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Journal articles on the topic 'Tropical rainforest'
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1
Lin, Meizhi, Qingping Ling, Huiqing Pei, Yanni Song, Zixuan Qiu, Cai Wang, Tiedong Liu, and Wenfeng Gong. "Remote Sensing of Tropical Rainforest Biomass Changes in Hainan Island, China from 2003 to 2018." Remote Sensing 13, no. 9 (April 27, 2021): 1696. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs13091696.
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The largest area of tropical rainforests in China is on Hainan Island, and it is an important part of the world’s tropical rainforests. The structure of the tropical rainforests in Hainan is complex, the biomass density is high, and conducting ground surveys is difficult, costly, and time-consuming. Remote sensing is a good monitoring method for biomass estimation. However, the saturation phenomenon of such data from different satellite sensors results in low forest biomass estimation accuracy in tropical rainforests with high biomass density. Based on environmental information, the biomass of permanent sample plots, and forest age, this study established a tropical rainforest database for Hainan. Forest age and 14 types of environmental information, combined with an enhanced vegetation index (EVI), were introduced to establish a tropical rainforest biomass estimation model for remote sensing that can overcome the saturation phenomenon present when using remote sensing data. The fitting determination coefficient R2 of the model was 0.694. The remote sensing estimate of relative bias was 2.29%, and the relative root mean square error was 35.41%. The tropical rainforest biomass in Hainan Island is mainly distributed in the central mountainous and southern areas. The tropical rainforests in the northern and coastal areas have been severely damaged by tourism and real estate development. Particularly in low-altitude areas, large areas of tropical rainforest have been replaced by economic forests. Furthermore, the tropical rainforest areas in some cities and counties have decreased, affecting the increase in tropical rainforest biomass. On Hainan Island, there were few tropical rainforests in areas with high rainfall. Therefore, afforestation in these areas could maximize the ecological benefits of tropical rainforests. To further strengthen the protection, there is an urgent need to establish a feasible, reliable, and effective tropical rainforest loss assessment system using quantitative scientific methodologies.
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Pang, Tong, Langxing Yuan, Yaqing Wei, Xin Wang, Ning Zhang, Kepeng Ji, Yuwu Li, and Guoyu Lan. "Why Is the Diversity of Tree Species in China’s Lowland Rainforests Higher than That in Montane Rainforests of China?" Plants 14, no. 4 (February 7, 2025): 505. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14040505.
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Despite extensive research on tree species diversity in tropical rainforests, the differences in diversity between lowland and montane rainforests, as well as the underlying mechanisms, remain unclear. This study utilizes tree inventory data from two dynamic monitoring sample plots, each with an area of 1 hm2, established in the lowland rainforest and montane rainforest regions of Diaoluo Mountain, Hainan Island. We analyzed the composition, diversity, spatial distribution patterns, and interspecific relationships within the tree communities. In total, 154 tree species with DBH > 3 cm were recorded in lowland rainforests, and 119 were recorded in montane rainforests, with lowland rainforests harboring 51 rare species compared to 40 rare species in montane rainforests. The distribution pattern of small trees (with DBH ≤ 7.5 cm) exhibited clustering at a small scale but random distribution at a larger scale. This phenomenon was more prevalent in tropical lowland rainforests, indicating that the negative density dependence effect is more pronounced in lowland rainforests compared to montane rainforests. Moreover, a higher proportion of negative associations and lower niche overlaps were observed in the lowland rainforest compared to the montane rainforest, suggesting that niche differentiation among tree species is more pronounced in the lowland rainforest. In conclusion, the more intense negative density dependence effect and niche differentiation are the primary factors contributing to the higher tree species diversity observed in lowland rainforests.
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Ling, Qingping, Yingtan Chen, Zhongke Feng, Huiqing Pei, Cai Wang, Zhaode Yin, and Zixuan Qiu. "Monitoring Canopy Height in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest Using Machine Learning and Multi-Modal Data Fusion." Remote Sensing 17, no. 6 (March 9, 2025): 966. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17060966.
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Biomass carbon sequestration and sink capacities of tropical rainforests are vital for addressing climate change. However, canopy height must be accurately estimated to determine carbon sink potential and implement effective forest management. Four advanced machine-learning algorithms—random forest (RF), gradient boosting decision tree, convolutional neural network, and backpropagation neural network—were compared in terms of forest canopy height in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. A total of 140 field survey plots and 315 unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry plots, along with multi-modal remote sensing datasets (including GEDI and ICESat-2 satellite-carried LiDAR data, Landsat images, and environmental information) were used to validate forest canopy height from 2003 to 2023. The results showed that RH80 was the optimal choice for the prediction model regarding percentile selection, and the RF algorithm exhibited the optimal performance in terms of accuracy and stability, with R2 values of 0.71 and 0.60 for the training and testing sets, respectively, and a relative root mean square error of 21.36%. The RH80 percentile model using the RF algorithm was employed to estimate the forest canopy height distribution in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park from 2003 to 2023, and the canopy heights of five forest types (tropical lowland rainforests, tropical montane cloud forests, tropical seasonal rainforests, tropical montane rainforests, and tropical coniferous forests) were calculated. The study found that from 2003 to 2023, the canopy height in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park showed an overall increasing trend, ranging from 2.95 to 22.02 m. The tropical montane cloud forest had the highest average canopy height, while the tropical seasonal forest exhibited the fastest growth. The findings provide valuable insights for a deeper understanding of the growth dynamics of tropical rainforests.
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Álvarez-Lopeztello, Jonás, Rafael F. Del Castillo, Celerino Robles, and Laura V. Hernández-Cuevas. "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve the growth of pioneer tree species of tropical forests on savanna and tropical rainforest soils under nursery conditions." Scientia Fungorum 51 (April 20, 2021): e1296. http://dx.doi.org/10.33885/sf.2021.51.1296.
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Background: Tropical rainforests and savannas are often spatially distributed at close distances. The combined effects of soil type and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) might contribute to explain the preference of tropical rainforest tree species for forest areas over those of savannas. However, few studies have examined such effects on pioneer tropical tree species.
 Objective: Evaluate the effects of soil type and inoculation with an AMF consortium on the growth of seedlings of pioneer tree species of tropical rainforest.
 Methods: A factorial 2 x 2 experiment was conducted to evaluate the role of soil type (rainforest or savanna) and native AMF consortium on growth (height and stem diameter) of four native pioneer tree seedling species under tree nursery conditions.
 Results and conclusions: The highest growth was detected on rainforest soils inoculated with AMF. Uninoculated plants growing on savanna soils rendered the lowest performance. AMF inoculation could be a valuable procedure in ecological restoration projects of tropical forests.
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Wu, Tingtian, Zongzhu Chen, Yiqing Chen, Yukai Chen, Jinrui Lei, Xiaohua Chen, Yuanling Li, and Xiaoyan Pan. "Biomass Characteristics of Tropical Montane Rain Forest in National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest." Land 14, no. 3 (March 13, 2025): 608. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14030608.
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Forest biomass, as a carrier of carbon, is an important indicator for judging forest productivity, stability and sustainable development capacity. Using the survey data of sample plots in eight forest areas in central Hainan, the biomass distribution of tropical mountain rainforests in National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest in different community sizes, diameter classes, altitudes and spaces was measured to explore the relationship between forest biomass and environmental factors. The results show that (1) the total area of tropical montane rainforests in National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest was about 983.70 km2, distributed within an altitude range of 700–1300 m; the total aboveground biomass was about 25.208 million tons, which decreased first and then increased with increasing altitude, with an average aboveground biomass per unit area of 236.00 t·hm−2; (2) the primary forest accounted for 83.23% of the total aboveground biomass of the tropical mountain rainforest with only 29.84% of the total area, and the aboveground biomass per unit area was generally higher than that of the secondary forest; and (3) medium- and large-diameter trees were the main carriers of aboveground biomass in tropical mountain rain forests. More than 83.73% of the aboveground biomass was concentrated in large-diameter trees. The results of this study provide a reference for others aiming to perform measurement and evaluation of the carbon sink and the capacity for carbon neutrality in tropical rainforest ecosystems or to maintain regional biodiversity.
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Liu, Zhihao, Hong Li, Fangtao Wu, Hui Wang, Huai Chen, Qiuan Zhu, Gang Yang, et al. "Quantification of Ecosystem-Scale Methane Sinks Observed in a Tropical Rainforest in Hainan, China." Land 11, no. 2 (January 19, 2022): 154. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11020154.
