An efficient means to map tree plantations is needed to detect tropical land use change and evaluate reforestation projects. To analyze recent tree plantation expansion in northeastern Costa Rica, we examined the potential of combining moderate-resolution hyperspectral imagery (2005 HyMap mosaic) with multitemporal, multispectral data (Landsat) to accurately classify (1) general forest types an...

Combining protected areas with natural forest timber concessions may sustain larger forest landscapes than is possible via protected areas alone. However, the role of timber concessions in maintaining natural forest remains poorly characterized. An estimated 57% (303,525 km²) of Kalimantan's land area (532,100 km²) was covered by natural forest in 2000. About 14,212 km² (4.7%) had been cleared ...

Soil microbial communities can form links between forest trees and functioning of forest soils, yet the impacts of converting diverse native forests to monoculture plantations on soil microbial communities are limited. This study tested the hypothesis that conversion from a diverse native to monoculture ecosystem would be paralleled by a reduction in the diversity of the soil microbial communit...

The aim of this study was to develop an optimal sustainable forest plantation based on goal programming and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods. This study was carried out in Guilan province, north of Iran. First of all, the ecological capability of the study area for plantation establishment/maintenance was evaluated based on multi-factor method and specific ecological Makhdoum Model by ...

Conversion of native rainforest ecosystems in Limón Province of Costa Rica to banana and pineapple monoculture has led to reductions in biodiversity and soil quality. Agroforestry management of cacao (Theobroma cacao) is an alternative system that may maintain the agricultural livelihood of the region while more closely mimicking native ecosystems. This study compared physical, biological and c...

Understanding the response of species with differing life-history traits to habitat edges and habitat conversion helps predict their likelihood of persistence across changing landscape. In Brazil's Atlantic Forest, we evaluated frog richness and abundance by breeding guild at four distances from the edge of a reserve: i) 200 m inside the forest, ii) 50 m inside the forest, iii) at the forest ed...

Exotic tree plantations have been considered as a management strategy for the rehabilitation of indigenous tree communities in situations that require human intervention to assure forest ecosystem rehabilitation. This study evaluated the value of pine Pinus caribaea and Pinus patula and cypress Cupressus lusitanica plantations as a means o f permitting indigenous trees to become established on ...

Three different forms of casts are produced by earthworm species of rubber plantation. These are tower-like casts (Metaphire houlleti, Eutyphoeus gammiei, Eutyphoeus gigas, Eutyphoeus scutarius, Eutyphoeus assamensis, Eutyphoeus callosus, Eutyphoeus comillahnus, Eutyphoeus turaensis, Eutyphoeus sp.), composite irregular casts (Pontoscolex corethrurus, Drawida papillifer papillifer) and large gl...

Forest plantations for wood production are an increasingly important land use in Australia. It is important to be able to predict the impact of this expansion on surface water and groundwater resources which are under significant stress in many regions. A modelling approach is essential to account for the many interacting environmental and management factors which may influence plantation growt...

the aim of this study is comparison of soil characteristics and biodiversity in plantation of bald cypress and caucasian alder forest stands in kludeh region (mazandaran province). in order to study biodiversity in forest stands and control region, 10 sample plots (releve) were selected and the name and abundance of plant species of the forest floor were recorded. biodiversity of herbal plants ...