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Ngouhouo-Poufoun J, Chaupain-Guillot S, Ndiaye Y, Sonwa DJ, Yana Njabo K, Delacote P. Cocoa, livelihoods, and deforestation within the Tridom landscape in the Congo Basin: A spatial analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302598. [PMID: 38870179 PMCID: PMC11175426 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
In the context of emerging international trade regulations on deforestation-free commodities, the drivers of households' deforestation in conservation landscapes are of interest. The role of households' livelihood strategies including cocoa production, and the effects of human-elephant conflict are investigated. Using a unique dataset from a survey of 1035 households in the Tridom landscape in the Congo basin, the spatial autoregressive model shows that: (1) Households imitate the deforestation decisions of their neighbors; (2) A marginally higher income from cocoa production-based livelihood portfolios is associated with six to seven times higher deforestation compared to other livelihood strategies with a significant spillover effect on neighboring households' deforestation. The increase in income, mainly from cocoa production-based livelihoods in open-access systems can have a negative effect on forests. Households with a higher share of auto-consumption are associated with lower deforestation. If economic development brings better market access and lower auto-consumption shares, this is likely to positively influence deforestation. Without proper land use planning/zoning associated with incentives, promoting sustainable agriculture, such as complex cocoa agroforestry systems, may lead to forest degradation and deforestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Ngouhouo-Poufoun
- Department of Geography, University College of London, London, United Kingdom
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Congo Basin Institute (CBI), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Sabine Chaupain-Guillot
- AgroParisTech, CNRS, INRAE, BETA, University of Lorraine, University of Strasbourg, Nancy, France
| | - Youba Ndiaye
- AgroParisTech, CNRS, INRAE, BETA, University of Lorraine, University of Strasbourg, Nancy, France
| | - Denis Jean Sonwa
- Center for International Forestry Research, Jl. CIFOR-ICRAF, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Kevin Yana Njabo
- Center for Tropical Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Philippe Delacote
- AgroParisTech, CNRS, INRAE, BETA, University of Lorraine, University of Strasbourg, Nancy, France
- Climate Economics Chair, Paris, France
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2
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Kassaye M, Derebe Y, Kibrie W, Debebe F, Emiru E, Gedamu B, Tamir M. The effects of environmental variability and forest management on natural forest carbon stock in northwestern Ethiopia. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11476. [PMID: 38846707 PMCID: PMC11154818 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural forests are crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation, but deforestation and degradation challenges highly reduce their value. This study evaluates the potential of natural forest carbon stock and the influence of management interventions on enhancing forest carbon storage capacity. Based on forest area cover, a study was conducted in nine purposely selected forest patches across various forest ecosystems. Data on diameter, height, and environmental variables from various forest management approaches were collected and analyzed with R Ver. 4.1. The findings revealed a substantial difference (p .029) in carbon stock between environmental variables and management interventions. The findings revealed a strong connection between environmental variables and the overall pool of carbon stock within forest patches (p .029). Carbon stocks were highest in the Moist-montane forest ecosystem (778.25 ton/ha), moderate slope (1019.5 ton/ha), lower elevation (614.50 ton/ha), southwest-facing (800.1 ton/ha) and area exclosures (993.2 ton/ha). Accordingly, natural forests, particularly unmanaged parts, are sensitive to anthropogenic stresses, decreasing their ability to efficiently store carbon. As a result, the study highlighted the importance of sustainable forest management, particularly area exclosures and participatory forest management, in increasing forest carbon storage potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melkamu Kassaye
- Department of Forestry and Climate ScienceInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
| | - Yonas Derebe
- Department of Forestry and Climate ScienceInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
| | - Wondwossen Kibrie
- Department of Forestry and Climate ScienceInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
| | - Fikadu Debebe
- Department of Natural Resources ManagementInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
| | - Etsegenet Emiru
- Department of Forestry and Climate ScienceInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
| | - Bahiru Gedamu
- Department of Forestry and Climate ScienceInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
| | - Mulugeta Tamir
- Department of Forestry and Climate ScienceInjibara UniversityInjibaraEthiopia
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3
