1
|
Ngute ASK, Schoeman DS, Pfeifer M, van der Heijden GMF, Phillips OL, van Breugel M, Campbell MJ, Chandler CJ, Enquist BJ, Gallagher RV, Gehring C, Hall JS, Laurance S, Laurance WF, Letcher SG, Liu W, Sullivan MJP, Wright SJ, Yuan C, Marshall AR. Global dominance of lianas over trees is driven by forest disturbance, climate and topography. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17140. [PMID: 38273497 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that liana competition with trees is threatening the global carbon sink by slowing the recovery of forests following disturbance. A recent theory based on local and regional evidence further proposes that the competitive success of lianas over trees is driven by interactions between forest disturbance and climate. We present the first global assessment of liana-tree relative performance in response to forest disturbance and climate drivers. Using an unprecedented dataset, we analysed 651 vegetation samples representing 26,538 lianas and 82,802 trees from 556 unique locations worldwide, derived from 83 publications. Results show that lianas perform better relative to trees (increasing liana-to-tree ratio) when forests are disturbed, under warmer temperatures and lower precipitation and towards the tropical lowlands. We also found that lianas can be a critical factor hindering forest recovery in disturbed forests experiencing liana-favourable climates, as chronosequence data show that high competitive success of lianas over trees can persist for decades following disturbances, especially when the annual mean temperature exceeds 27.8°C, precipitation is less than 1614 mm and climatic water deficit is more than 829 mm. These findings reveal that degraded tropical forests with environmental conditions favouring lianas are disproportionately more vulnerable to liana dominance and thus can potentially stall succession, with important implications for the global carbon sink, and hence should be the highest priority to consider for restoration management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Senghor K Ngute
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - David S Schoeman
- Ocean Futures Research Cluster, School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
| | - Marion Pfeifer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | | | - Michiel van Breugel
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mason J Campbell
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Brian J Enquist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Rachael V Gallagher
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Christoph Gehring
- Post-Graduate Program in Agroecology, Maranhão State University, Cd. Universitária Paulo VI, São Luis, Brazil
| | | | - Susan Laurance
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - William F Laurance
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Susan G Letcher
- Department of Plant Biology, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
| | - Wenyao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Martin J P Sullivan
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Chunming Yuan
- Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Andrew R Marshall
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Staal A, Theeuwen JJE, Wang-Erlandsson L, Wunderling N, Dekker SC. Targeted rainfall enhancement as an objective of forestation. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17096. [PMID: 38273477 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Forestation efforts are accelerating across the globe in the fight against global climate change, in order to restore biodiversity, and to improve local livelihoods. Yet, so far the non-local effects of forestation on rainfall have largely remained a blind spot. Here we build upon emerging work to propose that targeted rainfall enhancement may also be considered in the prioritization of forestation. We show that the tools to achieve this are rapidly becoming available, but we also identify drawbacks and discuss which further developments are still needed to realize robust assessments of the rainfall effects of forestation in the face of climate change. Forestation programs may then mitigate not only global climate change itself but also its adverse effects in the form of drying.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arie Staal
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jolanda J E Theeuwen
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Lan Wang-Erlandsson
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Member of the Leibniz Association, Potsdam, Germany
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nico Wunderling
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Member of the Leibniz Association, Potsdam, Germany
- High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Stefan C Dekker
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wills AR, Shirima DD, Villemaire-Côté O, Platts PJ, Knight SJ, Loveridge R, Seki H, Waite CE, Munishi PKT, Lyatuu H, Bernal B, Pfeifer M, Marshall AR. A practice-led assessment of landscape restoration potential in a biodiversity hotspot. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210070. [PMID: 36374130 PMCID: PMC9662286 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective restoration planning tools are needed to mitigate global carbon and biodiversity crises. Published spatial assessments of restoration potential are often at large scales or coarse resolutions inappropriate for local action. Using a Tanzanian case study, we introduce a systematic approach to inform landscape restoration planning, estimating spatial variation in cost-effectiveness, based on restoration method, logistics, biomass modelling and uncertainty mapping. We found potential for biomass recovery across 77.7% of a 53 000 km2 region, but with some natural spatial discontinuity in moist forest biomass, that was previously assigned to human causes. Most areas with biomass deficit (80.5%) were restorable through passive or assisted natural regeneration. However, cumulative biomass gains from planting outweighed initially high implementation costs meaning that, where applicable, this method yielded greater long-term returns on investment. Accounting for ecological, funding and other uncertainty, the top 25% consistently cost-effective sites were within protected areas and/or moderately degraded moist forest and savanna. Agro-ecological mosaics had high biomass deficit but little cost-effective restoration potential. Socio-economic research will be needed to inform action towards environmental and human development goals in these areas. Our results highlight value in long-term landscape restoration investments and separate treatment of savannas and forests. Furthermore, they contradict previously asserted low restoration potential in East Africa, emphasizing the importance of our regional approach for identifying restoration opportunities across the tropics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail R. Wills
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
| | - Deo D. Shirima
- National Carbon Monitoring Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Reforest Africa, PO Box 5, Mang'ula, Kilombero District, Tanzania
| | - Olivier Villemaire-Côté
- Centre for Forest Research, Department of Forest and Wood Sciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC Canada, G1V 0A6
| | - Philip J. Platts
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
- BeZero Carbon Ltd, Discovery House, Banner St, London EC1Y 8QE, UK
