Search Results (267)

Deforestation and land-use changes lead to significant soil degradation and erosion, particularly in Amazonian ecosystems, due to the region’s climate and geology. This study characterizes soil quality using physical, chemical, and biological parameters across different land uses. It uses a soil quality index (SQI) based on a minimum data set (MDS), from 19 evaluated parameters. The land uses evaluated were cacao monoculture (CMC), agroforestry systems associated with fruit and timber species (FAFS and TAFS, respectively), and a secondary forest. The SQI was composed of six variables, bulk density (BD), soil organic matter (SOM), urease activity (UR), pH, dehydrogenase activity (DH), and leaf litter, which are considered relevant indicators that allow for an adequate evaluation of soil quality. According to the SQI assessment, FAFS has a moderate-quality rating (0.40), followed by secondary forest (0.35), TAFS (0.33), and CMC (0.30), the last three categorized as low-quality. The methods used are replicable and efficient for evaluating changes in soil properties based on different land uses and management systems in landscapes similar to those of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Also worth mentioning is the potential of agroforestry as a sustainable land-use strategy that can enhance above- and below-ground biodiversity and nutrient cycling. Therefore, implementing agroforestry practices can contribute to long-term soil conservation and the resilience of tropical ecosystems. Full article

Freshwater ecosystems—home to roughly 10% of known species—are losing biodiversity to river-morphology alteration, hydraulic infrastructure, and pollution, yet most ecological network (EN) studies focus on terrestrial systems and overlook hydrological connectivity under human disturbance. To address this, we devised and tested a dual EN framework in the Yangtze River Delta’s Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone, constructing freshwater and terrestrial networks independently before merging them. Using InVEST Habitat Quality, MSPA, the MCR model, and Linkage Mapper, we delineated sources and corridors: freshwater sources combined NDWI-InVEST indicators with a modified, sluice-weighted resistance surface, producing 78 patches (mean 348.7 ha) clustered around major lakes and 456.4 km of corridors (42.50% primary). Terrestrial sources used NDVI-InVEST with a conventional resistance surface, yielding 100 smaller patches (mean 121.6 ha) dispersed across woodlands and agricultural belts and 658.8 km of corridors (36.45% primary). Unified models typically favor large sources from dominant ecosystems while overlooking small, high-value patches in non-dominant systems, generating corridors that span both freshwater and terrestrial habitats and mismatch species migration patterns. Our dual framework better reflects species migration characteristics, accurately captures dispersal paths, and successfully integrates key agroforestry-complex patches that unified models miss, providing a practical tool for biodiversity protection in disturbed freshwater–terrestrial landscapes. Full article

The rubber industry is facing major socio-economic and environmental constraints. Rubber-based agroforestry systems represent a more sustainable solution through the diversification of income and the provision of greater ecosystem services than monoculture plantations. Participative approaches are known for their ability to co-construct solutions with stakeholders and to promote a positive impact on smallholders. This study therefore implemented a participatory research process with stakeholders in the natural rubber sector for the purpose of improving inclusion, relevance and impact. Facilitation training sessions were first organised with academic actors to prepare participatory workshops. A working group of stakeholder representatives was set up and participated in these workshops to share a common representation of the value chain and to identify problems and solutions for the sector in Indonesia. By fostering collective intelligence and systems thinking, the process is aimed at enabling the development of adaptive technical solutions and building capacity across the sector for future government replanting programmes. The resulting adaptive technical packages were then detailed and objectified by the academic consortium and are part of a participatory plant breeding approach adapted to the natural rubber industry. On-station and on-farm experimental plans have been set up to facilitate the drafting of projects for setting up field trials based on these outcomes. Research played a dual role as both knowledge provider and facilitator, guiding a co-learning process rooted in social inclusion, equity and ecological resilience. The initiative highlighted the potential of rubber cultivation to contribute to climate change mitigation and food sovereignty, provided that it can adapt through sustainable practices like agroforestry. Continued political and financial support is essential to sustain and scale these innovations. Full article

