Conflation of reforestation with restoration is widespread

Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 383(6684), P. 698 - 701

Published: Feb. 15, 2024

Across Africa, vast areas of nonforest are threatened by inappropriate restoration in the form tree planting.

Language: Английский

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The grassland carbon cycle: Mechanisms, responses to global changes, and potential contribution to carbon neutrality

Fundamental Research, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 3(2), P. 209 - 218

Published: Oct. 22, 2022

Grassland is one of the largest terrestrial biomes, providing critical ecosystem services such as food production, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation. Global land-use intensification have been causing grassland degradation desertification worldwide. As primary medium for energy flow biogeochemical cycling, carbon (C) cycling most fundamental process maintaining services. In this review, we first summarize recent advances in our understanding mechanisms underpinning spatial temporal patterns C cycle, discuss importance grasslands regulating inter- intra-annual variations global fluxes, explore previously unappreciated complexity abiotic processes controlling balance, including soil inorganic accumulation, photochemical thermal degradation, wind erosion. We also how changes could alter balance by modifying water budget, nutrient additional plant processes. Further, examine why increasing aridity improper land use may induce significant losses stocks. Finally, identify several priorities future research, improving strengthening monitoring dynamics integrating ground inventory, flux monitoring, modern remote sensing techniques, selecting appropriate species combinations with suitable traits strong resistance to fluctuations, which would help design sustainable restoration strategies a changing climate.

Language: Английский

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Unraveling the enigma of NPP variation in Chinese vegetation ecosystems: The interplay of climate change and land use change

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 912, P. 169023 - 169023

Published: Dec. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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Moisture availability versus grazing and burning as drivers of Holocene forest-grassland coexistence in Europe: A case study from open ecosystems of southeastern Romania

Quaternary Science Reviews, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 351, P. 109153 - 109153

Published: Jan. 10, 2025

Language: Английский

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Ten new insights in climate science 2023

Global Sustainability, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 7

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Abstract Non-technical summary We identify a set of essential recent advances in climate change research with high policy relevance, across natural and social sciences: (1) looming inevitability implications overshooting the 1.5°C warming limit, (2) urgent need for rapid managed fossil fuel phase-out, (3) challenges scaling carbon dioxide removal, (4) uncertainties regarding future contribution sinks, (5) intertwinedness crises biodiversity loss change, (6) compound events, (7) mountain glacier loss, (8) human immobility face risks, (9) adaptation justice, (10) just transitions food systems. Technical The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Reports provides scientific foundation international negotiations constitutes an unmatched resource researchers. However, assessment cycles take multiple years. As to cross- interdisciplinary understanding diverse communities, we have streamlined annual process synthesize significant advances. collected input from experts various fields using online questionnaire prioritized 10 key insights relevance. This year, focus on: overshoot urgency scale-up joint governance accelerated amidst present succinct account these insights, reflect their implications, offer integrated policy-relevant messages. science synthesis communication effort is also basis report contributing elevate every year time United Nations Conference. Social media highlight – more than 200 experts.

Language: Английский

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Fire facilitates ground layer plant diversity in a Miombo ecosystem

Annals of Botany, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 133(5-6), P. 743 - 756

Published: March 4, 2024

Abstract Background and Aims Little is known about the response of ground layer plant communities to fire in Miombo ecosystems, which a global blind spot ecological understanding. We aimed: (1) assess impact three experimentally imposed treatments on species composition compare it with patterns observed for trees; (2) analyse effect richness how responses differ among functional groups. Methods At 60-year-long experiment Zambia, we quantified diversity plants terms taxa groups across experimental late dry-season fire, early exclusion. Data were collected five repeat surveys from onset wet season dry season. Key Results Of 140 recorded treatments, fire-maintained contributed most diversity, least number unique found no-fire treatment. The early-fire treatment was more similar than late-fire C4 grass geoxyle highest treatment, there no shared sedge between other treatments. plot level, average twice that exclusion Conclusions Heterogeneity seasonality intensity supports flora by providing local environments. African ecosystems face rapid expansion land- fire-management schemes carbon offsetting sequestration. demonstrate analyses impacts such predicated tree alone are highly likely underestimate biodiversity. A research priority must be new understanding integrated into policy land management.

Language: Английский

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Beyond tree planting: Mobilizing a global production network for savanna restoration in Brazil

Environmental Development, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 51, P. 101017 - 101017

Published: June 7, 2024

Emerging global production networks innovate the supply of restoration products and services to reverse degraded ecosystems globally. Yet, savanna interventions often neglect diverse plant life forms planting techniques in implementing large-scale pledges. Drawing on network analysis, we examine how configuration practices Brazil influences decision-making processes outcomes. Our assessment a case study Central reveals myriad forces affecting interconnections between institutional drivers, markets, systems for actions across multiple scales. Prevailing policies regulations disregard expertise, economic strategies, socio-cultural perspectives when setting priorities incentives. While identify different buyers influencing market demands meet mandatory or voluntary environmental compliance, wide range suppliers remakes according regional contexts. The experiences community-led material showcase collective organization that enables situated socio-technical innovations link high diversity non-tree species with livelihood This contributes revealing drivers markets assert political authority commercial objectives multifaceted decisions, while community partnerships catalyze place-based innovations.

