires have been concentrated mostly on private properties, with protected areas functioning as large-scale firebreaks along the Amazon’s agricultural frontier. However, as the climate changes, protected forests have become increasingly flammable. Here, we have quantified forest degradation in the Território Indígena do Xingu (TIX), an iconic area of 2.8 million hectares where over 6000 people from 16 different ethnic Indigenous groups live across 100 villages. Our main hypothesis was that forest degradation, defined here as areas with lower canopy cover, inside the TIX is increasing due to pervasive sources of fire ignition, more frequent extreme drought events, and changing slash-and-burn agricultural practices. Between 2001 and 2020, nearly 189 000 hectares (∼7%) of the TIX became degraded by recurrent drought and fire events that were the main factors driving forest degradation, particularly in seasonally flooded forests. After three fire events, the probability of forest loss was higher in seasonally flooded areas (63%) compared to upland areas (41%). Given the same fire frequency, areas that have not suffered with extreme droughts showed a 24% lower probability of forest loss compared to areas that experienced three drought events. Distance from villages and human density also had a marked effect on forest cover loss, which was generally higher in areas close to the largest villages. In one of the most culturally diverse Indigenous lands of the Amazon, in a landscape highly threatened by deforestation, our findings demonstrate that climate change may have already exceeded the conditions to which the system has adapted.
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Coutinho, Fernado Silva, Luiz Alberto da Silva Rodrigues Pinto, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Shirlei Almeida Assunção, Silver Rodrigues Zandoná, Fabiana Da Costa Barros, Renato Sinquini de Souza, Hugo Souza Fagundes, and Eduardo Henrique Silva e. Souza. "Soil quality indicators in areas with different vegetation cover in the Atlantic Forest biome, Southeastern Brazil." Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais 11, no. 7 (August 10, 2020): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.6008/cbpc2179-6858.2020.007.0001.
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The southeast region of Brazil, in the Atlantic Forest biome, has been impacted for a long time, observing today small agricultural areas inserted in a matrix of pastures and forest fragments, the soils being highly modified due to the different forms of use they were submitted. The objective of this study was to evaluate the organic carbon content in the humic fractions on soil organic matter (SOM), the distribution of aggregates in size classes and the porosity and aggregates density variables by means of computed tomography in secondary forest, pasture and agriculture areas in Pinheiral (RJ). Three areas composed of secondary forests with different succession stages and three managed areas were evaluated: Secondary Forest (SF) Initial Stage (SFIS), Medium Stage (SFMS), Advanced Stage (SFAS), mixed managed pasture (MMP), and perennial and annual agriculture (PA and AA, respectively). Three types of samples were collected in different layers: i) deformed samples to quantify carbon in the SOM humic fractions; ii) clods for quantifying the mass of aggregates and later assessing the distribution by diameter classes; and iii) undisturbed samples collected with the aid of an acrylic cylinder to perform computed tomography (CT). Humic substances and aggregate classes below 2.0 mm were the attributes most influenced by the forms of use and/or vegetation cover. The CT technique proved to be efficient in the measurement of the edaphic attribute’s porosity and density of the aggregates, helping in the characterization and separation of the different environments.
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Souza, Marcos Magalhães de, Ângela Gomes Brunismann, and Mateus Aparecido Clemente. "Social wasp richness and species distributions among ecosystem types in Minas Gerais, Brazil." Sociobiology 64, no. 4 (December 27, 2017): 456. http://dx.doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v64i4.1839.
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The state of Minas Gerais has high biodiversity, characterized by strong ecosystem heterogeneity that favors high richness of social wasps. There are currently 109 species known to occur in the state, however, there is lack of information concerning the distribution of these social insects among different ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate social wasp species richness and distributions by ecosystem, thereby generating data for use in discerning relevant and priority environments for vespid conservation in Minas Gerais. We evaluated articles, theses, and dissertations published up to the year 2016 containing data on biodiversity of social wasps in natural and agricultural environments. We found 18 studies, in which the highest reported species richness was in semideciduous seasonal forest (n = 68), followed by Cerrado (n = 53), ombrophilous forest (n = 39), deciduous seasonal forest, and campos rupestres (n = 35). The lowest richness was reported in mixed forest (n = 21) and high-altitude fields (n = 19). Considering the high degree of landscape diversity of the state of Minas Gerais, more studies are needed to accurately assess social wasp diversity in these ecosystems, especially Cerrado. Ombrophilous and deciduous forests should be considered strongly relevant for these social insects, especially the Rio Doce State Park and the Rio Pandeiros Wildlife Refuge.
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Klymenko, Mykola, Oleksandr Tkachuk, and Snizhana Pankova. "ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF FUNCTIONING OF PROTECTIVE FOREST LANDS IN THE CONDITIONS OF FOREST STEPPE OF THE RIGHT BANK." Agriculture and Forestry, no. 1 (March 27, 2021): 179–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.37128/2707-5826-2021-1-14.