Habitat loss and land-use intensification are major threats to biodiversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, particularly for bat assemblages that provide key ecosystem services. In this study, we examined how landscape composition (forest and pasture cover) and local forest structure influence the richness and abundance of phyllostomid bats across 20 forest fragments in southern Bahia. Bat sampling was conducted using mist nets, and forest structure was quantified using tree measurements and vertical foliage stratification. We applied structural equation modeling to test the direct and indirect effects of landscape and local variables. Our results show that forest cover has both direct and indirect positive effects on bat diversity, mediated by improved forest structure. In contrast, increased pasture cover negatively affected forest structure and was weakly associated with bat diversity. The most abundant species were generalist frugivores, such as Carollia perspicillata and Rhinophylla pumilio. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining forest cover and structural complexity to support bat diversity in agroforestry-dominated landscapes. Conservation strategies that integrate habitat protection with sustainable land-use practices are crucial to maintaining biodiversity and the ecological functions provided by bats in this globally threatened biome. Full article

What is the potential impact on carbon storage of the native and introduced tree species commonly associated with coffee in the central Peruvian Amazon? Coffee is a pivotal crop within the Peruvian economy. Nevertheless, the establishment of new plantations—driven by the subsistence needs of smallholder farmers—has led to expansion into forested areas. Given the significance of this crop and the demonstrated ecosystem benefits of agroforestry systems (AFSs), the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of native and introduced shade tree species on carbon storage in coffee plantations. This study was observational and exhibited characteristics of an unbalanced incomplete block design. Agroforestry systems (AFSs) with shade tree species such as Inga, Retrophyllum rospigliosii, Eucalyptus and Pinus, and three unshaded coffee plantations, were included in this study. The total carbon stored in each AFS was higher than in unshaded coffee plantations. Soil contributed between 47% and 91% to total carbon storage, shade trees (24–46%), coffee (2–7%), leaf litter (0.6–1.9%) and shrubs and herbaceous plants (0.02–0.3%). The AFS with R. rospigliosii achieved the highest carbon storage with 190.38 Mg ha⁻¹, highlighting the compatibility of this species with coffee plantations, as well as its positive effect on climate change mitigation in deforested areas. Full article

Wildfires are integral to many forest ecosystems, yet their ecological effects are often influenced by historical land use and management. In this study, we assess the short-term impacts of fire and management on Castanea sativa Mill. stands in the fayal-brezal zone of northern Tenerife (Canary Islands), where traditional agroforestry systems have been widely abandoned. We established 12 transects across four stands: managed-burned, managed-unburned, oldfield-burned, and oldfield-unburned. We analyzed forest structure, understory species richness and composition, and soil nutrient content one year after a large wildfire. Forest structure has primarily been determined by management history, with oldfield plots showing greater tree density, basal area, and basal sprouting. Fire has had a limited effect on tree mortality, affecting ~10% of individuals on average. Understory species richness was significantly higher in managed plots, particularly those affected by fire, suggesting a positive interaction between disturbance and management. Species composition differed significantly among treatments, with Indicator Species Analysis identifying distinct taxa associated with each condition. Fire in oldfield plots led to increased compositional similarity with managed stands, indicating fire’s potential homogenizing effect. Principal Component Analysis of soil nutrients did not reveal clear treatment-related patterns, which was probably due to microenvironmental variability and the short post-fire interval. Overall, our results highlight the dominant role of land-use legacy in structuring these forests, with fire acting as a secondary but influential driver, revealing significant changes in species composition as well as in species richness. These findings have direct relevance for conservation and restoration strategies as well as for maintenance in these stands of Castanea sativa. They should also encourage managers of these protected areas, where land abandonment and fire are increasingly shaping forest dynamics. Full article