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Tropical rainforest ecosystems are important when considering the global methane (CH4) budget and in climate change mitigation. However, there is a lack of direct and year-round observations of ecosystem-scale CH4 fluxes from tropical rainforest ecosystems. In this study, we examined the temporal variations in CH4 flux at the ecosystem scale and its annual budget and environmental controlling factors in a tropical rainforest of Hainan Island, China, using 3 years of continuous eddy covariance measurements from 2016 to 2018. Our results show that CH4 uptake generally occurred in this tropical rainforest, where strong CH4 uptake occurred in the daytime, and a weak CH4 uptake occurred at night with a mean daily CH4 flux of −4.5 nmol m−2 s−1. In this rainforest, the mean annual budget of CH4 for the 3 years was −1260 mg CH4 m−2 year−1. Furthermore, the daily averaged CH4 flux was not distinctly different between the dry season and wet season. Sixty-nine percent of the total variance in the daily CH4 flux could be explained by the artificial neural network (ANN) model, with a combination of air temperature (Tair), latent heat flux (LE), soil volumetric water content (VWC), atmospheric pressure (Pa), and soil temperature at −10 cm (Tsoil), although the linear correlation between the daily CH4 flux and any of these individual variables was relatively low. This indicates that CH4 uptake in tropical rainforests is controlled by multiple environmental factors and that their relationships are nonlinear. Our findings also suggest that tropical rainforests in China acted as a CH4 sink during 2016–2018, helping to counteract global warming.
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Yang, Jianbo, Youxin Ma, Yang Bai, and Hui Cao. "Temporal variation of tree diversity of main forest vegetation in Xishuangbanna." Sustainable Forestry 4, no. 1 (May 18, 2021): 46. http://dx.doi.org/10.24294/sf.v4i1.1602.
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In order to evaluate the temporal changes in tree diversity of forest vegetation in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, the study collected tree diversity data from four main forest vegetation in the region through a quadrat survey including tropical rainforest (TRF), tropical coniferous forest (COF), tropical lower mountain evergreen broad-leaved forest (TEBF), tropical seasonal moist forest (TSMF). We extracted the distribution of four forest vegetation in the region in four periods of 1992, 2000, 2009, and 2016 in combination with remote sensing images, using simp son Shannon Wiener and scaling species diversity indexes compare to the differences of tree evenness of four forest vegetation and use the scaling ecological diversity index and grey correlation evaluation model to evaluate the temporal changes of forest tree diversity in the region in four periods. The results show that: (1) The proportion of forest area has a trend of decreasing first and then increasing, which is shown by the reduction from 65.5% in 1992 to 53.42% in 2000, to 52.49% in 2009, and then to 54.73% in 2016. However, the tropical rainforest shows a continuous decreasing trend. (2) There are obvious differences in the contributions of the four kinds of forest vegetation to tree diversity. The order of evenness is tropical rainforest > tropical mountain (low mountain) evergreen broad-leaved forest > warm coniferous forest > tropical seasonal humid forest, and the order of richness is tropical rainforest > tropical mountain (low mountain) evergreen broad-leaved forest > tropical seasonal humid forest > warm coniferous forest, The order of contribution to tree diversity in tropical rainforest > tropical mountain (low mountain) evergreen broad-leaved forest > tropical seasonal humid forest > warm tropical coniferous forest. (3) The tree diversity of tropical rainforests and tropical seasonal humid forests showed a continuous decreasing trend. The tree diversity of forest vegetation in Xishuangbanna in four periods was 1992 > 2009 > 2016 > 2000. The above results show that economic activities are an important factor affecting the biodivesity of Xishuangbanna, and the protection of tropical rainforest is of great significance to maintain the biodiversity of the region.
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Streiff, Serafin J. R., Roy H. J. Erkens, and Thomas L. P. Couvreur. "The Evolutionary Legacy of Al Gentry: Uniting Patterns and Processes of Neotropical Rainforest Evolution." Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 110 (June 3, 2025): 200–216. https://doi.org/10.3417/2025944.
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Alwyn Gentry had unique insights into the diversity of Neotropical rainforests. He observed plant diversity with incredible detail and used the data he and colleagues collected to answer questions on the distribution, ecology, and evolutionary origins of tropical rainforest diversity. Leaning on patterns of species distributions accumulated from intense fieldwork, Gentry discussed numerous ideas and proposed important hypotheses on the evolution of Neotropical rainforests. However, he never advanced these evolutionary ideas in a unified and consistent framework across all scales he treated. For instance, comparing intercontinental differences in rainforest taxa, he suggested Neotropical forests to be “uniquely and phenomenally enriched” compared to other rainforests. This he attributed, among other factors, to increased speciation especially in Andean-centered taxa, linked both directly and indirectly to the uplift of the northern Andes. Even at the smallest scales, he put forward specific hypotheses on the processes of speciation in the Neotropics, ranging from specialization to edaphic conditions in Amazonia to founder-effect–mediated speciation in the Andes. The ensemble of hypotheses and ideas proposed by Gentry on tropical and Neotropical plant evolution, his evolutionary legacy, remains relevant even today. Despite this, many of his contributions may not have received the attention they rightly deserve. Overall, those hypotheses put forward by Gentry that have been tested are well supported, in particular the ones concerning regional and intercontinental scale processes. However, many of his smaller-scale hypotheses have not been tested to our knowledge, or remain inconclusive, highlighting significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of tropical rainforest diversity and evolution. Furthermore, his work and thinking, 30 years on, emphasize significant biases in our current understanding, that being concentrated on large woody plants and specific taxa. Contrary to this, Gentry’s perspective is refreshingly encompassing, not being limited to specific taxa or growth forms. To consolidate and underline his important contributions to tropical plant evolution, we summarize and assemble Al Gentry’s evolutionary ideas and hypotheses here. Leveraging his comprehensive view of tropical rainforest diversity, his ideas provide succinct starting points for future research across disciplines on the ecology and evolution of tropical rainforests.
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M. J. S. Bowman, D., and J. C. Z. Woinarski. "Biogeography of Australian monsoon rainforest mammals: implications for the conservation of rainforest mammals." Pacific Conservation Biology 1, no. 2 (1994): 98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc940098.
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Monsoon rainforests form an archipelago of small habitat fragments throughout the wet-dry tropics of northern Australia. According to the definition of Winter (1988) the current monsoon rainforest mammal assemblage contains only one rainforest specialist mammal species (restricted to Cape York Peninsula), and is dominated by eutherian habitat generalists (murids and bats) that mostly occur in surrounding savannah habitats. The mammal assemblages in monsoon rainforests across northern Australia (Cape York Peninsula, Northern Territory and the Kimberley) are essentially regional subsets of the local savannah and mangrove mammal assemblages, and consequently share only a limited number of species in common (most of which are bats). The lack of rainforest specialists in northwestern Australia is thought to be due to: (i) the lack of large tracts (> 1 000 ha) of monsoon rainforest habitat; (ii) the possible substantial contraction of these habitats in the past; and (iii) the limited extent of gallery rainforests, such rainforests being important habitats for rainforest mammals in South American savannahs. Unfortunately it is not possible to identify the threshold of habitat area required to maintain populations of monsoon rainforest specialist mammal species because of an impoverished fossil record pertaining to the past spatial distribution of monsoon rainforests. The implications of the lack of a specialist mammal fauna in Australian monsoon rainforests for the future of heavily fragmented tropical rainforests elsewhere in the world is briefly discussed. It is concluded that the analogy of habitat fragments to true islands is weak, that rainforest plant species are less vulnerable to local extinction than mammals, that the loss of mammal rainforest specialists may not result in a dramatic loss of plant species, and that corridors of rainforest may be critical for maintenance of rainforest mammal assemblages in areas currently subject to forest clearance.
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Maulana, Syaidina. "Conservation and Exploration of the Potential of Rare Medicinal Plants in the Tropical Rainforest of Bukit Barisan, Sumatra, Indonesia: An Effort Towards Sustainable Herbal Medicine." Eureka Herba Indonesia 5, no. 2 (March 8, 2024): 452–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.37275/ehi.v5i2.119.