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The positive agroecological impact of field-protective forest plantations on the state of agricultural land is noted, which is manifested in the cessation of the development of water and wind erosion, the accumulation of moisture in the soil, the creation of a favorable microclimate in crops, an increase in the general biodiversity, which leads to an increase in the yield of field cult by 20%, the productivity of pastures - up to 25%, dairy production - up to 12%. However, in recent years, the functional properties of field-protective afforestation have sharply decreased due to an unbalanced ratio of arable land, natural hayfields and pastures, forests with a significant predominance of arable land; strengthening of the negative impact on agricultural landscapes and their biological component, in particular climate change in the direction of aridity, aridization, technogenic load, and the like; deterioration of the silvicultural state of field-protective forest plantations of a linear type, a decrease in their areas, a decrease in protective and reclamation functions, a violation of their optimal age and species structure; the inconsistency of the structures of field-protective forest plantations with certain types of agricultural landscapes, reduces their ameliorative impact on agricultural land; the absence of completed systems of protective forest plantations of the linear type; application of simplified technologies in agriculture, weakening the ameliorative influence of protective forest plantations of a linear type on agricultural land; decrease in the volume of creation of agroforestry plantations over the past decades; lack of targeted systemic government measures for protective forest plantations of the linear type; insufficient total area of various categories of protective forest plantations of the linear type; reduction of the area of protective forest plantations of the linear type due to illegal economic activities; liquidation of agroforestry services; a significant decrease in the amount of funding for scientific research on agroforestry; lack of legal norms that provide for liability for inefficient land use. Analysis of the current degree of completeness and completeness of systems of field-protective forest plantations and the need for their optimization showed that field-protective forest cover in Ukraine is only 1.5% of the total land use area, in particular, in the Steppe zone - 2.2%, in the Forest-steppe - 1.0 and in Polesie - 0.4%. The area of forest shelter belts for various purposes, as well as forests, which, in turn, perform protective functions, is insufficient to stabilize the environment and create conditions for normal management. The total and field-protective forest cover of agricultural land in Ukraine is significantly lower than the established standards, which are about 3%. At this time, the situation with field-protective plantations is as follows: lands under field-protective forest belts no longer belong to the lands of the forest fund, but have become agricultural lands with the status of non-agricultural lands; lands under forest shelter belts are in communal ownership; lands for forest shelterbelts are transferred for permanent use and lease; permanent use of land for field protection plantations is transferred exclusively to specialized enterprises of communal and state forms of ownership; any natural or legal person can get a lease of field-protective forest belts, provided that the lease agreement includes the obligation to maintain and preserve such belts and ensure that they perform the functions of agroforestry reclamation; the rules for the maintenance of shelterbelts must be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
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Sakagami, Masaji, and Daishi Sakaguchi. "Estimating Preferences for Wood Furniture in Terms of Sustainable Forest Management." Forests 13, no. 5 (April 28, 2022): 687. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f13050687.
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The world’s forest area decreased to three point nine billion hectares in 2015, a net annual loss of 3.3 million hectares, and large-scale deforestation is occurring in the tropics. Furthermore, greenhouse gas emissions are increasing as forests are converted to other uses such as agricultural land. Against this backdrop, sustainable forest management is becoming increasingly important. This study attempts to quantify people’s general awareness and values concerning for on-line shopping habits (in this study, for wooden furniture) in terms of sustainable forest management in Japan by estimating the acceptable price premium or willingness of consumers to pay for wood-related products made using wood produced under sustainable forest management as the raw material. The study proceeds to quantify the awareness and values of consumers concerning sustainable forest management and conservation of forest environments. Consumers were found to have a certain willingness to pay for wooden furniture made from wood produced through sustainable forest management. As a consequence of this analysis, it was revealed that consumers place a high value on sustainable forest management and environmental conservation, and that they are willing to act on these values when purchasing wood-related products.
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Wunder, Sven, Frederik Noack, and Arild Angelsen. "Climate, crops, and forests: a pan-tropical analysis of household income generation." Environment and Development Economics 23, no. 3 (April 6, 2018): 279–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1355770x18000116.
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AbstractRural households in developing countries depend on crops, forest extraction and other income sources for their livelihoods, but these livelihood contributions are sensitive to climate change. Combining socioeconomic data from about 8,000 smallholder households across the tropics with gridded precipitation and temperature data, we find that households have the highest crop income at 21°C temperature and 2,000 mm precipitation. Forest incomes increase on both sides of this agricultural maximum. We further find indications that crop income declines in response to weather shocks while forest income increases, suggesting that households may cope by reallocating inputs from agriculture to forests. Forest production may thus be less sensitive than crop production to climatic fluctuations, gaining comparative advantage in extreme climates and under weather anomalies. This suggests that well-managed forests might help poor rural households to cope with and adapt to future climate change.
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Franklin, E., E. M. R. Santos, and M. I. C. Albuquerque. "Diversity and distribution of oribatid mites (Acari:Oribatida) in a lowland rain forest in Peru and in several environments of the Brazilians States of Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima and Pará." Brazilian Journal of Biology 66, no. 4 (November 2006): 999–1020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1519-69842006000600007.