There is currently a growing need for energy, which, combined with climate change, has increased the focus on renewable energies. Among them, biomass energy takes the lion’s share, and this can create forestry pressures or lead to the excessive consumption of resources. To mitigate this situation, residual biomass from agroforestry has emerged as a valuable resource, supporting energy transition and mitigating these challenges. However, this biomass is traditionally burned, leading to large fires, as a result of the high logistical costs associated with the lack of information/coordination between those involved in the chain. Therefore, the primary objective of this work is to address this gap by presenting an information management model based on a web application, which aims to increase transparency, integrate stakeholders, and improve logistical decisions. In methodological terms, this study follows the principles of human-centered design, as well as an agile software development methodology. The results include the creation of a new, flexible information management ecosystem, which allows each stakeholder to take on different roles according to their needs in the chain. In addition, lean information management principles have been included in order to reduce waste in information content and flow. Full article

This study focuses on the alpine meadow ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, which plays a vital role in carbon sequestration and water resource protection. However, mining activities have severely damaged the ecosystem, posing challenges for ecological restoration. The study selected the Jiangcang mining area and analyzed the physical, chemical, and carbon characteristics and heavy metal content of soil samples from the slag platforms and slopes (0–20 cm), which were restored in 2015 and 2020 to explore the effects of different soil reconstruction methods on soil function and ecological resilience. The results show that the minimum data set (MDS) can effectively replace the total data set (TDS) in assessing soil quality. The assessment indicates good restoration effects in 2020, with some areas rated high in soil quality. Although issues such as high bulk density, high electrical conductivity, low moisture content, nitrogen deficiency, and low organic matter limit ecological restoration, the carbon sequestration capacity of the restored soil is strong. This study provides scientific evidence for ecological restoration in cold mining areas, indicating that capping measures can enhance soil resistance to erosion, nutrient retention, and carbon sink functions. Full article

Agroforestry (AF) effectively enhances ecological restoration and soil–water conservation (SWC), yet the relationship among soil and water conservation agroforestry (SWCAF) in karst soil, water loss (SWL) and rural eco-revitalization (RER) remains unclear, which may hinder the ecological restoration process around the world. This study aims to reveal whether SWCAF in karst areas improves RER through SWC benefits, ecosystem service (ES) enhancement and rural ecological environment quality (REEQ) improvement. We take Guizhou Province, the core area of the South China Karst (SCK), as the study area and 2010–2020 as the study period. By using the equivalent factor method, the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) model, bivariate spatial autocorrelation and the panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model, the study reveals SWCAF’s ecological benefits and its interaction mechanism with RER. Key findings reveal the following: (1) SWCAF reduced the area of SWL by 14.93% by converting cropland into forests. (2) The AF ecosystem service value (AFESV) increased by CNY 9.181 billion, and the forest-related AFESV increases represented 184% of the total AFESV, while REEQ showed an overall positive trend in the western SWC area. (3) The AFESV has an obvious synergistic effect with REEQ (r = 0.60) and obvious positive synergy with SWL (r = 0.69), and its spatial correlation increases over time. (4) The PVAR model verified that there is a bidirectional Granger causal relationship between the AFESV and RER, showing dynamic positive and negative alternating influences. This research study reveals that SWCAF drives RER through the dual path of SWL control and value-added ecological services, among which the forest ecosystem plays a core role. In the future, it is necessary to optimize the diversity of AF structures to avoid ecological service trade-offs. This research study provides a scientific basis for decision making and the ecological management of SWC in karst soils globally. Full article