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The Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 plant species in this forest, and many of them have potential as herbal medicines. However, deforestation and overexploitation threaten the preservation of medicinal plants in the Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest. This causes loss of valuable natural resources and hinders research and development of new herbal medicines. This research was conducted in several tropical rainforests in Bukit Barisan, Sumatra. Field surveys were conducted to document rare medicinal plant species. Plant samples were collected and analyzed for their phytochemical content. Bioassay tests were carried out to evaluate antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Strategies for conservation and sustainable exploration of rare medicinal plants are developed based on research results. Field surveys found 27 species of rare medicinal plants. Phytochemical analysis shows that this plant contains various bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids. Bioassay tests show that this plant has significant antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In conclusion, the Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest has great potential for the development of herbal medicine. Sustainable conservation and exploration of rare medicinal plants in the Bukit Barisan tropical rainforest is important to ensure the preservation of these valuable natural resources and to improve community health.
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Malhi, Yadvinder, and James Wright. "Spatial patterns and recent trends in the climate of tropical rainforest regions." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 359, no. 1443 (March 29, 2004): 311–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2003.1433.
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We present an analysis of the mean climate and climatic trends of tropical rainforest regions over the period 1960–1998, with the aid of explicit maps of forest cover and climatological databases. Until the mid–1970s most regions showed little trend in temperature, and the western Amazon experienced a net cooling probably associated with an interdecadal oscillation. Since the mid–1970s, all tropical rainforest regions have experienced a strong warming at a mean rate of 0.26 ± 0.05 °C per decade, in synchrony with a global rise in temperature that has been attributed to the anthropogenic greenhouse effect. Over the study period, precipitation appears to have declined in tropical rainforest regions at a rate of 1.0 ± 0.8% per decade ( p < 5%), declining sharply in northern tropical Africa (at 3–4% per decade), declining marginally in tropical Asia and showing no significant trend in Amazonia. There is no evidence so far of a decline in precipitation in eastern Amazonia, a region thought vulnerable to climate–change–induced drying. The strong drying trend in Africa suggests that this should be a priority study region for understanding the impact of drought on tropical rainforests. We develop and use a dry–season index to study variations in the length and intensity of the dry season. Only African and Indian tropical rainforests appear to have seen a significant increase in dry–season intensity. In terms of interannual variability, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the primary driver of temperature variations across the tropics and of precipitation fluctuations for large areas of the Americas and southeast Asia. The relation between ENSO and tropical African precipitation appears less direct.
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Donald, Julian, Pete Maxfield, Don Murray, and M. D. Farnon Ellwood. "How Tropical Epiphytes at the Eden Project Contribute to Rainforest Canopy Science." Sibbaldia: the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture, no. 14 (January 17, 2017): 55–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.24823/sibbaldia.2016.188.
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Understanding the ecological patterns and ecosystem processes of tropical rainforest canopies is becoming increasingly urgent in the face of widespread deforestation. However, accessing rainforest canopies is far from simple, and performing manipulative experiments in the canopy is particularly challenging. Botanic gardens provide an ideal ‘halfway house’ between field experiments and controlled laboratory conditions. As an ideal venue for testing equipment and refining ideas, botanic gardens also provide scientists with a direct route to public engagement, and potentially to research impact. Here we describe the ‘fernarium’, an adjustable canopy research platform for the standardisation, manipulation and detailed study of epiphytic bird’s nest ferns (Asplenium nidus) at the Eden Project in Cornwall. The fernarium provides a platform not only for the scientific study of bird’s nest ferns, but for public engagement, science communication and a wider understanding of the urgent environmental issues surrounding tropical rainforests. We include some preliminary results from an experiment in which the microbial community of a fern soil at the Eden Project was found to be similar in composition to that of a fern from lowland tropical rainforest in Malaysian Borneo. This study illustrates how preliminary experiments in an indoor rainforest can inform experimentaltechniques and procedures fundamental to the scientific study of genuine rainforest canopies.
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Burnham, Robyn J., and Kirk R. Johnson. "South American palaeobotany and the origins of neotropical rainforests." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 359, no. 1450 (October 29, 2004): 1595–610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1531.
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Extant neotropical rainforest biomes are characterized by a high diversity and abundance of angiosperm trees and vines, high proportions of entire–margined leaves, high proportions of large leaves (larger than 4500 mm 2 ), high abundance of drip tips and a suite of characteristic dominant families: Sapotaceae, Lauraceae, Leguminosae (Fabaceae), Melastomataceae and Palmae (Arecaceae). Our aim is to define parameters of extant rainforests that will allow their recognition in the fossil record of South America and to evaluate all known South American plant fossil assemblages for first evidence and continued presence of those parameters. We ask when did these critical rainforest characters arise? When did vegetative parameters reach the level of abundance that we see in neotropical forests? Also, when do specific lineages become common in neotropical forests? Our review indicates that evidence of neotropical rainforest is exceedingly rare and equivocal before the Palaeocene. Even in the Palaeocene, the only evidence for tropical rainforest in South America is the appearance of moderately high pollen diversity. By contrast, North American sites provide evidence that rainforest leaf physiognomy was established early in the Palaeocene. By the Eocene in South America, several lines of evidence suggest that neotropical rainforests were diverse, physiognomically recognizable as rainforest and taxonomically allied to modern neotropical rainforests. A mismatch of evidence regarding the age of origin between sites of palaeobotanical high diversity and sites of predicted tropical climates should be reconciled with intensified collecting efforts in South America. We identify several lines of promising research that will help to coalesce previously disparate approaches to the origin, longevity and maintenance of high diversity floras of South America.
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Jones, C. E., J. R. Hopkins, and A. C. Lewis. "In situ measurements of isoprene and monoterpenes within a south-east Asian tropical rainforest." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 11, no. 14 (July 19, 2011): 6971–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-6971-2011.
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Abstract. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted from tropical rainforests comprise a substantial fraction of global atmospheric VOC emissions, however there are only relatively limited measurements of these species in tropical rainforest regions. We present observations of isoprene, α-pinene, camphene, Δ-3-carene, γ-terpinene and limonene, as well as oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) of biogenic origin such as methacrolein, in ambient air above a tropical rainforest in Malaysian Borneo during the Oxidant and Particle Photochemical Processes above a south-east Asian tropical rainforest (OP3) project in 2008. Daytime composition was dominated by isoprene, with an average mixing ratio of the order of ~1 ppb. γ-terpinene, limonene and camphene were the most abundant monoterpenes, with average daytime mixing ratios of 102, 71 and 66 ppt respectively, and with an average monoterpene toisoprene ratio of 0.3 during sunlit hours, compared to 2.0 at night. Limonene and camphene abundances were seen to be related to both temperature and light conditions. In contrast, γ-terpinene emission continued into the late afternoon/evening, under relatively low temperature and light conditions. The contributions of isoprene, monoterpenes and other classes of VOC to the volatile carbon budget and OH reactivity have been summarised for this rainforest location. We observe good agreement between surface and aircraft measurements of boundary layer isoprene and methacrolein above the natural rainforest, suggesting that the ground-level observations are broadly representative of isoprene emissions from this region.
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Kikkawa, Jiro, and Len Webb. "The Tropical Rain Forest: An Ecological Study." Pacific Conservation Biology 3, no. 2 (1997): 165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc970165.
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This long-awaited book would seem to mark the end of classical tropical botany and phytogeography as subjects for scholarly pursuits. Since the middle of the century, when the first edition of The Tropical Rain Forest appeared, the wet tropical lowlands of the world have become an industrial battleground and, today at the end of the "Second Millennium", the future of the remaining rainforests that have evolved over millions of years looks bleak. Indeed, the book may well become "a record of what the rainforest was like in the twentieth century", as stated on its first page. This elegiac declaration not only reflects world concern about its pending extinction, but also Professor Richards' increasingly personal involvement with rainforest conservation in his later years.
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Venkataraman, Vivek V., Andrew K. Yegian, Ian J. Wallace, Nicholas B. Holowka, Ivan Tacey, Michael Gurven, and Thomas S. Kraft. "Locomotor constraints favour the evolution of the human pygmy phenotype in tropical rainforests." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285, no. 1890 (November 7, 2018): 20181492. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1492.