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We are summarizing the current state of knowledge of the diversity and distribution of oribatid mites in 26 environments in northern Brazil and of a rain forest in Peru. the published studies were mostly concentrated in central amazon. Only one report is a result from an agricultural polyculture. We are providing the first lists of species for savannas and for the brazilian states of Roraima and Pará. up to date, 146 species are definitively identified from a total of 444 taxa with 188 known genera, reinforcing the notion of a rich biodiverse area. the high number of 298 non-described species (morphospecies) clearly shows the inadequacy of the current taxonomic knowledge for the region. most of the registers are from forest environments. in the soil from primary forests, we registered the highest diversity (54-155 species/morphospecies). eighty-nine species were unique to primary forests, followed by 34 for savannas, 32 in trees, 10 in "igapó", 4 in caatinga, 3 in secondary forests, two in "várzea" and one in polyculture. twenty genera were the most speciose. the species with the largest home ranges were Rostrozetes foveolatus, Scheloribates sp. a, and Galumna sp. a. our numbers reflect the lack of taxonomists and show that the taxonomic knowledge must be improved for the region or we will continue to work with taxonomic resolution of order or family and a high percentage of morphospecies, which will probably be appropriate to the question being asked in each study, but not for a comparison among environments.
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Carter, S., M. Herold, M. C. Rufino, K. Neumann, L. Kooistra, and L. Verchot. "Mitigation of agricultural emissions in the tropics: comparing forest land-sparing options at the national level." Biogeosciences 12, no. 15 (August 10, 2015): 4809–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-4809-2015.
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Abstract. Emissions from agriculture-driven deforestation are of global concern, but forest land-sparing interventions such as agricultural intensification and utilization of available non-forest land offer opportunities for mitigation. In many tropical countries, where agriculture is the major driver of deforestation, interventions in the agriculture sector could reduce deforestation emissions as well as reduce emissions in the agriculture sector. Our study uses a novel approach to quantify agriculture-driven deforestation and associated emissions in the tropics between 2000 and 2010. Emissions from agriculture-driven deforestation in the tropics (97 countries) are 4.3 GtCO2e yr−1. We investigate the national potential to mitigate these emissions through forest land-sparing interventions, which can potentially be implemented under REDD+. We consider intensification and utilization of available non-forested land as forest land-sparing opportunities since they avoid the expansion of agriculture into forested land. In addition, we assess the potential to reduce agricultural emissions on existing agriculture land. The use of a systematic framework demonstrates the selection of mitigation interventions by considering sequentially the level of emissions, mitigation potential of various interventions, enabling environment and associated risks to livelihoods at the national level. Our results show that considering only countries with high emissions from agriculture-driven deforestation, with potential for forest-sparing interventions and a good enabling environment (e.g. effective governance or engagement in REDD+), there is a potential to mitigate 1.3 GtCO2e yr−1 (20 countries of 78 with sufficient data). For countries where we identify agricultural emissions as a priority for mitigation, up to 1 GtCO2e yr−1 could be reduced from the agriculture sector including livestock. Risks to livelihoods from implementing interventions based on national level data call for detailed investigation at the local level to inform decisions on mitigation interventions. Three case studies demonstrate the use of the analytical framework. The inherent link between the agriculture and forestry sectors due to competition for land suggests that these sectors cannot be considered independently. Our findings highlight the need to include the forest and the agricultural sectors in the decision-making process to mitigate deforestation.
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Kuczynski, Eva C., and Cynthia A. Paszkowski. "Constructed Borrow-Pit Wetlands as Habitat for Aquatic Birds in the Peace Parkland, Canada." ISRN Ecology 2012 (September 16, 2012): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.5402/2012/217357.
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The Peace Parkland, Alberta, Canada is part of a continentally important region for breeding and migrating aquatic birds. As a result of resource development and agricultural conversion, many wetlands have been lost. Road construction in the area results in the creation of borrow pits, <3 ha ponds created when soil is removed to form the road bed. We surveyed 200 borrow pits for aquatic birds in May through August 2007. We examined patterns of occurrence and richness, categorizing ponds based on surrounding landscape type: agriculture (0–33.3% forest within 500 m), mixed habitat (33.4–66.6% forest), and forested (66.7–100% forest). Principal Component Analysis indicated that pond environments differed based on local and landscape features. Twenty-seven species of aquatic birds used borrow pits, with 13 nesting. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling and Indicator Species Analysis of birds observed in each month revealed assemblages characteristic of agricultural ponds, including horned grebe, lesser scaup, American coot, and mallard, and of ponds with >33.3% forest, including bufflehead, ring-necked duck, green-winged teal, and American wigeon. Because borrow pits were used by a variety of dabbling and diving aquatic birds in repeatable assemblages across the breeding season, we propose that these wetlands be integrated into avian conservation strategies.
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Mashhadi, Nooshin, and Ugur Alganci. "Evaluating BFASTMonitor Algorithm in Monitoring Deforestation Dynamics in Coniferous and Deciduous Forests with LANDSAT Time Series: A Case Study on Marmara Region, Turkey." ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information 11, no. 11 (November 16, 2022): 573. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijgi11110573.