Landslides are becoming increasingly frequent, intensified by extreme rainfall and human activities, and threaten ecosystems and livelihoods. In Nyomplong, West Java, they have displaced residents and damaged land, which is now repurposed for agroforestry. Sustainable agroforestry management is crucial for reducing landslide risks and enhancing farmer livelihoods, and a comprehensive assessment is required. This study presents Rapid Appraisal for Landslide (Rap-Landslide), a novel method for assessing agroforestry sustainability. Multidimensional Scaling evaluates economic, environmental, social, technological, and institutional dimensions, focusing on key factors in landslide mitigation, land conservation, and productivity enhancement. The approach includes data collection, sustainability evaluation, leverage factor analysis, and validity testing. This study indicates that the sustainability index of agroforestry in Nyomplong ranges from 40.66% to 62.82%, with an average of 56.16%, classifying it as moderately sustainable. Monte Carlo analysis confirms that this study maintains a stable sustainability status with high confidence. Furthermore, Rap-Landslide leverage analysis identifies 15 key attributes significantly influencing sustainability. Key strategies for improvement include more substantial government support in agroforestry policies, farmer group empowerment, the adoption of conservation technologies such as terracing and soil biotechnology, the use of organic fertilizers, appropriate crop selection, and improved market access. Rap-Landslide can be applied to other landslide-prone areas, offering a systematic approach to evaluating sustainability and guiding effective land management strategies. Full article

Climate change disrupts global food systems by affecting water, energy, ecosystems, and agricultural productivity. Building climate resilience demands integrated approaches that recognize interdependencies among water, energy, food, and environmental (WEF-E) systems. This review synthesizes current research on how the WEF-E nexus can guide climate adaptation strategies. It highlights interdisciplinary solutions—such as solar-powered irrigation, agrivoltaics, agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and nature-based water management—that enhance resource efficiency, stabilize yields, and reduce environmental degradation. Effective implementation requires governance innovation, stakeholder participation, and coherent cross-sector policies. The paper also outlines research priorities, including the development of resilience metrics, modeling tools, and inclusive decision-making mechanisms. Emphasizing both adaptation and mitigation, the WEF-E nexus offers a transformative lens for sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient food systems. As climate pressures intensify, advancing this integrated framework presents both an urgent necessity and a strategic opportunity to align food security with environmental stewardship. Full article

Accurate segmentation of soil pore structure is crucial for studying soil water migration, nutrient cycling, and gas exchange. However, the low-contrast and high-noise CT images in complex soil environments cause the traditional segmentation methods to have obvious deficiencies in accuracy and robustness. This paper proposes a hybrid model combining a Multi-Modal Low-Frequency Reconstruction algorithm (MMLFR) and UNet (MMLFR-UNet). MMLFR enhances the key feature expression by extracting the image low-frequency signals and suppressing the noise interference through the multi-scale spectral decomposition, whereas UNet excels in the segmentation detail restoration and complexity boundary processing by virtue of its coding-decoding structure and the hopping connection mechanism. In this paper, an undisturbed soil column was collected in Hainan Province, China, which was classified as Ferralsols (FAO/UNESCO), and CT scans were utilized to acquire high-resolution images and generate high-quality datasets suitable for deep learning through preprocessing operations such as fixed-layer sampling, cropping, and enhancement. The results show that MMLFR-UNet outperforms UNet and traditional methods (e.g., Otsu and Fuzzy C-Means (FCM)) in terms of Intersection over Union (IoU), Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSC), Pixel Accuracy (PA), and boundary similarity. Notably, this model exhibits exceptional robustness and precision in segmentation tasks involving complex pore structures and low-contrast images. Full article

This study evaluates the effectiveness of agroecological practices—organic fertilization and biofertilization—in enhancing ecosystem services in agroforestry and pasture systems. A field experiment was conducted over three years, comparing these practices to a control treatment and a natural ecosystem as a reference. Soil chemical, physical, and biological parameters were assessed, including soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial respiration, root density, and gene abundances of key microbial groups (Archaea, Bacteria, and Fungi). Organic fertilization resulted in a significant increase in SOC, phosphorus, microbial biomass, and root density, indicating improved soil structure and fertility. Biofertilization showed selective effects, promoting archaeal abundance but reducing bacterial and fungal diversity. Seasonal variation influenced nutrient cycling, with organic fertilization buffering against dry-season declines in microbial activity and nutrient availability. Aboveground dry biomass and litter deposition were highest in the natural ecosystem, followed by organic fertilization treatments in agroforestry and pasture systems. Despite improvements under agroecological management, the natural ecosystem consistently maintained superior soil quality and biological resilience. The findings highlight that organic inputs and diversified cropping systems enhance soil health but do not fully replicate the ecological benefits of undisturbed forests. In conclusion, agroecological practices provide viable alternatives to mitigate soil degradation and sustain ecosystem services in tropical Oxisols. Organic fertilization emerges as the most effective strategy, fostering long-term improvements in soil fertility and microbial dynamics. However, continued research is needed to optimize these practices for greater resilience and sustainability in Amazonian agroecosystems. Full article