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The convergent evolution of the human pygmy phenotype in tropical rainforests is widely assumed to reflect adaptation in response to the distinct ecological challenges of this habitat (e.g. high levels of heat and humidity, high pathogen load, low food availability, and dense forest structure), yet few precise adaptive benefits of this phenotype have been proposed. Here, we describe and test a biomechanical model of how the rainforest environment can alter gait kinematics such that short stature is advantageous in dense habitats. We hypothesized that environmental constraints on step length in rainforests alter walking mechanics such that taller individuals are expected to walk more slowly due to their inability to achieve preferred step lengths in the rainforest. We tested predictions from this model with experimental field data from two short-statured populations that regularly forage in the rainforest: the Batek of Peninsular Malaysia and the Tsimane of the Bolivian Amazon. In accordance with model expectations, we found stature-dependent constraints on step length in the rainforest and concomitant reductions in walking speed that are expected to compromise foraging efficiency. These results provide the first evidence that the human pygmy phenotype is beneficial in terms of locomotor performance and highlight the value of applying laboratory-derived biomechanical models to field settings for testing evolutionary hypotheses.
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Xiang, Wen, Guang Fan Li, and Yan Rong Li. "Hainan Tropical Rainforest Landslide Analysis and Prevention Measures." Applied Mechanics and Materials 638-640 (September 2014): 648–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.638-640.648.
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By Hainan tropical rainforest area geology, physiognomy, the characteristics of climate, tropical rain forest complex typhoon heavy rainfall weather conditions, and the characteristic of the tropical rainforest landslide occurred, researching and analyzing the relationship of among tropical rainforest landslide, tropical rain forest vegetation destruction the relationship ,the heavy rainfall and human engineering activities. Summed up the vegetation destruction, heavy rains and engineering activities of the three factors of coupling is the most important characteristics of tropical rain forests of landslide, and put forward reasonable tropical rainforest landslide protection and management measures.
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Xu, Ruijing, Quan Qiu, Junqing Nong, Shaohui Fan, and Guanglu Liu. "Seasonal Patterns and Species Variability in the Leaf Traits of Dominant Plants in the Tropical Rainforests of Hainan Island, China." Forests 14, no. 3 (March 7, 2023): 522. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f14030522.
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The leaf traits measured in multiple species are known to vary between seasons, but there is a knowledge gap relating to the seasonal variability and environmental adaptation of plants in tropical rainforests. To investigate the dynamics of the functional traits of dominant species in tropical rainforests and the differences in their adaptation strategies to seasonal drought, the results of this study can provide a scientific basis for tropical rainforest conservation resource protection. Six dominant species, including three trees (Hopea reticulata, Vatica mangachapoi, and Diospyros chunii) and three vine plants (Ancistrocladus tectorius, Phanera khasiana, and Uvaria sanyaensis), in tropical lowland rainforest in the Ganzaling Nature Reserve of Hainan province were selected as study objectives. The key leaf traits were studied using the paraffin section method, leaf epidermis segregation method, and Li-6400 portable photosynthesis system in June, September, December, 2019, and March, 2020. Results showed that significant differences in photosynthetic physiology and morphological and structural parameters among species, as well as seasonal variability, were observed in leaf photosynthetic physiology, but not in leaf morphological or structural parameters. A phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) analysis revealed more variability in leaf photosynthetic physiology (Average PPI = 0.37) than in leaf anatomical structure and morphology (Average PPI = 0.26), suggesting that they adapt to seasonal changes primarily by regulating photosynthetic physiological parameters rather than leaf morphology or anatomical structure. The dominant trees were found to have higher water use efficiency, leaf dry-matter content, and smaller leaf areas compared to vine plants. This indicates that the dominant tree species depend on high water use efficiency and leaf morphological characteristics to adapt to seasonal changes. The majority of leaf anatomical structure parameters associated with drought tolerance were higher in the three dominant vine species, indicating that the dominant vine species adapted to drought stress primarily by altering the leaf anatomical structure This study provides information on how tropical rainforest plants adapt to seasonal drought as well as supporting the protection of tropical rainforest ecosystems.
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Toberman, Hannah, Chengrong Chen, and Zhihong Xu. "Rhizosphere effects on soil nutrient dynamics and microbial activity in an Australian tropical lowland rainforest." Soil Research 49, no. 7 (2011): 652. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr11202.
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Via vast exchanges of energy, water, carbon, and nutrients, tropical forests are a major driving force in the regulation of Earth’s biogeochemical, hydrological, and climatic cycles. Given the critical role of rhizosphere processes in nutrient cycling, it is likely that rhizosphere processes in tropical rainforests form a major component of the biome’s interactions with global cycles. Little is known, however, about rhizospheric processes in rainforest soils. In order to investigate the influence of rhizosphere processes upon rainforest nutrient cycling, we compared the nutrient status and microbial activity of rhizospheric soil from Australian lowland tropical rainforest with that of the surrounding bulk soil. We found a marked difference in the biological and chemical nature of the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Total carbon, microbial biomass carbon, total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen, and a suite of trace element concentrations, alongside microbial respiration and the rate and diversity of carbon substrate use, were all significantly higher in the rhizosphere soil than the bulk soil. Rhizosphere soil δ15N was significantly lower than that of the bulk soil. Ratios of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur differed significantly between the rhizosphere and bulk soil. These clear differences suggest that rhizosphere processes strongly influence nutrient cycling in lowland tropical rainforest, and are likely to play an important role in its interaction with global cycles. This role may be under-represented with composite sampling of rhizosphere and bulk soil. Further research is required regarding the mechanisms of rainforest rhizospheric processes and their relationship with ecosystem productivity, stability, and environmental change.
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Campbell, Leslie. "The Causes and Effects of Tropical Deforestation." AGRICA 4, no. 2 (July 22, 2020): 142–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.37478/agr.v4i2.459.
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Tropical rainforest deforestation is a major problem in many tropical regions and can have major impacts on system ecology and long term soil productivity. This paper examines the trend of increased colonization of tropical rainforest regions and the resulting effects on long term natural system productivity in these areas. It also explores the impact of conventional agricultural practices, the majority of which were developed in temperate climates, when employed in a tropical context. International trends in the consumption of imported tropical wood and rainforest products are also suggested as a major culprit for increased tropical deforestation. Reduction in international rainforest product consumption and greater awareness on the part of Western consumers as to the impacts of tropical deforestation are suggested as potential solutions to reduce this problem.
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Hu, Xuan, Qi Shu, Wen Guo, Zean Shang, and Lianghua Qi. "Secondary Succession Altered the Diversity and Co-Occurrence Networks of the Soil Bacterial Communities in Tropical Lowland Rainforests." Plants 11, no. 10 (May 19, 2022): 1344. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants11101344.
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The characteristics of plant and soil bacterial communities in forest ecosystems have been reported, but our understanding of the relationship between plant communities and soil bacteria in different stages of secondary tropical rainforest succession is still poor. In June 2018, three different natural successional stages of tropical lowland rainforests, early (33 years), early-mid (60 years), and mid successional stage (73 years), in Hainan Island, China, were selected for this study. By conducting field investigation and 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, the composition and diversity of tree communities, the niche overlap of tree species with legumes among tree species, and the diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities and co-occurrence networks within communities across the successional stages were investigated. The results showed that plant richness and species diversity increased significantly during the secondary succession of tropical lowland rainforests. The order of positive correlations between nitrogen-fixing legumes and other species in plant communities was early-mid > mid > early successional stage. Soil nutrient content and soil bacterial richness were highest in the early-mid stages of succession, followed by mid and early stages of succession. Organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), alkali nitrogen (AN), and available phosphorus (AP) had a stronger positive impact on soil bacterial communities. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that with the advancement of rainforests succession, the negative correlation between soil bacterial species decreased, and the community stability increased. Overall, as a result of tropical lowland rainforest secondary natural succession, the richness and diversity of plant communities increased, which altered the living conditions of nitrogen-fixing legumes and the soil properties, and the network complexity of soil bacterial communities increased with the rising of rainforest soil nutrient content.
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Hu, Gang, Qingling Pang, Cong Hu, Chaohao Xu, Zhonghua Zhang, and Chaofang Zhong. "Beta Diversity Patterns and Determinants among Vertical Layers of Tropical Seasonal Rainforest in Karst Peak-Cluster Depressions." Forests 15, no. 2 (February 14, 2024): 365. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f15020365.