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Time series analysis combined with remote sensing data allows for the study of abrupt changes in the environment due to significant and severe disturbances such as deforestation, agricultural activities, fires, and urban expansion, as well as gradual changes such as climate variability and forest degradation in the ecosystem. The precision of any change detection analysis is highly dependent upon its ability to separate actual changes and fluctuations on a seasonal scale. One of the efficient methods in this context is using the Breaks for Additive Seasonal and Trend (BFAST) set of algorithms. This study aims to perform a comprehensive and comparative evaluation of different Vis’ performance in forest degradation with the Landsat 8 images and BFASTMonitor approach. Through evaluation, the study also considers the potential effects of different forest types and deforestation scales in the Marmara region of Turkey. For this purpose, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), and Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) vegetation indices (VI) were selected for a comparative evaluation. The overall accuracy of VIs in deciduous forests was around 85% for NDVI, NDMI, and NBR, and 78.80% for EVI, while in coniferous forests, the overall accuracy demonstrated higher values of about 88% for NDVI, NDMI, and EVI, and 87.28% for NBR. Consequently, water-sensitive VIs that utilize shortwave infrared bands proved to be slightly more sensitive in detecting forest disturbances while chlorophyll-sensitive VIs represented lower accuracy for both forest types. Overall, all VIs faced an underestimation error in deforested area detection that was observable through negative BIAS. The results illuminate that BFASTMonitor can be considered as a tool in monitoring forest environments due to its acceptable deforestation determination capability in deciduous and coniferous forests, with slightly higher performance for small-scale deforestation patterned regions.
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Rockwell, Cara A., Alex Crow, Érika R. Guimarães, Eduardo Recinos, and Deborah La Belle. "Species Richness, Stem Density, and Canopy in Food Forests: Contributions to Ecosystem Services in an Urban Environment." Urban Planning 7, no. 2 (May 31, 2022): 139–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.17645/up.v7i2.5135.
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Food forests expand the traditional concepts of urban forestry and agriculture, providing a broad diversity of tree-related ecosystem services and goods. Even though food forest systems bridge an obvious gap between agriculture and forestry, their potential value in the urban landscape is often undervalued. The inclusion of edible species in urban forest stands can enhance nutrition and well-being in the urban landscape, where food deserts are common. The potential for ecosystem services is especially pronounced in subtropical and tropical regions, where there is a heightened need for shade due to climate change-related heat waves. For this study, we investigated the tree species richness, stem density, and canopy cover provided by food forest gardens in 10 Miami-Dade County, Florida public schools located in the urban landscape. We compared results with neighboring properties around the schools and discovered that the food forest canopy was comparable with neighborhood urban tree cover. Additionally, we established that arborescent species richness (including an increase in edible taxa) and stem density was higher in food forests than in adjacent neighborhood plots. We posit that local food production could be enhanced by planting edible species in small spaces (e.g., empty lots or residential yards), as opposed to focusing on just ornamental taxa or recommended street trees. Our study highlights the importance of using mixed edible tree species plantings (especially with consideration to provisioning, regulating, and supporting services), potentially meeting urban forestry and agricultural goals proposed by urban planners and managers.
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Gordon, Andrew M., Doug W. Larson, Ray A. McBride, Glen P. Lumis, Kim Rollins, and Sally Humphries. "Learning about the forest using alternative curricula the Guelph experience." Forestry Chronicle 78, no. 3 (June 1, 2002): 373–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.5558/tfc78373-3.
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The University of Guelph is a mid-sized university in southern Ontario that has many historical underpinnings with respect to both undergraduate and graduate education in forestry and forest-related subjects. Some of the earliest forward-thinking forest policies found in Ontario came from early faculty associated with the predecessor of the University, the Ontario School of Agriculture. Today, the University has numerous faculty in Colleges across campus that are involved in a multitude of teaching and research aspects associated with forested environments. The research-teaching link with respect to forestry is strong and the undergraduate population appears appreciative of this. Undergraduate courses and course segments at both undergraduate and graduate levels exist, and a minor in forest science, housed in the Department of Environmental Biology but drawing on resources from across multiple disciplines, is also available. The University of Guelph is currently evaluating its options with respect to undergraduate education in the forest sciences. Building on past and present strengths, the University is considering offering a non-accredited B.Sc. program that embraces the science and management of forests and the environmental impact and community benefits associated with interventions in the forest. Key words: Ontario forests, historical perspectives, learner-centred undergraduate curriculum, forest environments, forest science, forest and natural resource economics, internationalism, non-accredited B.Sc. undergraduate degree, graduate forest research
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Sales, M. C. G., M. C. C. Campos, T. S. Martins, E. G. Brito Filho, E. N. Pinheiro, J. M. Cunha, V. S. Fraga, and F. G. Souza. "Litter input in cerrado, cerradão and forest environments in Amazon, Brazil." Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias - Brazilian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 15, no. 2 (June 30, 2020): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.5039/agraria.v15i2a7383.
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Ramírez-Albores, Jorge E., and Marlín Pérez-Suárez. "Tropical forest remnants as shelters of avian diversity within a tourism development matrix in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico." Revista de Biología Tropical 66, no. 2 (May 24, 2018): 799. http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v66i2.33410.
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Tropical forests have undergone extensive transformation because of increasing tourism development, in addition to historic clearing for agricultural and cattle grazing activities. Altogether, these activities have had an important effect on bird diversity, reducing the habitat available to many species. In this study, the role of tropical forest remnants located between different land use types was evaluated for species diversity, composition, and distribution of the bird community at Akumal region in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Point counts were used to quantify the avifauna by habitat, and Shannon´s and Simpson´s diversity index were used to determine bird diversity. Additionally, bird species were classified according to seasonality and trophic guild by type of habitat. A total of 160 species and 50 families was recorded, of which 100 species were permanent residents, 47 winter visitors and 11 transients. Mature tropical forest and tropical forest remnants had higher species richness than those of modified environments. This study supports the importance of tropical forest remnants as shelters for bird species in landscapes with tourism developments, and the relevance of these remnants to maintaining high bird diversity. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 799-813. Epub 2018 June 01.