Language: Английский

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Charcoal morphologies and morphometrics of a Eurasian grass-dominated system for robust interpretation of past fuel and fire type

Biogeosciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 20(24), P. 5069 - 5085

Published: Dec. 19, 2023

Abstract. Recent developments in morphological and morphometric analyses of charcoal particles have improved our ability to discern characteristics burnt plant fuel interpret fire-type changes. However, burning experiments linking known plants these metrics are limited, particularly open ecosystems. This study presents novel laboratory-produced 22 species from the steppe regions Eurasia (Romania Russia), along with selected samples three Holocene pollen records same areas. We characterise production, morphologies morphometrics grass-dominated environments, thereby enabling more robust interpretations sources fire types for palaeofire research. Our demonstrate that temperature can introduce biases produced among species. Grass production was significantly lower decreased strongly compared forbs. suggests an underrepresentation terrestrial graminoids sedimentary assemblages. Morphometric revealed graminoid were elongated (length-to-width ratio L/W=4) narrower (width-to-length W/L=0.38) than forbs (L/W=3.1 W/L=0.42, respectively), agreement a global compilation (L/W=4.3 grass 5.4 wetland graminoids) (L/W=2.9). overlapping L/W values present challenge establishing cut-off type identification assemblages mixed sources. Based on compiled datasets experimental burns, above 3.0 may indicate predominantly herbaceous temperate grassland-dominated ecosystems, though likely be higher forb-dominated grasslands. Notably, grasses exhibit shorter aspect ratios (L/W=4.3) (L/W=6.4), highlighting needs tailoring specific environment its application, i.e. vs. The long forms also suggest their potential atmospheric longer-distance transport spherical particles, meaning they provide insights into regional history. An important finding is closely corresponded record, solid link between dominant vegetation environments. relationship woody tree complex, as travel atmospherically longer distances charcoal. results highlight complex interplay local composition human use considered when interpreting records. A critical takeaway this importance not assuming universality previous research findings instead employing approaches new ecosystems prior application techniques. Furthermore, highlights recommendations further geographical areas proposes methodological adjustments enhance usefulness analysis

Language: Английский

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Community‐Based Fire Management in East and Southern African Savanna‐Protected Areas: A Review of the Published Evidence

Earth s Future, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 11(9)

Published: Sept. 1, 2023

Abstract The introduction of fire suppression policies and expansion exclusionary protected areas in East Southern African savannas have engendered a wildfire paradox. Outside areas, livestock replaced as the dominant fuel consumer. Inside their boundaries, intensity has increased due to accumulating flammable biomass. Community‐Based Fire Management (CBFiM) is recognized an alternative management strategy address paradox promote equitable governance across conservation landscapes. Yet, there been little investigation into implementation effectiveness CBFiM Africa's savanna‐protected areas. Here we employ social‐ecological systems framework develop systematic map published literature on framing features this context. We characterize challenges opportunities for design implementation, focusing relationship between community participation management. find that projects are commonly governed by state international non‐governmental organisations who retain decision‐making power determine access savanna resources use. Existing limited communal rangelands developed within existing Natural Resource programs prioritizing prevention suppression. Planned propose exclusive early‐dry season patch mosaic burning regime incorporate indigenous knowledge modern frameworks, but evidence local peoples' involvement scarce. To provide management, need inequalities embedded area centralized policies, account changing state‐society intra‐society relations region.

Language: Английский

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Extensive woody encroachment altering Angolan miombo woodlands despite cropland expansion and frequent fires

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Abstract Woody encroachment (WE) and agricultural expansion are widespread in tropical savannas, where they threaten biodiversity ecosystem function. In Africa's largest savanna, the miombo woodlands, cropland is expected to cause extensive habitat loss over next 30 years. Meanwhile, WE altering remaining untransformed vegetation. Quantifying extent of both processes Angolan woodlands (~570,000 km 2 ) has been challenging due limited infrastructure, a history conflict, landmines. Here, we analyze spectral satellite imagery investigate since 1990. We asses using two complementary metrics: multi‐decade canopy greenness trends conversion from grassland woodland. also examine whether driven by landscape fragmentation decreasing fire frequency. found that 1990 2020, 34.1% experienced significant or was converted cropland, while open grassy vegetation declined 62%. advanced rapidly even areas experiencing extraordinarily high burn frequencies not adequately explained changing temperature precipitation. concentrated far frontier, remote with low population densities. These results challenge hypothesis human‐altered regimes primary driver mesic savannas. The will help decision‐makers conserve woodlands' services, highlighting strategies slow must address together.

Language: Английский

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