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Karst peak-cluster depressions in tropical China are characterized by high habitat heterogeneity, supporting complex seasonal rainforest communities, and harboring a rich abundance of endemic and endangered plants. However, for these rainforests, species and phylogenetic beta diversity and their limiting factors are poorly understood. In this study, the relationships between the beta diversity of three vertical layers (herb, shrub, and tree), environmental factors, and physical distance in China’s tropical karst seasonal rainforest were studied. The results showed that each layer exhibited high species and beta diversity, with species turnover being the dominant contributing factor. Environmental filtering and dispersal limitations were significant drivers of community assembly. Environmental filtering exerted a strong influence, with slope position, soil availability of phosphorus and potassium, pH, and organic matter being the key factors. These findings elucidate seasonal rainforest species and beta diversity spatial patterns within karst peak-cluster depressions, providing a foundation for developing karst ecosystem forest management and vegetation restoration measures.
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Jones, C. E., J. R. Hopkins, and A. C. Lewis. "In situ measurements of isoprene and monoterpenes within a South-East Asian tropical rainforest." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions 11, no. 1 (January 17, 2011): 1189–218. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acpd-11-1189-2011.
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Abstract. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emitted from tropical rainforests comprise a substantial fraction of global atmospheric VOC emissions, however there are only relatively limited measurements of these species in tropical rainforest regions. We present observations of isoprene, α-pinene, camphene, Δ-3-carene, γ-terpinene and limonene, and oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) of biogenic origin such as methacrolein, in ambient air above a~tropical rainforest in Malaysian Borneo. Daytime composition was dominated by isoprene, with an average mixing ratio of the order of ~1 ppb. γ-terpinene, limonene and camphene were the most abundant monoterpenes, with average daytime mixing ratios of 102, 71 and 66 ppt, respectively, and with an average monoterpene to isoprene ratio of 0.3 during sunlight hours, compared to 2.0 at night. Limonene and camphene abundances were seen to be related to both temperature and light conditions. In contrast, γ-terpinene emission occurred into the late afternoon/evening, under relatively low temperature and light conditions. We observe good agreement between surface and aircraft measurements of boundary layer isoprene and methacrolein above the natural rainforest, suggesting that the ground-level observations are broadly representative of isoprene emissions from this region.
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Jay, Katya, Zachary Popkin-Hall, Michelle Coblens, Jill Oberski, Prashant Sharma, and Sarah Boyer. "New species of Austropurcellia, cryptic short-range endemic mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Australia's Wet Tropics biodiversity hotspot." ZooKeys 586 (May 4, 2016): 37–93. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.586.6774.
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The genus Austropurcellia is a lineage of tiny leaf-litter arachnids that inhabit tropical rainforests throughout the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. The majority of their diversity is found within the Wet Tropics rainforests of northeast Queensland, an area known for its exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Studying the biogeographic history of limited-dispersal invertebrates in the Wet Tropics can provide insight into the role of climatic changes such as rainforest contraction in shaping rainforest biodiversity patterns. Here we describe six new species of mite harvestmen from the Wet Tropics rainforests, identified using morphological data, and discuss the biogeography of Austropurcellia with distributions of all known species. With this taxonomic contribution, the majority of the known diversity of the genus has been documented.
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Kasmiatun, Kasmiatun, Rizky Nazarreta, and Damayanti Buchori. "Keanekaragaman dan komposisi kumbang elaterid (Coleoptera: Elateridae) di kawasan hutan hujan tropis Taman Nasional Bukit Duabelas dan Hutan Harapan, Jambi." Jurnal Entomologi Indonesia 17, no. 1 (April 29, 2020): 33. http://dx.doi.org/10.5994/jei.17.1.33.
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<p>Jambi province is one of the regions in Indonesia that has tropical rainforests with different landscape characteristics in each region. Tropical rainforests contain the highest biodiversity in the world and as a habitat for various types of flora and fauna, including elaterid beetles. Elaterid beetles have an important role as ecological bioindicators. The aim of this research was to study the diversity and species composition of elaterid beetle in two different landscape types. Insect sampling was carried out in Jambi Province on two tropical rainforest landscape, i.e. Bukit Duabelas National Park (TNBD) and Harapan Rainforest. Elaterid beetles were collected by canopy fogging method in the morning. Each landscape consists of four core plots and each core plot consist of three as subplot, total subplots observed in both landscape were 24 subplots. A total of 2069 individuals of elaterid beetles were collected, belonging to 6 subfamilies, 23 genera, and 59 morphospecies. The abundance of elaterid beetles was higher in Harapan Rainforest, while species richness was higher in TNBD landscape. Species dominant in two landscape consist to subfamily Agrypninae, belonging to genera <em>Adelocera </em>with morphospecies <em>Adelocera </em>sp.01. The result of this research showed that landscape differences influencing the composition and abundance of elaterid beetles, but it does not influence in species richness of elaterid beetles.</p>
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Fagua, J. Camilo, Patrick Jantz, Susana Rodriguez-Buritica, Laura Duncanson, and Scott J. Goetz. "Integrating LiDAR, Multispectral and SAR Data to Estimate and Map Canopy Height in Tropical Forests." Remote Sensing 11, no. 22 (November 18, 2019): 2697. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11222697.
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Developing accurate methods to map vegetation structure in tropical forests is essential to protect their biodiversity and improve their carbon stock estimation. We integrated LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), multispectral and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data to improve the prediction and mapping of canopy height (CH) at high spatial resolution (30 m) in tropical forests in South America. We modeled and mapped CH estimated from aircraft LiDAR surveys as a ground reference, using annual metrics derived from multispectral and SAR satellite imagery in a dry forest, a moist forest, and a rainforest of tropical South America. We examined the effect of the three forest types, five regression algorithms, and three predictor groups on the modelling and mapping of CH. Our CH models reached errors ranging from 1.2–3.4 m in the dry forest and 5.1–7.4 m in the rainforest and explained variances from 94–60% in the dry forest and 58–12% in the rainforest. Our best models show higher accuracies than previous works in tropical forests. The average accuracy of the five regression algorithms decreased from dry forests (2.6 m +/− 0.7) to moist (5.7 m +/− 0.4) and rainforests (6.6 m +/− 0.7). Random Forest regressions produced the most accurate models in the three forest types (1.2 m +/− 0.05 in the dry, 4.9 m +/− 0.14 in the moist, and 5.5 m +/− 0.3 the rainforest). Model performance varied considerably across the three predictor groups. Our results are useful for CH spatial prediction when GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation lidar) data become available.
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Lu, Xinghui, Runguo Zang, Yue Xu, Shouchao Yu, and Hongxia Zhao. "Effects of Above- and Below-Ground Interactions of Plants on Growth of Tree Seedlings in Low-Elevation Tropical Rainforests on Hainan Island, China." Forests 12, no. 7 (July 12, 2021): 905. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f12070905.
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Understanding the effects of above- and below-ground interactions on seedling growth is pivotal for identifying the key drivers of secondary forest succession. However, it is still unclear whether the effects of above- and below-ground interactions of plants are consistent for seedling growth of deciduous and evergreen species. There are two types of broadleaved forests (i.e., tropical lowland rainforest and tropical deciduous monsoon rainforest) in the low-elevation (<800 m) areas of Hainan Island in China. Here, 32 seedling transplanting plots (1 × 1 m2) were established in the tropical lowland rainforest and the tropical deciduous monsoon rainforest, respectively. Four treatments (each with 16 replicates) were carried out to reduce above- and below-ground interactions of plants in the low-elevation forests: removal of vegetation (R), root trenching (T), removal of vegetation and root trenching (R + T), and no vegetation removal or trenching (as the control) (C). Seedlings of four deciduous species and four evergreen species were planted to observe their performance in the experiments. The relative growth rates (RGR) of the seedlings were measured to distinguish the relative effects of above- and below-ground interactions. The photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was measured as a proxy for above-ground interaction and the root biomass was used as a proxy for below-ground interaction. The relationships between seedling RGR and PAR/root biomass were examined. Results showed that: (1) R and R+T treatments significantly increased the seedlings RGR, but T treatment had no effect on the RGR; (2) the growth rates of deciduous species were greater than those of the evergreen species; and (3) seedling growth rates were increased with more PAR. Our study suggests that above-ground vegetation removal had a stronger effect than trenching on the growth and assembly of tree seedlings in the low-elevation tropical rainforests.
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Chiaka, Jeffrey Chiwuikem, Qing Yang, Yanwei Zhao, Feni Agostinho, Cecília M. V. B. Almeida, Biagio F. Giannetti, Hui Li, Mingwan Wu, and Gengyuan Liu. "Assessment of Water-Related Ecosystem Services and Beneficiaries in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park." Land 13, no. 11 (October 31, 2024): 1804. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land13111804.
