Nepal's forest: a diminishing resource?

Distributed multiagent resource allocation in diminishing marginal return domains

We consider a multiagent resource allocation domain where the marginal production of each resource is diminishing. A set of identical, self-interested agents requires access to sharable resources in the domain. We present a distributed and random allocation procedure, and demonstrate that the allocation converges to the optimal in terms of utilitarian social welfare. The procedure is based on d...

Forest Resource Management

The tropical rain forest: a nonrenewable resource.

On the other hand, it has often been stated that the tropical rain forests (tall evergreen forests in tropical warm and humid regions) around the world must be protected and conserved for the future generations (1). It has also been stated that it is most important that knowledge about the structure, diversity, and function of these ecosystems has priority in future biological research (2). Unf...

A Forest Tent Caterpillar Outbreak Increased Resource Levels and Seedling Growth in a Northern Hardwood Forest

In closed-canopy forests, gap formation and closure are thought to be major drivers of forest dynamics. Crown defoliation by insects, however, may also influence understory resource levels and thus forest dynamics. We evaluate the effect of a forest tent caterpillar outbreak on understory light availability, soil nutrient levels and tree seedling height growth in six sites with contrasting leve...

Agricultural and Forest Resource Surveys from Space