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Sarah J. Knight
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
| | - Robin Loveridge
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
- The Biodiversity Consultancy, Cambridge CB2 1SJ, UK
| | - Hamidu Seki
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
| | - Catherine E. Waite
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Pantaleo K. T. Munishi
- National Carbon Monitoring Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Herman Lyatuu
- Reforest Africa, PO Box 5, Mang'ula, Kilombero District, Tanzania
| | | | - Marion Pfeifer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Andrew R. Marshall
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
- Reforest Africa, PO Box 5, Mang'ula, Kilombero District, Tanzania
- Flamingo Land Ltd, Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire YO17 6UX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lewis K, Barros FDV, Moonlight PW, Hill TC, Oliveira RS, Schmidt IB, Sampaio AB, Pennington RT, Rowland L. Identifying hotspots for ecosystem restoration across heterogeneous tropical savannah-dominated regions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210075. [PMID: 36373925 PMCID: PMC9661949 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is high potential for ecosystem restoration across tropical savannah-dominated regions, but the benefits that could be gained from this restoration are rarely assessed. This study focuses on the Brazilian Cerrado, a highly species-rich savannah-dominated region, as an exemplar to review potential restoration benefits using three metrics: net biomass gains, plant species richness and ability to connect restored and native vegetation. Localized estimates of the most appropriate restoration vegetation type (grassland, savannah, woodland/forest) for pasturelands are produced. Carbon sequestration potential is significant for savannah and woodland/forest restoration in the seasonally dry tropics (net biomass gains of 58.2 ± 37.7 and 130.0 ± 69.4 Mg ha-1). Modelled restoration species richness gains were highest in the central and south-east of the Cerrado for savannahs and grasslands, and in the west and north-west for woodlands/forests. The potential to initiate restoration projects across the whole of the Cerrado is high and four hotspot areas are identified. We demonstrate that landscape restoration across all vegetation types within heterogeneous tropical savannah-dominated regions can maximize biodiversity and carbon gains. However, conservation of existing vegetation is essential to minimizing the cost and improving the chances of restoration success. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kennedy Lewis
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Fernanda de V. Barros
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Peter W. Moonlight
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QE, UK
- Tropical Diversity Section, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
| | - Timothy C. Hill
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Rafael S. Oliveira
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, CEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Isabel B. Schmidt
- Department of Ecology, University of Brasília, Brasília, CEP 70.910-900, Brazil
| | - Alexandre B. Sampaio
- Centro Nacional de Avaliação da Biodiversidade e de Pesquisa e Conservação do Cerrado CBC, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade – ICMBio, University of Brasília, Brasília, CEP 70.670-350, Brazil
| | - R. Toby Pennington
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QE, UK
- Tropical Diversity Section, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
| | - Lucy Rowland
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lewis SL. Realizing the potential of restoration science. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210174. [PMID: 36373923 PMCID: PMC9661940 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Restoration science is growing fast. The restoration of habitats is increasingly part of the discussion over how to tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and rural development. With this increasing role and attendant visibility, restoration science has seen increasing controversy. Here I describe six aspects of robust restoration science that should be kept in mind to help realize its potential: do data-driven studies; focus on robust results; improve reproducibility; contextualize the results; give attention to economics; consider the wider goals of restoration. Realizing the potential of restoration science, via robust scientific studies, will provide society with the knowledge and tools to make better choices about which habitats to restore and where. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon L. Lewis
- Department of Geography, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT Leeds, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
König LA, Medina-Vega JA, Longo RM, Zuidema PA, Jakovac CC. Restoration success in former Amazonian mines is driven by soil amendment and forest proximity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210086. [PMID: 36373924 PMCID: PMC9661946 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mining contributes importantly to tropical deforestation and land degradation. To mitigate these effects, mining companies are increasingly obliged to restore abandoned mine lands, but factors driving restoration success are hardly evaluated. Here, we investigate the influence of ecological factors (restoration age, soil properties and surrounding forest area) and management factors (diversity and density of planted species, mine zone) on the recovery rate of forest structure and tree diversity on 40 post-mining restoration areas in Southern Amazonia, Brazil, using a 9-year annual monitoring dataset consisting of over 25 000 trees. We found that recovery of forest structure was closely associated with interactions between soil quality and the planted tree communities, and that tree diversity recovery was positively associated with the amount of surrounding forests. We also observed that forest structure and diversity recover more slowly in mine tailings compared to pit surroundings. Our study confirms the complexity of mine land restoration but also reveals that planting design and soil improvement can increase restoration success. For resource-efficient mine restoration, we recommend the focusing of efforts on tailings, which are hardest to restore, and reducing efforts in pit surroundings and areas close to surrounding forest because of their potential for restoration by natural regeneration. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louis A. König
- Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR), Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Forest Ecology and Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - José A. Medina-Vega
- Forest Ecology and Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Regina M. Longo
- Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Professor Doutor Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini, 1516, 13087-571 Campinas, Brazil
| | - Pieter A. Zuidema
- Forest Ecology and Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Catarina C. Jakovac
- Forest Ecology and Management Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Plant Sciences Department, Center for Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 1346, 88040-900, Florianópolis, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|