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Tropical rainforests are of vital importance to the environment, as they contribute to weather patterns, biodiversity and even human wellbeing. Hence, in the face of tropical deforestation, it becomes exigent to quantify and assess the contribution of ecosystem services associated with tropical rainforests to the environment and especially to the people. This study adopted a nuanced approach, different from traditional economic valuations, to estimate the water-related ecosystem services (WRESs) received by the people from 2010 to 2020 in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (HTRNP). The study focused on water yield, soil conservation, and water purification using InVEST, the SCS-CNGIS model, and spatial analysis. The results show (1) significant land cover changes within the HTRNP, as forest decreased by 4433 ha and water bodies increased by 4047 ha, indicating the active presence of human activities. However, land cover changes were more pronounced within the 5 km buffer area around the HTRNP, suggesting the effectiveness of the tropical rainforest conservation efforts in place. (2) The water yield of the HTRNP in the years studied decreased by 307.03 km3, based on the water yields in 2010 and 2020, which were 5625.7 km3 and 5318.7 km3, respectively. (3) Change detection showed that runoff mitigation in the rainforest has a negative mean (−0.21), indicating a slight overall decrease in soil conservation and runoff mitigation in the rainforest from 2010 to 2020; however, the higher curve number indicates areas susceptible to surface runoff. (4) The ecological effectiveness of water purification to absorb and reduce nitrogen load was better in 2020 (145,529 kg/year), as it was reduced from 506,739 kg/year in 2010, indicating improved water quality. (5) Population growth is more pronounced in areas with high water yields. Overall, the proposed framework has shown that the water yield potential of the HTRNP can meet the water consumption demands of people and industries situated within the buffer area. However, analysis of the study shows that it does not meet the crop water requirements. This study provides insights for decision makers in identifying potential beneficiaries and the essence of effective area-based conservation measures, and the proposed framework can be applied to any area of interest, offering a different approach in ecosystem services assessment.
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Pacheco, Víctor, Richard Cadenillas, Sandra Velazco, Edith Salas, and Ursula Fajardo. "Noteworthy bat records from the Pacific Tropical rainforest region and adjacent dry forest in northwestern Peru." Acta Chiropterologica 9, no. 2 (June 7, 2007): 409–22. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13518913.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) The bat fauna of the Pacific Tropical rainforest region in Peru is poorly known. Here we report noteworthy range extensions of 12 bat species, including: Diaemus youngi, Chrotopterus auritus, Micronycteris minuta, Mimon crenulatum, Vampyrum spectrum, Chiroderma salvini, Enchisthenes hartii, Noctilio leporinus, Thyroptera discifera, Eptesicus chiriquinus, Rhogeessa io, and Myotis riparius. These document the first confirmed records for the department of Tumbes. All, except E. hartii and N. leporinus, are also first records for the western slope of Peru. The record of R. io is the first for Peru, while that of C. auritus is the first for the Pacific versant of the Andes. In total, 41 bat species are present in the Pacific Tropical rainforests and surrounding dry forests, at the new Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape, in Tumbes. This region requires urgent conservation programs, because the Pacific Tropical rainforest is threatened by human settlement, and resource exploitation in spite of its protected status.
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Law, Bradley S. "The diet of the common blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) in upland tropical rainforest and the importance of riparian areas." Wildlife Research 28, no. 6 (2001): 619. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr00058.
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The diet of the common blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) was investigated in upland rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands. Faeces or fur pollen samples from 62 S. australis and feeding observations on 5 captive and 10 radio-tagged bats were collected. Syconycteris australis fed on blossoms from at least 18 plant species found in rainforests (plus unidentified species of Loranthaceae), 2 species from non-rainforest communities and from flowers of the cultivated banana (Musa sp.) grown on farms. Rainforest plants included 13 species of trees, 1 shrub and 4 climbers. Myrtaceae was the most important family contributing to the diet of S. australis, particularly the genus Syzygium. The chiropterophilus flower syndrome was only partly useful as a predictor of the diet of S. australis in these forests. Fruit was also eaten, being most common in the diet from late summer to autumn (wet season). Twelve months of mist-netting in riparian and non-riparian rainforest found higher capture rates in riparian rainforest in spring and summer, but not during autumn or winter. It is suggested that the availability of food species (both blossom and fruit) is high in riparian rainforest during spring and summer when S. australis is most frequently caught in this habitat. Efforts to rehabilitate rainforest along degraded creeks should offer a significant conservation benefit to this small pollinator.
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Law, Bradley S. "The diet of the common blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) in upland tropical rainforest and the importance of riparian areas." Wildlife Research 28, no. 6 (June 7, 2001): 619. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14818139.
Full textAbstract:
(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) The diet of the common blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) was investigated in upland rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands. Faeces or fur pollen samples from 62 S. australis and feeding observations on 5 captive and 10 radio-tagged bats were collected. Syconycteris australis fed on blossoms from at least 18 plant species found in rainforests (plus unidentified species of Loranthaceae), 2 species from non-rainforest communities and from flowers of the cultivated banana (Musa sp.) grown on farms. Rainforest plants included 13 species of trees, 1 shrub and 4 climbers. Myrtaceae was the most important family contributing to the diet of S. australis, particularly the genus Syzygium. The chiropterophilus flower syndrome was only partly useful as a predictor of the diet of S. australis in these forests. Fruit was also eaten, being most common in the diet from late summer to autumn (wet season). Twelve months of mist-netting in riparian and non-riparian rainforest found higher capture rates in riparian rainforest in spring and summer, but not during autumn or winter. It is suggested that the availability of food species (both blossom and fruit) is high in riparian rainforest during spring and summer when S. australis is most frequently caught in this habitat. Efforts to rehabilitate rainforest along degraded creeks should offer a significant conservation benefit to this small pollinator.
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Reichel, H., and AN Andersen. "The Rainforest Ant Fauna of Australia's Northern Territory." Australian Journal of Zoology 44, no. 1 (1996): 81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9960081.
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An ant survey of Northern Territory (NT) rainforests, which occur as numerous small and isolated patches within a predominantly savanna landscape, yielded 173 species from 46 genera. The richest genera were Polyrhachis (22 species), Pheidole (21 species), Rhytidoponera (12 species) and Monomorium (12 species). Seven genera represented new records for the NT: Discothyrea, Prionopelta, Machomyrma, Strumigenys, Bothriomyrmex, Turneria and Pseudolasius. The most common ants were Generalised myrmicines, particularly species of Pheidole and Monomorium, and Opportunists such as species of Paratrechina, Tetramorium, Odontomachus and Rhytidoponera. This is also the case in rainforests of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Of NT rainforest species, 59% have Torresian (tropical) affinities, which is only slightly higher than in Kimberley rainforests (48%). However, the NT harbours a far higher proportion of specialist rainforest species (27 v. 9%), including many more with arboreal nests (13 v. 5% of total species). Many of the rainforest specialists are of considerable biogeographic interest, with a substantial number having disjunct distributions in the NT and Queensland (and often also New Guinea) A small number represent the only known Australian records of south-east Asian species. Interestingly, very few species appear to be endemic to NT rainforests, with a previously unrecorded species of Aphaenogaster being a probable exception. The NT rainforest fauna also includes several introduced species, with at least one (Pheidole megacephala) posing a serious conservation threat.
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Kenneally, Kevin F. "Kimberley tropical monsoon rainforests of western Australia: perspectives on biological diversity." Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 12, no. 1 (July 20, 2018): 149–228. http://dx.doi.org/10.17348/jbrit.v12.i1.927.
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There are more than 1,500 patches of monsoon rainforest, totaling 7,000 hectares, scattered across 170,000 square km of the tropical Kimberley region of Western Australia. They are small, isolated and embedded within a mosaic of mostly flammable eucalypt savanna woodlands. The status and condition of Kimberley monsoon rainforest biodiversity are assessed based on geographically comprehensive survey data from a total of 100 sites and opportunistic collecting in many others. Monsoon rainforests are rich in species not found in the region’s other vegetation communities. Most rainforests and their associated faunal assemblages are not currently reserved and many of the survey sites were found to be severely disturbed by fire and introduced feral cattle. The disturbance impact of fires, introduced animals and weeds is shown to apply generally across the three major forms of land tenure operating in the Kimberley; namely, Aboriginal land (including Indigenous Protected Areas), Crown land (including pastoral leasehold), and national parks and reserves. The implications of these disturbance factors on the conservation and management practices of monsoon rainforest patches in the region are considered. It is concluded that conservation of patches requires active fire and feral animal management. Equally, however, the long-term genetic viability of these small scattered patches and populations requires effective conservation at the landscape scale. Mounting evidence of the Kimberley as a historical and significant center of refugia warrants action from scientists, governments, conservation agencies, Indigenous landholders as well as local communities to protect and conserve its unique biota and the processes responsible for generating and sustaining it.
