Treesearch

Intense hurricanes disturb many tropical forests, but the key mechanisms driving post-hurricane forest changes are not fully understood. In Puerto Rico, we used a replicated factorial experiment to determine the mechanisms of forest change associated with canopy openness and organic matter (debris) addition. Cascading effects from canopy openness accounted for most of the shifts in the forest biota and biotic processes, which included increased plant recruitment and richness, as well as the decreased abundance and diversity of several animal groups. Canopy opening decreased litterfall and...

Los moluscos terrestres son un grupo altamente diverso cuyo trabajo investigativo en Nicaragua ha sido mayoritariamente en la vertiente del Pacífico de Nicaragua. Evaluar el potencial de estas especies como indicadores de la perdida de la masa boscosa así como de su recuperación ayudará el impacto de las actividades humanas en esta biota de escasa movilidad. La colectas de conchas y especímenes fué realizada en bosques húmedos, nubosos y secos en los departamentos de Rivas y Jinotega en hábitats específicos dentro de la matrix del paisaje. Las identificaciones a posteriori fueron hechas...

Tropical dry forests are subject to intense human pressure and land change, including conversion to agricultural crops, pasture or agroforestry, and urban encroachment. Decades, and even centuries, of conversion, expansion, regrowth, and changing land-use practices can result in a mosaic of secondary growth patches with different land-use histories. Whereas post-agricultural landscapes may appear as contiguous areas of forest regeneration, the successional trajectory of forest patches from historic land cover to their current state may differ substantially, with consequences for species...

We document the elevational range expansions of two Nicaraguan bird species, scaled pigeon (Patagioenas speciosa) and collared plover (Charadrius collaris). The previously reported elevational range of Patagioenas speciosa was sea level to 600 m. We observed the species in shade coffee at Santa Maura farm at an elevation of 1115 masl. Historically, the second species, Charadrius collaris, was known to occur in Nicaragua in coastal and wetland habitat at elevations not exceeding 50 m. On two occasions, the specie was observed in lacustrine habitat (Lake Apanás) at an elevation of 960 m, not...

The emission of gases that may potentially intensify the greenhouse effect has received special attention due to their ability to raise global temperatures and possibly modify conditions for life on earth. The objectives of this study were the quantification of trace gas flux (N2O, CO2 and CH4) in soils of the lower Amazon basin that are planted with rice and soybean, and the relation of this flux to soil physical and chemical parameters and to precipitation. This study was conducted in agricultural fields planted with rice (Oryza sativa) and soybean (Glycine max), located near the cities...

Over a period of about 20 years, the International Institute of Tropical Forestry (the Institute) and its collaborators developed and implemented a facilities plan that included both new and restored facilities. Among the restored facilities, the historic Headquarters Building received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certificate, and was praised by the State Historic Preservation Office for the manner under which the restoration was conducted. It is unusual for historic buildings to acquire this certification. New facilities, both at Institute headquarters and...

Durante un periodo de aproximadamente 20 años, el Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical y sus colaboradores desarrollaron e implementaron un plan de instalaciones que abarcaba tanto las instalaciones nuevas, como las restauradas. Entre las instalaciones restauradas, el edificio histórico de la sede institucional recibió una Certificación Dorada por Liderazgo en el Diseño de Eficiencia Energética y Ambiental (LEED, por sus siglas en inglés) y felicitaciones de la Oficina Estatal de Preservación Histórica por la forma en que se llevó a cabo la restauración. Es inusual que los...

Humid tropical forest soils are characterized by warm temperatures, abundant rainfall, and high rates of biological activity that vary considerably in both space and time. These conditions, together with finely textured soils typical of humid tropical forests lead to periodic low redox conditions, even in well-drained upland environments. The relationship between redox and biogeochemical processes has been studied for decades in saturated environments like wetlands and sediments, but much less is known about redox dynamics in upland soils. The goal of this study was to understand the...

Novel forests (NFs)—forests that contain a combination of introduced and native species—are a consequence of intense anthropogenic disturbances and the natural resilience of disturbed ecosystems. The extent to which NFs have similar forest function as comparable native secondary forests is a matter of debate in the scientific community. Little is known about the performance of individual species in those forests. This study focuses on the functional attributes of Castilla elastica NFs in Puerto Rico and on the differences between introduced and native species growing side by side in these...