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Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences
Soil Succession: Short And Long-Term Impacts Of Grazing On Soil Properties In A Tropical Montane Cloud Forest, June Curtis
Soil Succession: Short And Long-Term Impacts Of Grazing On Soil Properties In A Tropical Montane Cloud Forest, June Curtis
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in South America, causing long-lasting alterations to the continent's landscape and ecology. Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) are a rare ecosystem particularly vulnerable to the effects of land conversion to pasture, a process which has implications ranging from biodiversity loss to soil degradation. Grazing is known to significantly alter soils' physical structure through processes of compaction and erosion as well as significant additions of organic matter. Silvopasture, or the integration of pasture and forest, has emerged as an alternative to traditional grazing practices with the hope of mitigating environmental and soil degradation. …
Agroforestry For The Future: Motivations Behind Tasmanian Farmers Planting Trees, Josh Lipp
Agroforestry For The Future: Motivations Behind Tasmanian Farmers Planting Trees, Josh Lipp
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Agroforestry is the act of combining farming and tree planting, and many Tasmanian farmers are starting to plant trees on their properties for multiple reasons. Through conducting 9 interviews with farmers and researchers and visiting field sites, 3 main themes were identified to answer the question: why are Tasmanian farmers planting trees, and what are the benefits and downsides to agroforestry? Interviews help us understand farmers’ perceptions of agroforestry, and field data collection will prove the benefits of agroforestry in the future. Tasmania was chosen as the location of study as it is a state in Australia that largely focuses …
Mammals Of The Northern Andes: An Analysis Of Camera Trap Data And Observation In Angochagua, Ecuador, Risa Berman
Mammals Of The Northern Andes: An Analysis Of Camera Trap Data And Observation In Angochagua, Ecuador, Risa Berman
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The high Andes of Ecuador are home to a diverse community of mammals, many of which are threatened. These include the Andean bear, Andean fox, puma, and mountain tapir. This study used camera traps, direct observation, and indirect observation over three weeks to monitor the wildlife in the mountains of the Parroquia of Angochagua. The five species observed during this period were Andean bear, Andean fox, dog, mountain paca, and mouse. While this short study did not completely survey the mammalian community of the area, it confirmed the presence, diet, sociality, temporal habits, elevational range, and habitat preferences of the …
It's Essential: The Ylang-Ylang Trade On Nosy Be, James Sleigh
It's Essential: The Ylang-Ylang Trade On Nosy Be, James Sleigh
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This paper attempts to describe the production and sale of Ylang-Ylang from cultivation of the tree to the export of the flower, and examines the roles and power that each stakeholder has in the value chain. From there, the paper will look at issues associated with the trade; namely of the threat to the terrestrial ecosystem and the profit imbalance in the industry. Finally, the paper turns to potential strategies to resolve the previously stated issues associated with the production and sale of Ylang-Ylang. As a whole I hope that the paper can be seen as a rough survey of …
Counting Crabs: Assessment Of Mangrove Crab Diversity And Density Among Three Sites In Ushongo, Tanzania, Clarasophia Gust
Counting Crabs: Assessment Of Mangrove Crab Diversity And Density Among Three Sites In Ushongo, Tanzania, Clarasophia Gust
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This study assessed the density and diversity of crabs across three mangrove forest zones in Ushongo, Tanzania. The aim was to understand variance in the composition and distribution of mangrove crabs in relation to mangrove tree composition gradients in the area. Sites were measured using a 200m line transect and 40-plot method. Data was also collected from a sand beach habitat to compare to the diversity and distribution of mangrove habitats. Diversity was analyzed using Simpson’s Index of Diversity and an ANOVA test on the average number of species found per plot in each site. Density was analyzed using an …
Community Management And Governance Of Comatsa-Sud New Protected Area (Ambalamanasy Ii Commune), Allison Tennant
Community Management And Governance Of Comatsa-Sud New Protected Area (Ambalamanasy Ii Commune), Allison Tennant
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Community-based natural resource management is an increasingly more popular choice for governments to delegate power back to local communities to conserve the resources they rely on. In Madagascar, where much of the rural population provides for their livelihoods by using natural resources, this governance structure, in cooperation with delegated manager for assistance, presents an opportunity for economic development in cooperation with conservation efforts. This paper aims to better understand the role of community, NGO, and governmental actors in creating and executing community management structures. Through Participatory Rural Analysis and structured and semi-structured interviews, it explores what management transfers look like …