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Menkhorst, KA, and JCZ Woinarski. "Distribution of mammals in monsoon rainforests of the Northern Territory." Wildlife Research 19, no. 3 (1992): 295. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9920295.
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The mammal fauna of 50 patches of monsoon rainforest in the Northern Territory, Australia, was surveyed. No mammal species is restricted to this habitat, and most of the region's marnmal fauna uses it at least occasionally. Mammal species composition within monsoon rainforests undergoes substantial variation along an extensive environmental gradient reflecting moisture condition and rockiness. For most mammal species, variation in abundance among patches was related more to the position of the patch on this environmental gradient than to patch size or extent of disturbance. Disturbance was positively correlated with the richness and abundance in quadrats of three taxonomic groupingsrodents, 'other' native species, and all native species (other than bats)-and negatively correlated with richness and abundance of macropods. Compared with surrounding (open forest and savanna woodland) vegetation, monsoon rainforests have few grazing herbivores and small granivorous rodents, but more species that eat fleshy fruits and seeds from woody plants. The mammal fauna of monsoon rainforests in the Northern Territory is similar to that of monsoon rainforests of the Kimberley (to the west) but unlike that of wet tropical rainforests in Cape York (to the east). These differences, and the current impoverishment of the mammal fauna of the Northern Territory monsoon rainforest, are attributable to historical processes and the current small area of this highly fragmented monsoon rainforest estate. Three bat species may be important for pollination and dispersal of monsoon rainforest plants.
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Sanderson, Rachel. "Many Beautiful Things: Colonial Botanists' Accounts of the North Queensland Rainforests." Historical Records of Australian Science 18, no. 1 (2007): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/hr07004.
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Colonial botanists played an important role in both elucidating and reshaping the nature of the North Queensland rainforests between 1860 and 1915. The Government Botanist of Victoria, Ferdinand von Mueller, was the first to begin to document the plant life of North Queensland. In 1859, on separation from New South Wales, Queensland's first Colonial Botanist was appointed to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens; this role was filled initially by Walter Hill, then by Frederick Manson Bailey.They were based at a distance from the northern rainforests and largely relied on local collectors to supply them with specimens that they would then identify, name and describe. They were also part of a network that assisted in the introduction of plants to North Queensland from other tropical locations for acclimatization purposes, and they worked to promote the development of tropical agriculture in the region. Colonial botanists not only promoted the settlement of rainforest areas and utilization of rainforest species, they also recorded and commented on the associated processes of environmental change that they observed.
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Nasywa, Fatihah, Arine Ellen Rose, Ratu Celina Adinda, Sarah Talia, Aulia Azmi, Yusiana Fatika Sari, Rizka Rifaatul Hidayah, et al. "Inventarisasi Jenis Burung di Kawasan Cikaniki, Taman Nasional Gunung Halimun Salak." Panthera : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Sains dan Terapan 4, no. 3 (July 13, 2024): 93–111. http://dx.doi.org/10.36312/panthera.v4i3.281.
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Indonesia possesses extraordinarily high biodiversity, including numerous bird species inhabiting tropical rainforests. This study aimed to inventory and characterize birds in Citalahab Village, Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, one of Indonesia's largest tropical rainforest areas. Surveys were conducted on May 2 and 3, 2024, using transect methods. The research identified 70 bird species from 6 orders, with Passeriformes being the most abundant. The relative abundance index highlighted the dominant presence of the Collocalia linchi in the region. Environmental factors such as vegetation type and temperature significantly influenced bird distribution and diversity. The findings underscore the critical role of forest habitat conservation in preserving bird species diversity. This research contributes valuable insights into the understanding of bird diversity in Indonesian tropical rainforests and advocates for further conservation efforts.
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Nuwagira, Upton, Igga Yasin, and Hilda Ikiriza. "Review of Deforestation in Ugandan Tropical Rainforest Reserves: A Threat to Natural Medicine." East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources 5, no. 1 (July 7, 2022): 204–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.37284/eajenr.5.1.742.
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Deforestation in Ugandan Tropical Rainforest Reserves as threat to natural medicine is still undocumented. In this study, we reviewed literature on deforestation most especially from 1990-2020 in the Tropical Rainforest Reserves. We examine the trend of deforestation, impact of deforestation on medicinal plant species’ and threatened medicinal plant species in the Tropical Rainforest Reserves in Uganda. Secondary data from National Forestry Authority on deforestation (1990-2020) was analysed to determine the trend of forest deforestation while PubMed®, Google Scholar, and SCOPUS databases were also used to provide information on the threatened medicinal plants. Our results show that there has been an annual incredible decline of 17% in the trend of deforestation both in Tropical Rainforest Reserves (low-stocked and well-stocked). The results of the review also noticed a 0.86 strong positive correlation in the decline of both Tropical Rainforest Reserves. This review also documented 13 medicinal plants as the most threatened in the Ugandan Tropical Rainforest Reserves. The medicinal plants in Uganda include Dioscorea bulbifera, Cytropsis articulata, Prunus africana, Warburgia ugandensis, Entandrophragma utile, Irvingia gabonensis, Spathodea campanulate, Aloe ferox, Vernonia amygdalina, Erythrina abyssinica, Moringa oleifera, Hoslundia opposita Vahl and Milicia excelsa. Our study articulates human activities that are affecting medicinal plants include agricultural expansion, timber harvesting, charcoal burning, firewood harvesting, weak forest policies and laws, un clear forest boundaries infrastructure development e.g., roads.
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Moritz, Craig. "Management for sustainability." Pacific Conservation Biology 1, no. 4 (1994): 275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc940275.
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In this, the fourth issue, we have the usual mix of reviews, essays and original research papers. Several articles address the complex issue of management for sustainability; what does this mean and how, for example, can we make use of forests without adversely affecting their biological processes and diversity? Another thought-provoking review considers the potential impacts of climate change and implications for conservation policy and planning. The research papers include one on rainforest expansion and another on the use of rainforest fragments by fauna; each of these is relevant to the management of tropical rainforests in north Queensland.
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Barajas-Morales, Josefina. "Wood Structural Differences between Trees of Two Tropical Forests in Mexico." IAWA Journal 6, no. 4 (1985): 355–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22941932-90000962.
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A comparison was made of the wood structure of trees from a tropical rainforest and a tropical deciduous forest. Qualitative as well as quantitative differences were found. In the species from the tropical deciduous forest the wood is darker, harder and inclusions like crystals and resin are more abundant than in the rainforest species. Species from the deciduous forest have generally shorter and narrower vessel elements, shorter fibres and rays, greater pore abundance, greater specific gravity, and greater vessel wall thickness than the species from the rainforest.
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J. Richards, Stephen, Keith R. McDonald, and Ross A. Alford. "Declines in populations of Australia's endemic tropical rainforest frogs." Pacific Conservation Biology 1, no. 1 (1994): 66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc930066.
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Comparisons of present and past occurrences suggest that populations of six frog species endemic to the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland have declined during the past ten years. Most declines have occurred at high altitudes in the southern portions of the tropical rainforest. An extensive survey conducted during the summer of 1991-1992 did not locate any individuals of two upland species, Litoria nyakalensis and Taudactylus rheophilus. Another upland species, T. acutirostris, which formerly was widely distributed, appears to have declined in rainforests south of the Daintree River. Three species (Litoria nannotis, L. rheocola and Nyctimystes dayi) were absent from most upland sites south of the Daintree River, but were common at lowland sites and at all sites north of the Daintree River. Aspects of water chemistry, including inorganic ions, heavy metals, and pesticide residues, were analysed for many sites. These analyses failed to identify any abnormalities that might have contributed to frog declines. Declines appear to be unrelated to the history of forestry or mining at sites, or to low rainfall in wet seasons. Levels of habitat disturbance by feral pigs appear to have increased at some sites in recent years and, either by this disturbance or through direct predation, feral pigs may have contributed to declines in some populations. However, pigs are unlikely to be the sole cause of frog population declines. Once declines have occurred, fragmentation of rainforest habitats may prevent recolonization from adjacent sites. Until causal agents associated with declines can be identified, management strategies to ensure the long-term survival of these species must involve protection of the riparian habitats in which they occur.