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Khanwilkar S, Galletti C, Mondal P, Urpelainen J, Nagendra H, Jhala Y, Qureshi Q, DeFries R. Land cover and forest health indicator datasets for central India using very-high resolution satellite data. Sci Data 2023; 10:738. [PMID: 37880331 PMCID: PMC10600235 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02634-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Satellite imagery has been used to provide global and regional estimates of forest cover. Despite increased availability and accessibility of satellite data, approaches for detecting forest degradation have been limited. We produce a very-high resolution 3-meter (m) land cover dataset and develop a normalized index, the Bare Ground Index (BGI), to detect and map exposed bare ground within forests at 90 m resolution in central India. Tree cover and bare ground was identified from Planet Labs Very High-Resolution satellite data using a Random Forest classifier, resulting in a thematic land cover map with 83.00% overall accuracy (95% confidence interval: 61.25%-90.29%). The BGI is a ratio of bare ground to tree cover and was derived by aggregating the land cover. Results from field data indicate that the BGI serves as a proxy for intensity of forest use although open areas occur naturally. The BGI is an indicator of forest health and a baseline to monitor future changes to a tropical dry forest landscape at an unprecedented spatial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarika Khanwilkar
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Chris Galletti
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pinki Mondal
- Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | | | - Harini Nagendra
- School of Development, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, India
| | | | | | - Ruth DeFries
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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4
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Poulsen JR, Maicher V, Malinowski H, DeSisto C. Situating defaunation in an operational framework to advance biodiversity conservation. Bioscience 2023; 73:721-727. [PMID: 37854893 PMCID: PMC10580966 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic pressures are causing the widespread loss of wildlife species and populations, with adverse consequences for ecosystem functioning. This phenomenon has been widely but inconsistently referred to as defaunation. A cohesive, quantitative framework for defining and evaluating defaunation is necessary for advancing biodiversity conservation. Likening defaunation to deforestation, we propose an operational framework for defaunation that defines it and related terms, situates defaunation relative to intact communities and faunal degradation, and encourages quantitative, ecologically reasonable, and equitable measurements. We distinguish between defaunation, the conversion of an ecosystem from having wild animals to not having wild animals, and faunal degradation, the process of losing animals or species from an animal community. The quantification of context-relevant defaunation boundaries or baselines is necessary to compare faunal communities over space and time. Situating a faunal community on the degradation curve can promote Global Biodiversity Framework targets, advancing the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Poulsen
- The Nature Conservancy, Boulder, Colorado, United States
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Vincent Maicher
- CAFI Forest Research and Monitoring for The Nature Conservancy, Gabon
| | | | - Camille DeSisto
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, United States
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5
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Requena Suarez D, Rozendaal DMA, De Sy V, Decuyper M, Málaga N, Durán Montesinos P, Arana Olivos A, De la Cruz Paiva R, Martius C, Herold M. Forest disturbance and recovery in Peruvian Amazonia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:3601-3621. [PMID: 36997337 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Amazonian forests function as biomass and biodiversity reservoirs, contributing to climate change mitigation. While they continuously experience disturbance, the effect that disturbances have on biomass and biodiversity over time has not yet been assessed at a large scale. Here, we evaluate the degree of recent forest disturbance in Peruvian Amazonia and the effects that disturbance, environmental conditions and human use have on biomass and biodiversity in disturbed forests. We integrate tree-level data on aboveground biomass (AGB) and species richness from 1840 forest plots from Peru's National Forest Inventory with remotely sensed monitoring of forest change dynamics, based on disturbances detected from Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Moisture Index time series. Our results show a clear negative effect of disturbance intensity tree species richness. This effect was also observed on AGB and species richness recovery values towards undisturbed levels, as well as on the recovery of species composition towards undisturbed levels. Time since disturbance had a larger effect on AGB than on species richness. While time since disturbance has a positive effect on AGB, unexpectedly we found a small negative effect of time since disturbance on species richness. We estimate that roughly 15% of Peruvian Amazonian forests have experienced disturbance at least once since 1984, and that, following disturbance, have been increasing in AGB at a rate of 4.7 Mg ha-1 year-1 during the first 20 years. Furthermore, the positive effect of surrounding forest cover was evident for both AGB and its recovery towards undisturbed levels, as well as for species richness. There was a negative effect of forest accessibility on the recovery of species composition towards undisturbed levels. Moving forward, we recommend that forest-based climate change mitigation endeavours consider forest disturbance through the integration of forest inventory data with remote sensing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Requena Suarez
- Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Danaë M A Rozendaal
- Plant Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Veronique De Sy
- Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mathieu Decuyper
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Natalia Málaga
- Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Durán Montesinos
- Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre (SERFOR), Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego (MIDAGRI), Lima, Peru
| | - Alexs Arana Olivos
- Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre (SERFOR), Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego (MIDAGRI), Lima, Peru
| | - Ricardo De la Cruz Paiva
- Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre (SERFOR), Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego (MIDAGRI), Lima, Peru
| | - Christopher Martius
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Germany gGmbH, Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin Herold
- Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Section 1.4 Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Helmholtz Center Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
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Gaugris J, Orban B, Niemand L, Walsh G, Burger M, Morley R, Melville H, Drescher K, Kabafouako G, Vasicek Gaugris C. Short recce transects or camera trap surveys—Short recce surveys highlighted as a useful supplement for rapid biodiversity assessments in the Republic of the Congo. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Gaugris
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Ben Orban
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
| | - Lukas Niemand
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
| | - Gina Walsh
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Marius Burger
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
- African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management North‐West University Potchefstroom South Africa
| | - Robert Morley
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
| | - Haemish Melville
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of South Africa Florida South Africa
| | - Karsten Drescher
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
| | - Gérard Kabafouako
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
| | - Caroline Vasicek Gaugris
- Flora, Fauna & Man Ecological Services Tortola British Virgin Islands
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
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7
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Fajardo A, Llancabure JC, Moreno PC. Assessing forest degradation using multivariate and machine-learning methods in the Patagonian temperate rain forest. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2495. [PMID: 34783406 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The process of forest degradation, along with deforestation, is the second greatest producer of global greenhouse gas emissions. A key challenge that remains unresolved is how to quantify the critical threshold that distinguishes a degraded from a non-degraded forest. We determined the critical threshold of forest degradation in mature stands belonging to the temperate evergreen rain forest of southern Chile by quantifying key forest stand factors characterizing the forest degradation status. Forest degradation in this area is mainly caused by high grading, harvesting of fuelwood, and sub-canopy grazing by livestock. We established 160 500-m2 plots in forest stands that represented varied degrees of alteration (from pristine conditions to obvious forest degradation), and measured several variables related to the structure and composition of the forest stands, including exotic and native species richness, soil nutrient levels, and other landscape-scale variables. In order to identify classes of forest degradation, we applied multivariate and machine-learning analyses. We found that richness of exotic species (including invasive species) with a diameter at breast height (DBH) < 10 cm and tree density (N, DBH > 10 cm) were the two composition and structural variables that best explained the forest degradation status, e.g., forest stands with five or more exotic species were consistently found more associated with degraded forest and stands with N < 200 trees/ha represented degraded forests, while N > 1,000 trees/ha represent pristine forests. We introduced an analytical methodology, mainly based on machine learning, that successfully identified the forest degradation status that can be replicated in other scenarios. In conclusion, here by providing an extensive data set quantifying forest and site attributes, the results of this study are undoubtedly useful for managers and decision makers in classifying and mapping forests suffering various degrees of degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Fajardo