The expansion of anthropogenic activities drives changes in the composition, structure, and spatial configuration of natural landscapes, influencing both the taxonomic and functional diversity of bird communities. This pattern is evident in the Colombian Amazon, where agricultural and livestock expansion has altered ecological dynamics, avifaunal assemblages, and the provision of regulating ecosystem services. This study analyzed the influence of agroforestry (cocoa-based agroforestry systems—SAFc) and silvopastoral systems (SSP) on the functional diversity of birds and their potential impact on ecosystem services in eight productive landscape mosaics within the Colombian Amazon. Each mosaic consisted of a 1 km² grid, within which seven types of vegetation cover were classified, and seven landscape metrics were calculated. Bird communities were surveyed through visual observations and mist-net captures, during which functional traits were measured. Additionally, functional guilds were assigned to each species based on a literature review. Five multidimensional indices of functional diversity were computed, along with community-weighted means per guild. A total of 218 bird species were recorded across both land-use systems. Bird richness, abundance, and functional diversity—as well as the composition of functional guilds—varied according to vegetation cover. Functional diversity increased in mosaics containing closed vegetation patches with symmetrical configurations. Variations in functional guilds were linked to low functional redundancy, which may also lead to differences in the provision of regulating ecosystem services such as biological pest control and seed dispersal—both of which are critical for the regeneration and connectivity of productive rural landscapes. In conclusion, functional diversity contributes to the resilience of bird communities in landscapes with Amazonian agroforestry and silvopastoral systems, highlighting the need for landscape management that promotes structural heterogeneity to sustain regulating ecosystem services and ecological connectivity. Full article

This study examines the evolution of anthropogenic pressures on the Itombwe Nature Reserve and its periphery over the period 1990–2024 using satellite imagery. Two landscape ecology indices were employed: the Percentage of Landscape (PLAND) and the Largest Patch Index (LPI). The PLAND quantifies the overall extent of each habitat type, while the LPI provides insights into their spatial configuration. Eighty-three plots (each 2.5 km per side, i.e., 6.25 km²) were sampled in both the reserve and its periphery to generate robust landscape replications. Analysis focused on three key land use classes: forests, savannahs, and fields. Statistical comparisons using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests revealed a decline in forest cover within the reserve and its periphery, accompanied by a steady increase in savannahs and fields. The decline in forest cover is particularly pronounced along the reserve’s periphery. For instance, in the reserve, forest cover decreased from 78.4% in 1990 to approximately 60.2% in 2024, whereas on the periphery, it dropped from 37.5% to about 21.4%. In contrast, the savannah areas increased from 17.7% to 29.5% within the reserve and maintained a marked predominance on the periphery (rising from 53.9% to 55.2%). Additionally, the area dedicated to fields exhibited notable expansion, rising from 3.70% to 10.22% in the reserve and from 7.54% to 21.98% along the periphery. These findings underscore the significant impacts of anthropogenic pressure on the forest ecosystems in both the reserve and its periphery. They highlight the urgent need for enhanced conservation measures within the reserve, as well as the implementation of sustainable land use practices (e.g., agroforestry and sustainable agriculture) in the peripheral zones to reduce the local population’s dependence on forest resources. Full article