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Li, Jing, Baozhong Cai, Meseret Chanie Abate, and Fang Luo. "Sustainable Rural Ecological Environments: An Investigation of Agricultural Tourism Integration in Hunan Province, China." Asian Research Journal of Agriculture 16, no. 2 (July 5, 2023): 46–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.9734/arja/2023/v16i2386.
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Aims: The integration of agriculture and tourism represents a pivotal breakthrough point in realizing rural revitalization. To ensure sustainable development and attain ecological livability, there is a pressing need to investigate the impact mechanism of agricultural tourism integration on rural ecological environments.
Study Design: This study examines the current state of agricultural tourism integration and ecological livability in Hunan Province, China. The research constructs an influence mechanism to assess the impact of agricultural tourism integration on the rural ecological environment, utilizing empirical data covering the cities and prefectures of Hunan Province from 2015 to 2021.
Results: Our findings indicate a significant correlation between agricultural tourism integration and the rural ecological environment. However, whether such integration has a positive effect on the environment depends on the availability of scientific and reasonable development plans.
Conclusion: The results of this research offer critical insight into the impacts of agricultural tourism integration on rural ecological environments. In particular, the data demonstrate the importance of eco-friendly practices and biodiversity conservation when engaging in agricultural tourism integration as a way of promoting ecological sustainability in rural areas. Such evidence is essential to understanding the relation between agricultural tourism integration and rural ecological sustainability.
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Fleck, Marciane Danniela, and Ervandil Corrêa Costa. "Fruit-feeding butterflies assemblage in Deciduous Seasonal Forest fragments and grassland." Comunicata Scientiae 9, no. 4 (January 4, 2019): 754–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.14295/cs.v9i4.2827.
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This study aims to investigate the diversity and richness of fruit-feeding butterflies in two fragments of Deciduous Seasonal Forest, with different anthropic explorations, comparing the border and interior environments, and an anthropic area with predominance of grassland, in Taquaruçu do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Samplings were conducted fortnightly, from August 2012 to July 2013. In each area, were installed attractive traps with a fermented banana and sugarcane juice. In the fragments were installed four traps on the border and four traps 40 meters from the border and in the cultivated pasture area, four traps were also installed. A total of 2,077 specimens of fruit-feeding butterflies were collected, distributed in 45 species and four subfamilies of the Nymphalidae family. The diversity and richness of the fruit-feeding butterflies were higher in the forest fragments. The quantitative cluster analysis segregated the environments into distinct groups, aggregating border environments. By the qualitative analysis there is greater similarity between the fragments. It is concluded that the composition of the fruit-feeding butterflies species is different among the studied areas, and the environments of the forest fragments have similar diversity and richness among them, while the cultivated grassland area is less richness and diversity.
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Cochard, Roland, Dung Tri Ngo, Patrick O. Waeber, and Christian A. Kull. "Extent and causes of forest cover changes in Vietnam’s provinces 1993–2013: a review and analysis of official data." Environmental Reviews 25, no. 2 (June 2017): 199–217. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0050.
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Within a region plagued by deforestation, Vietnam has experienced an exceptional turnaround from net forest loss to forest regrowth. This so-called forest transition, starting in the 1990s, resulted from major changes to environmental and economic policy. Investments in agricultural intensification, reforestation programs, and forestland privatization directly or indirectly promoted natural forest regeneration and the setting-up of plantation forests mainly stocked with exotic species. Forest cover changes, however, varied widely among regions due to specific socio-economic and environmental factors. We studied forest cover changes (including natural and planted forests) and associated drivers in Vietnam’s provinces from 1993–2013. An exhaustive literature review was combined with multivariate statistical analyses of official provincial data. Natural forest regrowth was highest in northern mountain provinces, especially in the period 1993–2003, whereas deforestation continued in the Central Highlands and Southeast Region. Forest plantations increased most in mid-elevation provinces. Statistical results largely confirmed case study-based literature, highlighting the importance of forestland allocation policies and agroforestry extension for promoting small-scale tree plantations and allowing natural forest regeneration in previously degraded areas. Results provide evidence for the abandonment of upland swidden agriculture during 1993–2003, and reveal that spatial competition between expanding natural forests, fixed crop fields, and tree plantations increased during 2003–2013. While we identified a literature gap regarding effects of forest management by para-statal forestry organizations, statistical results showed that natural forests increased in areas managed for protection/regeneration. Cover of other natural forests under the organizations’ management, however, tended to decrease or stagnate, especially more recently when the organizations increasingly turned to multi-purpose plantation forestry. Deforestation processes in the Central Highlands and Southeast Region were mainly driven by cash crop expansion (coffee, rubber) and associated immigration and population growth. Recent data trends indicated limits to further forest expansion, and logging within high-quality natural forests reportedly remained a widespread problem. New schemes for payments for forest environmental services should be strengthened to consolidate the gains from the forest transition, whilst improving forest quality (in terms of biodiversity and environmental services) and allowing local people to actively participate in forest management.