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinario (I3), Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, 3460000, Chile
| | - Juan C Llancabure
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n, Coyhaique, 5951601, Chile
| | - Paulo C Moreno
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n, Coyhaique, 5951601, Chile
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, Genova, 16126, Italy
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Shapiro AC, Bernhard KP, Zenobi S, Müller D, Aguilar-Amuchastegui N, d'Annunzio R. Proximate Causes of Forest Degradation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Vary in Space and Time. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.690562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Forest degradation, generally defined as a reduction in the delivery of forest ecosystem services, can have long-term impacts on biodiversity, climate, and local livelihoods. The quantification of forest degradation, its dynamics and proximate causes can help prompt early action to mitigate carbon emissions and inform relevant land use policies. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is largely forested with a relatively low deforestation rate, but anthropogenic degradation has been increasing in recent years. We assess the impact of eight independent variables related to land cover, land use, infrastructure, armed conflicts, and accessibility on forest degradation, measured by the Forest Condition (FC) index, a measure of forest degradation based on biomass history and fragmentation that ranges from 0 (completely deforested) to 100 (intact). We employ spatial panel models with fixed effects using regular 25 × 25 km units over five 3-year intervals from 2002 to 2016. The regression results suggest that the presence of swamp ecosystems, low access (defined by high travel time), and forest concessions are associated with lower forest degradation, while built up area, fire frequency, armed conflicts result in greater forest degradation. The impact of neighboring units on FC shows that all variables within the 50 km spatial neighborhood have a greater effect on FC than the on-site spatial determinants, indicating the greater influence of drivers beyond the 25 km2 unit. In the case of protected areas, we unexpectedly find that protection in neighboring locations leads to higher forest degradation, suggesting a potential leakage effect, while protected areas in the local vicinity have a positive influence on FC. The Mann-Kendall trend statistic of occurrences of fires and conflicts over the time period and until 2020 show that significant increases in conflicts and fires are spatially divergent. Overall, our results highlight how assessing the proximate causes of forest degradation with spatiotemporal analysis can support targeted interventions and policies to reduce forest degradation but spillover effects of proximal drivers in neighboring areas need to be considered.
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How Much Can We See from a UAV-Mounted Regular Camera? Remote Sensing-Based Estimation of Forest Attributes in South American Native Forests. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13112151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Data collection from large areas of native forests poses a challenge. The present study aims at assessing the use of UAV for forest inventory on native forests in Southern Chile, and seeks to retrieve both stand and tree level attributes from forest canopy data. Data were collected from 14 plots (45 × 45 m) established at four locations representing unmanaged Chilean temperate forests: seven plots on secondary forests and seven plots on old-growth forests, including a total of 17 different native species. The imagery was captured using a fixed-wing airframe equipped with a regular RGB camera. We used the structure from motion and digital aerial photogrammetry techniques for data processing and combined machine learning methods based on boosted regression trees and mixed models. In total, 2136 trees were measured on the ground, from which 858 trees were visualized from the UAV imagery of the canopy, ranging from 26% to 88% of the measured trees in the field (mean = 45.7%, SD = 17.3), which represented between 70.6% and 96% of the total basal area of the plots (mean = 80.28%, SD = 7.7). Individual-tree diameter models based on remote sensing data were constructed with R2 = 0.85 and R2 = 0.66 based on BRT and mixed models, respectively. We found a strong relationship between canopy and ground data; however, we suggest that the best alternative was combining the use of both field-based and remotely sensed methods to achieve high accuracy estimations, particularly in complex structure forests (e.g., old-growth forests). Field inventories and UAV surveys provide accurate information at local scales and allow validation of large-scale applications of satellite imagery. Finally, in the future, increasing the accuracy of aerial surveys and monitoring is necessary to advance the development of local and regional allometric crown and DBH equations at the species level.