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Adachi, M., A. Ito, A. Ishida, W. R. Kadir, P. Ladpala, and Y. Yamagata. "Carbon budget of tropical forests in Southeast Asia and the effects of deforestation: an approach using a process-based model and field measurements." Biogeosciences 8, no. 9 (September 20, 2011): 2635–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-2635-2011.
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Abstract. More reliable estimates of the carbon (C) stock within forest ecosystems and C emission induced by deforestation are urgently needed to mitigate the effects of emissions on climate change. A process-based terrestrial biogeochemical model (VISIT) was applied to tropical primary forests of two types (a seasonal dry forest in Thailand and a rainforest in Malaysia) and one agro-forest (an oil palm plantation in Malaysia) to estimate the C budget of tropical ecosystems in Southeast Asia, including the impacts of land-use conversion. The observed aboveground biomass in the seasonal dry tropical forest in Thailand (226.3 t C ha−1) and the rainforest in Malaysia (201.5 t C ha−1) indicate that tropical forests of Southeast Asia are among the most C-abundant ecosystems in the world. The model simulation results in rainforests were consistent with field data, except for the NEP, however, the VISIT model tended to underestimate C budget and stock in the seasonal dry tropical forest. The gross primary production (GPP) based on field observations ranged from 32.0 to 39.6 t C ha−1 yr−1 in the two primary forests, whereas the model slightly underestimated GPP (26.5–34.5 t C ha−1 yr−1). The VISIT model appropriately captured the impacts of disturbances such as deforestation and land-use conversions on the C budget. Results of sensitivity analysis showed that the proportion of remaining residual debris was a key parameter determining the soil C budget after the deforestation event. According to the model simulation, the total C stock (total biomass and soil C) of the oil palm plantation was about 35% of the rainforest's C stock at 30 yr following initiation of the plantation. However, there were few field data of C budget and stock, especially in oil palm plantation. The C budget of each ecosystem must be evaluated over the long term using both the model simulations and observations to understand the effects of climate and land-use conversion on C budgets in tropical forest ecosystems.
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Brearley, Francis Q. "Tropical Rainforest Disturbance and Recovery." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2, no. 7 (September 2004): 346. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3868358.
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Ashton, Mark S. "Tropical Rainforest Research—Current Issues." Journal of Environmental Quality 26, no. 6 (November 1997): 1716. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/jeq1997.00472425002600060039x.
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Sugden, A. M. "Pleistocene humans in tropical rainforest." Science 347, no. 6227 (March 12, 2015): 1213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.347.6227.1213-p.
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VIELLIARD, J. "RECORDING WILDLIFE IN TROPICAL RAINFOREST." Bioacoustics 4, no. 4 (January 1993): 305–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09524622.1993.10510441.
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Ewel, John J. "Tropical Rainforest Research—Current Issues." Forest Science 43, no. 3 (August 1, 1997): 456–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/forestscience/43.3.456.
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Lan, Guoyu, Chuan Yang, Zhixiang Wu, Rui Sun, Bangqian Chen, and Xicai Zhang. "Network complexity of rubber plantations is lower than tropical forests for soil bacteria but not for fungi." SOIL 8, no. 1 (March 2, 2022): 149–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-149-2022.
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Abstract. Soil microbial communities play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning. Past research has examined the effects of forest conversion on soil microbial composition and diversity, but it remains unknown how networks within these communities respond to forest conversion, including when tropical rainforests are replaced with rubber plantations. Microbial networks are viewed as critical indicators of soil health and quality. They consist of two parts: nodes and edges. In this study, we used data from Illumina sequencing and shotgun metagenome sequencing to analyze bacterial and fungal community network structure in a large number of soil samples from tropical rainforests and rubber plantation sites on Hainan Island, China. Our results showed that only 5 %–10 % of shared network edges (i.e., links between species A and B existing in both rubber plantations and rainforests) were observed in both bacterial and fungal communities, which indicates that forest conversion altered the soil microbial network structure. The identity of keystone operational taxonomic units (OTUs) differed entirely between rubber plantation and rainforest sites, further underscoring the altered network structure. More edges and more negative correlations within the soil bacterial–fungal networks were observed at rubber plantation sites (dry season: 4284 total edges, 844 negative; rainy season: 7257 total edges, 1744 negative) than at rainforest sites (dry season: 3650 total edges, 149 negative; rainy season: 6018 total edges, 489 negative), demonstrating that soil bacterial–fungal network structure was more complex and stable in rubber plantations than in rainforests. For bacteria, a larger number of network edges were observed among bacterial networks in samples from tropical rainforest than in samples from rubber plantations, indicating that rainforest bacterial networks were more complex than those from rubber plantations. However, soil fungal networks from rubber plantations showed more links, suggesting that forest conversion increased fungal network complexity. More edges of network and more links between species and functions were observed in the rainy season than in the dry season, indicating that seasonal changes had a strong effect on network structure and function. Further analysis shows that soil pH, potassium (AK), and total nitrogen (TN) had more links with species of some phyla. In conclusion, forest conversion results in an increase in soil pH as well as a decrease in AK and TN, and these changes as well as seasonal variations had a great impact on soil microbial composition, network structure and function.
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Berry, Keith. "Icacinaceae in the early middle Paleocene Raton Formation, Colorado." Mountain Geologist 55, no. 2 (April 2018): 75–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.31582/rmag.mg.55.2.75.
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Icacinicaryites corruga is reported from the upper coal zone of the Raton Formation in south-central Colorado. Prior to this report, this endocarp imprint was known from only a single locality near Pagosa Springs in southwestern Colorado (Animas Formation). This demonstrates that Icacinaceae, which characterized the late Paleocene – early Eocene tropical rainforests of western North America, already were present in Colorado’s early middle Paleocene tropical rainforest. This determination agrees with the results of a reevaluation of the stratigraphic distribution of previous records of Icacinaceae from the Paleocene of western North America.
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Whitehead, Tegan, Miriam Goosem, and Noel D. Preece. "Use by small mammals of a chronosequence of tropical rainforest revegetation." Wildlife Research 41, no. 3 (2014): 233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr14082.
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Context The conversion of tropical rainforest to grazing pasture results in a drastic change in small-mammal community composition. Restoring the landscape through ecological revegetation is thus an increasingly important management technique to conserve rainforest mammals. Aims This study aimed to determine the habitat ages at which species of small mammals recolonised revegetated habitats on the southern Atherton Tablelands, north-eastern Queensland, Australia. We focussed on changes in rainforest mammal abundance and diversity with increasing habitat age. Methods Small-mammal trapping and mark–recapture techniques investigated mammal diversity, abundance and community composition within remnant rainforest, three age classes of ecological revegetation and abandoned grazing pasture. Key results Small-mammal community composition differed between remnant rainforest and abandoned grazing pasture. The pasture and 3-year old revegetated sites were similar in composition, both lacking rainforest small mammals. Six- and 7-year old revegetation plantings provided suboptimal habitat for both rainforest and grassland mammals, whereas 16- and 22-year old revegetated habitats were dominated by rainforest species, with some individuals being frequently recaptured. Conclusions As revegetated habitats aged, the small-mammal community composition transitioned from a grassland-like composition to a community dominated by rainforest species. Implications Although rainforest small mammals were very occasionally captured within the 6- and 7-year old habitats, revegetated plantings were not dominated by rainforest species until the habitat was 16 years old. This highlights the importance of commencing revegetation as early as possible to minimise future population declines and maximise the conservation of rainforest mammals.
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Nygren, Anja. "Representations of Tropical Forests and Tropical Forest-Dwellers in Travel Accounts of National Geographic." Environmental Values 15, no. 4 (November 2006): 505–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096327190601500406.
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As one of the most widely read genres of literature, travel writing plays a crucial role in forming popular images and understandings of foreign places and foreign peoples. This essay examines the dominant images of rainforests and rainforest peoples portrayed in accounts of travels in tropical America published in National Geographic. Special attention is paid to the issues of how particular representations are privileged in this magazine's travel accounts and how these representations relate to questions of authority and power. The analysis shows that the prevailing representations of the tropical forests and tropical forest-dwellers in the travel accounts of National Geographic rely on historically changing, but equally categorical distinctions between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural’.