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Junaid, Muhammad, Jianguo Sun, Amir Iqbal, Mohammad Sohail, Shahzad Zafar, and Azhar Khan. "Mapping LULC Dynamics and Its Potential Implication on Forest Cover in Malam Jabba Region with Landsat Time Series Imagery and Random Forest classification." Sustainability 15, no. 3 (January 18, 2023): 1858. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su15031858.
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Pakistan has an annual deforestation rate of 4.6% which is the second highest in Asia. It has been described by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that the deforestation rate increased from 1.8–2.2% within two decades (1980–2000 and 2000–2010). KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Pakistan’s northwestern province, holds 31% of the country’s total forest resources, the majority of which are natural forests. The Malam Jabba region, known for its agro-forestry practices, has undergone significant changes in its agricultural, forestry, and urban development. Agricultural and built-up land increased by 77.6% in the last four decades, and significant changes in land cover especially loss in forest, woodland, and agricultural land were observed due to flood disasters since 1980. For assessing and interpreting land-cover dynamics, particularly for changes in natural resources such as evergreen forest cover, remote sensing images are valuable assets. This study proposes a framework to assess the changes in vegetation cover in the Malam Jabba region during the past four decades with Landsat time series data. The random forest classifier (RF) was used to analyze the forest, woodland, and other land cover changes over the past four decades. Landsat MMS, TM, ETM+, and OLI satellite images were used as inputs for the random forest (RF) classifier. The vegetation cover change for each period was calculated from the pixels using vegetation indices such as NDVI, SAVI, and VCI. The results show that Malam Jabba’s total forest land area in 1980 was about 236 km2 and shrank to 152 km2 by 2020. The overall loss rate of evergreen forests was 35.3 percent. The mean forest cover loss rate occurred at 2.1 km2/year from 1980 to 2020. The area of woodland forest decreased by 87 km2 (25.43 percent) between 1980 and 2020. Other landcover increased by 121% and covered a total area of 178 km2. The overall accuracy was about 94% and the value of the kappa coefficient was 0.92 for the change in forest and woodland cover. In conclusion, this study can be beneficial to researchers and decision makers who are enthusiastic about using remote sensing for monitoring and planning the development of LULC at the regional and global scales.
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Kustanti, A. "Income adaptation of farmers as long covid-19 pandemy on sustainable ub forest management: a case from Indonesia." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 883, no. 1 (October 1, 2021): 012069. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/883/1/012069.
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Abstract This study has analysed farmers' income on their adaptation as long Covid-19 pandemic in University of Brawijaya (UB) Forest. UB Forest got a management right of State Forest Management (Ministry of Forestry and Live Environment/MLEF Indonesia). Preliminary, this forest was managed by State Company Forest, namely Perum Perhutani. But, in 2015 it was transferred to the University by MLEF Indonesia for Education and Training Centre. The agricultural plantation has conducted by 824 farmers who were involved in UB Forest management. There are 16 fields of farmers' land use in 514 ha area. After the forest transfer to the UB Forest, there was no clear how farmers right adjusted the vision and mission of UB. This research wants to analyse how the income adaption farmer as long Covid 19, right and obligation as a shape of participation, and UB Forest management with qualitative approach. Selected respondents were in-depth interviewed. The analysis method used Institutional Analysis Design/IAD (Ostrom, 1999) and Bundles of Right (Ostrom, 1990). Farmers adaptation as long Covid-19 on forest management at UB Forest based on bundles of rights as a Claimant. It means that farmers had two right as below: 1)access and withdrawal right (enter the land, cultivate agriculture land, land conservation, harvest the agricultural yield, watch the forest fire along with UB Forest Team, implementation innovation of UB civitas academic, maintain the tree in UB Forest area, including in education and research of UB) and 2)management right on an agricultural plantation under the tree (a decision the species of agricultural plant, manage the plant, and arrange the cycle of the plantation itself). The income of farmers as long as Covid-19 was declined 39 % from the normal condition.
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Lebedev, A. V., A. V. Gemonov, S. N. Volkov, E. S. Kalmykova, O. V. Kanadin, G. M. Mironova, and V. R. Areshchenko. "NATURAL REGENERATION IN MIXED MULTIPLE-AGED FORESTS ON URBANIZED TERRITORIES OF MOSCOW." THEORETICAL & APPLIED PROBLEMS OF AGRO-INDUSTRY 54, no. 4 (2022): 35–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.32935/2221-7312-2022-54-4-35-40.
