Natural and Human Disturbances Have Non‐Linear Effects on Whole‐Ecosystem Carbon Storage in an African Savanna DOI Creative Commons
Liana Kindermann, Alexandra Sandhage‐Hofmann, Wulf Amelung

et al.

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 31(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Uncertainties in carbon storage estimates for disturbance-prone dryland ecosystems hinder accurate assessments of their contribution to the global budget. This study examines effects land-use change on an African savanna landscape, focusing two major pathways: agricultural intensification and wildlife conservation, both which alter disturbance regimes. By adapting tree inventory soil sampling methods conditions, we quantified aboveground belowground woody vegetation (AGC BGC) organic (SOC) across these pathways types (scrub woodland savanna). We used Generalized Additive Mixed Models assess multiple environmental drivers AGC whole-ecosystem (Ctotal). Our findings revealed a pronounced variation vulnerability reservoirs disturbance, depending pathway type. In scrub vegetation, shrub emerged as most vulnerable reservoir, declining average by 56% along conservation 90% compared low-disturbance sites. savanna, was affected, decreasing 95% pathway. Unexpectedly, SOC stocks were often higher at greater levels, particularly under intensification, likely due preferential conversion naturally carbon-richer soils agriculture redistribution through megaherbivore browsing. Strong unimodal relationships between agents, such browsing woodcutting, Ctotal suggest that intermediate levels can enhance ecosystem-level ecosystems. These underline importance locally tailored management strategies-such certification schemes-that reconcile regimes drylands with sequestration goals. Moreover, potential trade-offs objectives goals must be considered.

Language: Английский

Variable impacts of land-based climate mitigation on habitat area for vertebrate diversity DOI
Jeffrey R. Smith, Evelyn M. Beaury, Susan C. Cook‐Patton

et al.

Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387(6732), P. 420 - 425

Published: Jan. 23, 2025

Pathways to achieving net zero carbon emissions commonly involve deploying reforestation, afforestation, and bioenergy crops across millions of hectares land. It is often assumed that by helping mitigate climate change, these strategies indirectly benefit biodiversity. Here, we modeled the habitat requirements 14,234 vertebrate species show impact on species’ area tends not arise through mitigation, but rather conversion. Across locations, reforestation provide more both land-cover change whereas loss from afforestation cropping typically outweighs mitigation benefits. This work shows how where land-based can be deployed without inadvertently reducing for global

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Evaluating the effectiveness of the Shan-Shui Initiatives in China DOI Creative Commons
Yutong Jiang, X. Y. Shan, Qingyu Liu

et al.

Geography and sustainability, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100271 - 100271

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Using artificial intelligence to optimize ecological restoration for climate and biodiversity DOI Creative Commons
Daniele Silvestro,

Stefano Goria,

Ben Groom

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 6, 2025

Abstract The restoration of degraded ecosystems can provide important contributions to help mitigate climate change and bend the curve biodiversity loss. Depending on primary objective – such as maximizing carbon storage, protecting threatened species, or reducing overall costs different spatial priorities have been identified at global regional levels. Funding mechanisms support work comprise public sources, philanthropy, private sector, including sales credits. However, effectively exploring tradeoffs between objectives estimating price credits design financially viable projects remain challenging. Here we harness power artificial intelligence in our software CAPTAIN, which further develop identify for ecological that maximize multiple once allows a robust evaluation outcomes. We find through series realistic simulations even low moderate consideration leads selection restored areas substantially improve conservation while resulting relatively small decrease total captured. propose data-driven valuation relation enabling blended financial model could efforts previously excluded economic reasons. This study shows how use methodological framework lead significant improvements outcomes nature, minimizing costs.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Afforestation on Nordic grasslands: Trade-offs and synergies for climate mitigation, biodiversity, and ecosystem services DOI
Iulie Aslaksen, Anders Bryn, Karina E. Clemmensen

et al.