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Jayathilake HM, Prescott GW, Carrasco LR, Rao M, Symes WS. Drivers of deforestation and degradation for 28 tropical conservation landscapes. AMBIO 2021; 50:215-228. [PMID: 32152906 PMCID: PMC7708588 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01325-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Analysing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in conservation landscapes can provide crucial information for conservation management. While rates of forest loss can be measured through remote sensing, on the ground information is needed to confirm the commodities and actors behind deforestation. We administered a questionnaire to Wildlife Conservation Society's landscape managers to assess the deforestation drivers in 28 tropical conservation landscapes. Commercial and subsistence agriculture were the main drivers of deforestation, followed by settlement expansion and infrastructure development. Rice, rubber, cassava and maize were the crops most frequently cited as drivers of deforestation in these emblematic conservation landscapes. Landscape managers expected deforestation trends to continue at similar or greater magnitude in the future, calling for urgent measures to mitigate these trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Manjari Jayathilake
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543 Singapore
| | - Graham W. Prescott
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543 Singapore
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenber-grain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - L. Roman Carrasco
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543 Singapore
| | - Madhu Rao
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543 Singapore
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 2 Science Park Drive 01 03 Ascent, Singapore, 118222 Singapore
| | - William S. Symes
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543 Singapore
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An Integrated Spatiotemporal Pattern Analysis Model to Assess and Predict the Degradation of Protected Forest Areas. ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/ijgi9090530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Forest degradation is considered to be one of the major threats to forests over the globe, which has considerably increased in recent decades. Forests are gradually getting fragmented and facing biodiversity losses because of climate change and anthropogenic activities. Future prediction of forest degradation spatiotemporal dynamics and fragmentation is imperative for generating a framework that can aid in prioritizing forest conservation and sustainable management practices. In this study, a random forest algorithm was developed and applied to a series of Landsat images of 1998, 2008, and 2018, to delineate spatiotemporal forest cover status in the sanctuary, along with the predictive model viz. the Cellular Automata Markov Chain for simulating a 2028 forest cover scenario in Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS), Gujarat, India. The model’s predicting ability was assessed using a series of accuracy indices. Moreover, spatial pattern analysis—with the use of FRAGSTATS 4.2 software—was applied to the generated and predicted forest cover classes, to determine forest fragmentation in SWS. Change detection analysis showed an overall decrease in dense forest and a subsequent increase in the open and degraded forests. Several fragmentation metrics were quantified at patch, class, and landscape level, which showed trends reflecting a decrease in fragmentation in forest areas of SWS for the period 1998 to 2028. The improvement in SWS can be attributed to the enhanced forest management activities led by the government, for the protection and conservation of the sanctuary. To our knowledge, the present study is one of the few focusing on exploring and demonstrating the added value of the synergistic use of the Cellular Automata Markov Chain Model Coupled with Fragmentation Statistics in forest degradation analysis and prediction.
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12
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How Can Remote Sensing Help Monitor Tropical Moist Forest Degradation?—A Systematic Review. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12071087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In the context of the climate and biodiversity crisis facing our planet, tropical forests playing a key role in global carbon flux and containing over half of Earth’s species are important to preserve. They are today threatened by deforestation but also by forest degradation, which is more difficult to study. Here, we performed a systematic review of studies on moist tropical forest degradation using remote sensing and fitting indicators of forest resilience to perturbations. Geographical repartition, spatial extent and temporal evolution were analyzed. Indicators of compositional, structural and regeneration criteria were noted as well as remote sensing indices and metrics used. Tropical moist forest degradation is not extensively studied especially in the Congo basin and in southeast Asia. Forest structure (i.e., canopy gaps, fragmentation and biomass) is the most widely and easily measured criteria with remote sensing, while composition and regeneration are more difficult to characterize. Mixing LiDAR/Radar and optical data shows good potential as well as very high-resolution satellite data. The awaited GEDI and BIOMASS satellites data will fill the actual gap to a large extent and provide accurate structural information. LiDAR and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) form a good bridge between field and satellite data. While the performance of the LiDAR is no longer to be demonstrated, particular attention should be brought to the UAV that shows great potential and could be more easily used by local communities and stakeholders.
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