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The effectiveness of forests therapeutic impact is based on its species’ and age structure, silvicultural features, biological productivity, regenerative ability, forest management intensity and its methods. The processes of natural regeneration of a forest stand and its growth are the main factors of the forest’s ecosystem proper functioning and a disruption in these processes can lead to a transformation of the whole biocenosis, a change of a typological community. Technogenic pollution is a huge stress factor for trees, and its impact is especially evident in regions with a high concentration of industrial facilities, namely, in Moscow city. One of the most serious consequences of technogenic pollution is the deterioration of long-established forests, which subsequently may reduce its ability to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions and its protective functions. The article discusses issues regarding the natural regeneration of forests on urbanized territories of Moscow on the example of the Forest experimental station of the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The natural regeneration of tree species is one of the most relevant issues of forest and park management. The aim of this project is to estimate natural regeneration in mixed forest stands of urbanized areas, to provide recommendations on the organization of forest regeneration measures in urban environments. The article provides methods and results of field research and recommendations on reforestation measures under these conditions. The research of the cenobiotic connections and the undergrowth of different species with key elements of grass cover in its habitat, will allow a more positive dynamics in the use of natural resources, which will contribute to preservation and restoration of forests.
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Oyediji, Olubukola Tolulope, and O. A. Adenika. "Forest Degradation and Deforestation in Nigeria; Poverty Link." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis 05, no. 10 (October 21, 2022): 2837–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v5-i10-35.
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Forests are the most diverse terrestrial ecosystems, housing a quite large majority of the world’s terrestrial species. It provides many social, economic, and environmental benefits. In addition to timber and paper products, forests provide wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities, it prevents soil erosion and flooding, provides clean air and water as well. Degradation and Deforestation occurs when changes happens which affects the characteristics of a forest negatively in such a way that the value and production of its goods and services decline or it is converted to an alternative permanent non-forested land use such as agriculture, grazing or urban development. These changes are caused by both direct and indirect causes with direct causes being human activities e.g agricultural expansion, road construction etc while indirect causes are economic growth etc. A positive correlation between the level of poverty and utilization of forest resources which leads to deforestation and exploitations of forest resources has been established, with an estimation of more than 90% of the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty dependence on forests for some part of their livelihood. Hence, degradation and loss of forests pose a grave threat to biodiversity. The result of degradation and deforestation include flooding, reduction in forest carbon storage, climate change etc. some perceived way forward to tackling this are poverty reduction programs, addressing land tenure matters , forest monitoring mechanism amongst others.
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da Silva, Fernando Rodrigues, and Denise de Cerqueira Rossa-Feres. "Influence of terrestrial habitat isolation on the diversity and temporal distribution of anurans in an agricultural landscape." Journal of Tropical Ecology 27, no. 03 (March 10, 2011): 327–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467410000842.
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Discontinuity between suitable aquatic and terrestrial habitats forces many amphibian species with aquatic larvae to undertake risky breeding migrations through disturbed environments, potentially contributing to population declines by reducing survival of adults and juveniles (Beckeret al. 2007). The north-western region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, is characterized by fragments of mesophytic semideciduous forest and savanna, surrounded by a matrix of pasture, plantations and urban areas with only 4% of the remaining original vegetation of the state (Ribeiroet al. 2009). Currently, 36 anuran species have been recorded in this region, corresponding to almost 15% of the state's species (Araújoet al. 2009). The anuran species of this region are associated with open environments or are widely distributed in the different Brazilian biomes (Duellman 1999). Silva & Rossa-Feres (2007) showed the importance of forest fragments in this region for 12 anuran species that breed in pools located in a pasture matrix.
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Raulino, Weydson Nyllys Cavalcante, Fernando José Freire, Edilane Alice de Alcântara Assunção, Kassia Maria Pereira de Ataide, Hellen Vitória da Silva, and Ane Cristine Fortes da Silva. "Nutrition of tree species in tropical dry forest and rainforest environments." Revista Ceres 67, no. 1 (February 2020): 70–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0034-737x202067010010.
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Duque, Yessica P., Carlos E. Giraldo-Sánchez, Mario A. Quijano-Abril, and Jose M. Rojas. "Ecology and Diversity of Weed Communities in the Northern Andes under Different Anthropogenic Pressures." Diversity 15, no. 8 (August 17, 2023): 936. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d15080936.
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Weeds can have both positive and negative effects on agricultural environments. However, despite the growing interest in the ecology of weed communities in agricultural areas, a few studies have been carried out in the northern region of the Andes of Colombia, where urban and agricultural expansion have generated highly disturbed scenarios. The aim of this study was to analyze the diversity of vegetation and weed seed banks in three agricultural production systems and a forest ecosystem in the northern Andes of Colombia. Hill numbers were used to compare diversity, Beta diversity to assess changes in composition, and range—abundance–dominance curves at different sites. Likewise, indicator species were analyzed to find species associations to each system. The results revealed differences in the composition of weeds between the forest ecosystem and the agricultural production systems, with higher equitability in the forest ecosystem and higher dominance in agricultural systems. Significant differentiation was observed among the dominant species within each agricultural system, particularly highlighting those species considered pests due to their unique life history traits. These traits confer them with a greater advantage in the face of various anthropogenic selection pressures. These findings highlight the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the ecological dynamics of weed communities in different ecosystems, which should be considered when planning integrated weed management techniques.
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Virgilio, Lucena Rocha, Werther Pereira Ramalho, João Carlos Barbosa da Silva Silva, Monik Da Silveira Suçuarana, Cleyton Holanda de Brito, and Lisandro Juno Soares Vieira. "Does riparian vegetation affect fish assemblage? A longitudinal gradient analysis in three Amazonian streams." Acta Scientiarum. Biological Sciences 40, no. 1 (November 30, 2018): 42562. http://dx.doi.org/10.4025/actascibiolsci.v40i1.42562.