Global Environmental Change Advances, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4, P. 100015 - 100015

Published: Feb. 12, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Land use and land cover change, trade-offs, and synergies between ecosystem services in a dry Afromontane Forest DOI Creative Commons

Bianca Wulansari Kassun,

Maarit Kallio, Erik Trømborg

et al.

Journal for Nature Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 126874 - 126874

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
What to expect from restored Cerrado grasslands? Indicators and reference values from pristine ecosystems DOI Open Access
Bruna H. Campos, Natashi A. L. Pilon, Giselda Durigan

et al.

Restoration Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 20, 2025

Open ecosystems are disappearing worldwide, requiring urgent restoration efforts. However, limited knowledge of their structure and composition hinders the assessment success. We aimed to establish reference values for plant community attributes in undisturbed native grasslands guide restoration. In an unprecedented data collection, we sampled 14 remnants under different climate, soil, fire regimes, representing a broad portion Brazilian savanna (except least converted northern). assessed composition, richness at scales, ground cover by functional groups, aboveground biomass. From 794 species recorded, half were unique occurrences, few present over 70% areas. Richness ranged from 9 22 species/m 2 53 130 30 m . Grasses (22–80%) non‐grasses (9–45%) did not entirely, leaving 4–56% exposed. Biomass 57 715 g/m Because is variable, finding “reference set” whole Cerrado possible. Regional subsets key guilds recommended instead. The number good proxy diversity, species/30 total richness. unreliable indicator due natural range independent integrity. maximum biomass, however, should never be surpassed. Structural targets include grasses, non‐grasses, bare soil within range, but achieving pristine may unrealistic most cases. Strong efforts focus on conservation rather than restoration, once recovering all reference's difficult.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Situating the “human” in forest landscape restoration DOI Creative Commons
Stéphanie Mansourian, Ida N. S. Djenontin, Marlène Elias

et al.

Frontiers in Environmental Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Feb. 24, 2025

Globally, forest landscape restoration (FLR) is gaining ground, alongside other forms of under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. In most cases, projects and initiatives fail to consider human dimensions that influence processes outcomes effort. These refer how why humans value natural resources; want resources be managed; affect or are affected by resource management decisions. Using model transition curve shows trajectory from loss forests restored forests, we discuss FLR intersects in different ways with this curve. We conclude that: 1) definitions their implications a fundamental challenge for FLR; 2) there an intrinsic interdependence between people varies across spatial temporal scales mediated institutions; 3) power differentials among stakeholders create imbalances restoration; 4) conflicts around result differing interests, values. Equitable durable requires much greater inclusion along all steps process.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Scale-dependent cloud enhancement from land restoration in West African drylands DOI Creative Commons
Jessica Ruijsch, Christopher M. Taylor, Ronald Hutjes

et al.

Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 6(1)

Published: March 3, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Observed different impacts of potential tree restoration on local surface and air temperature DOI Creative Commons
Yitao Li,

Zhao-Liang Li,

Hua Wu

et al.

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: March 8, 2025

Abstract Tree restoration can cool or warm the local climate through biophysical processes. However, magnitude of these effects remains unconstrained at large scales, as most previous observational studies rely on land surface temperature (Ts) rather than more policy-relevant air (Ta). Using satellite observations, we show that Ta responds to tree cover change only 15–30% observed in Ts. This difference is supported by independent evidence from site and be attributed reduced aerodynamic resistance resultant flatter near-surface profiles forests compared non-forests. At mid- high-latitudes, maximum seasonal warming cooling accounts for approximately 10% equivalent effect carbon sequestration terms magnitude, whereas Ts reach 40%. These findings highlight importance selecting appropriate metric different applications avoid exaggerating underestimating impacts forestation.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Moving biodiversity from an afterthought to a key outcome of forest restoration DOI Creative Commons
Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Fangyuan Hua, Francis H. Joyce

et al.

Published: March 20, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0