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The degradation of riparian vegetation in low-order streams can cause irreversible environmental damage, biodiversity loss and alter the structure of communities. In this context, the present study evaluated how the level of degradation of riparian vegetation influences the fish assemblage in three low-order streams in the Brazilian Amazon. In each stream, three different stretches were delimited, distributed in the environments of forest, edge and pasture, and the samplings were conducted in three hydrological regimes using dip nets. Influences of the stretches and streams on richness and abundance were tested with GLMM, on the composition with PERMANOVA and on indicator species with IndVal. Species richness was higher in forest environments and lower in pasture; while abundance was higher in pasture and lower in forest. Species composition differed between stretches, streams and in the interaction between stretches and streams, with a strong difference between stretches of forest and pasture environments. Six species dependent of the riparian vegetation were classified as indicators of forest environments; while a generalist species was indicator of pasture. These results reinforce the negative influence of riparian vegetation removal on biological communities and provide subsidies that can help in the conservation and management of these systems.
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Zheng, Yongchang, Si Yu, Guanqun Wang, Fucun Xie, Haifeng Xu, Shunda Du, Haitao Zhao, Xinting Sang, Jizhou Lu, and Wenjun Jiang. "Comparative microbial antibiotic resistome between urban and deep forest environments." Environmental Microbiology Reports 13, no. 4 (March 10, 2021): 503–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.12942.
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Mortate, Roberto Kennedy, Edilson Costa, Gustavo Haralampidou da Costa Vieira, Heitor Franco de Sousa, Renato Silva Borges, Willams Ferreira Souza Barbosa, and Geany Giovana Silva Costa. "Levels of Shading and Reflective Material in Benches for Schizolobium amazonicum Seedlings." Journal of Agricultural Science 11, no. 5 (April 15, 2019): 485. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jas.v11n5p485.
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High quality forest seedlings are essential for the implementation of a commercial forest system, and it is therefore necessary to study their development in different environments, seeking to identify the most favorable environment for their production. In view of the above, the purpose of this essay was to evaluate the production of quamwood seedlings in different environments and workbenches with reflective material. The study was conducted at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul-Cassilândia-MS from August to November 2017, in a completely randomized design within each environment and the environments compared by the joint analysis of the data. At the opportunity, produced quamwood seedlings under shade levels of 0% (full sun), 30% under sombrite, 35% under thermo-reflective screen and the agricultural greenhouse with thermo-reflective screen under the film with 42/50% shading. In the interior of each environment the seedlings were placed on cultivation benches with reflective material (aluminum paper) and without reflective material. The environments were compared by the joint analysis, and the results of molt height and lap diameter were measured at 30, 55 and 72 days after transplanting. The experiment was completed at 72 days after transplanting and the destructive analysis of the seedlings was performed, subjecting them to drying in a forced ventilation oven until reaching a constant dry mass. Based on the results obtained, the total dry mass, height and diameter ratio, root dry mass ratio and dry mass root system, absolute growth rate and Dickson quality index were calculated. The protected environments were favorable to the formation of paricá seedlings. The environment in full sun formed small, but more rustic seedlings. The use of reflective material had a positive effect only in the plastic coverage environment with 42/50% shading screen.
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Chae, Jin-Hae, Seong-Hak Kim, and Byung-Hoon Kang. "Analysis of Importance and Performance of Mountain Village Revitalization Policy for Balanced Regional Development: Focused on Forestry and Agriculture Policy in 8 Regional Governments." Journal of People, Plants, and Environment 25, no. 2 (April 30, 2022): 213–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.11628/ksppe.2022.25.2.213.
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Background and objective: Due to the recent demographic crisis driving the extinction of certain local communities, it is necessary to promote core projects to revitalize mountain village and rural areas.Methods: This study collected a total of 443 policy projects based on major policies and major business plans in the forestry and agricultural sectors of the eight regional governments in 2021. The collected 443 policy projects related to revitalizing the mountain villages were classified by 3 experts into 5 domains in the forestry sector, which further broke down into 27 types, 3 domains in the agricultural sector, and which further broke down into 23 types, for a total of 8 domains and 50 types, and an online survey of 42 policy stakeholders was then conducted. Analysis methods were t-test and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), and implications were derived through comparison between forestry and agricultural sectors.Results: The analysis produced several findings. first, it was positive that many projects in the sustainability field appeared in both forestry and agricultural sectors, but it was found that the policy projects needed to be reviewed due to the lack of types corresponding to projects in the intensive promotion area. Intensive core efforts included "discovering forest cultural assets" and "creating forests to improve the environment." Second, it is necessary to pay attention to the forestry policy sector, as the forestry policy sector were generally lower in importance and performance than the agricultural policy sector. Third, the domains with high importance and performance to mountain village revitalization were "forest welfare services", "improving settlement environment", and "increasing incomes" while the domains with low importance and performance were mountain villages and forest culture areas.Conclusion: In summary, to revitalize mountain villages in response to the issue of the pending extinction of local communities, forest welfare service projects should continuously be promoted and strategic responses are required for "discovering forest cultural assets" and "creating forests for environmental improvement," which are suggested as key strategic project types.