The Use Versus Availability Of Wood Extraction At The Baga Ii Forest Reserve Border Adjacent To Kizanda Village In The West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, Rebecca Halter
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Tropical forests, especially in developing countries, continue to face serious threats of deforestation due to human pressures and poor management. These forests are at risk of disappearing and taking their water catchment and ecosystem services with them. Kizanda Villagers’ illegal woodfuel and polewood extraction poses a threat to the future health and existence of the Baga II Forest. This study, conducted from April 5th to April 19th, 2016, aimed to examine the use versus availability of tree species along the forest border. Twenty disturbance transects, each 4 meters wide, were conducted perpendicular to the Baga II forest border. The transects …
Assessing The Sustainability Of Selective Logging In Ankarabolava-Agnakatrika New Protected Area, Eileen Nakahata
Assessing The Sustainability Of Selective Logging In Ankarabolava-Agnakatrika New Protected Area, Eileen Nakahata
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Over the past 50 years, more than 90% of dense low-altitude humid forest in the District of Vangaindrano has been lost to deforestation and the remaining fragments continue to be threatened by slash and burn agriculture and selective cutting by local populations. These activities are driven by widespread poverty, population growth, and lack of development, which have made subsistence increasingly difficult. This study investigates logging rates and the stock of five commercially valuable trees in the Ankarabolava-Agnakatrika New Protected Area. Fifteen 1000m2 transects were established systematically within the territory of the Matanga commune. Within each transect data was collected …
An Avian Biological Gradient Across Tropical Dry Lowland Local Habitats At Playa Venao, Los Santos Province, Panama, Abigail Thomas
An Avian Biological Gradient Across Tropical Dry Lowland Local Habitats At Playa Venao, Los Santos Province, Panama, Abigail Thomas
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
There are a myriad of forest types within Panama, varying by elevation, precipitation and other abiotic factors, which hosts a wide variety of native and migratory species in uniquely-structured avian communities. Panama has been well assessed for presence and distribution of its 987 collective avian species (Angehr, 2014). However most studies in Panama have been broad in scope, overlooking the highly specified habitats that are uniquely structured to host a certain range of avifauna communities. The distinctions in community structure of avifauna along a coastal to inland gradient were assessed among three specialized habitats: the Central Pacific coast, partially deforested …
The Optimal Foraging Of Equus Burchelli At Enashiva Nature Refuge, Edward Haubenreiser
The Optimal Foraging Of Equus Burchelli At Enashiva Nature Refuge, Edward Haubenreiser
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Within the country of Tanzania lies a vast ecosystem known as the Serengeti. This unique landscape, primarily of grasslands and woodlands, shapes the seasonal feeding habits of the abundant wildlife that call the area home. While these feeding habits on a large spatial scale are well understood, such behavior within a specie’s specific environment remains of interest. With the theory of optimal foraging in mind, which considers how animals should look for and select food (Green, 1990), I studied the foraging habits of resident Burchell’s zebra (Equus burchelli) by observing if they move and forage among distinct resource …
Trail Degradation In Parque Internacional La Amistad: An Intersection Of Design, Management And Use, Jordan Stark
Trail Degradation In Parque Internacional La Amistad: An Intersection Of Design, Management And Use, Jordan Stark
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
National parks are created and used for a variety of purposes but are primarily important for the conservation of natural resources and use by visitors. While park use is meant to be non-destructive, human interaction causes changes in ecosystems, leading to conflicts between these goals. Here, I examine the causes of trail degradation and impacts on surrounding forests in Parque Internacional la Amistad (PILA), Panama. This park is a world heritage site with the primary goal of preserving some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems including rare and endangered species. However, the park entrance in Las Nubes, Cerro Punta receives …
Demographic Survey Of The Sohisika (Schizolaena Tampoketsana) At Ankafobe, Madagascar, James Lucas
Demographic Survey Of The Sohisika (Schizolaena Tampoketsana) At Ankafobe, Madagascar, James Lucas
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
No abstract provided.
Las Raíces De La Deforestación En El Departamento Pando, Jeremy Levine-Drizin
Las Raíces De La Deforestación En El Departamento Pando, Jeremy Levine-Drizin
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This research paper examines the phenomenon of the recent trend of deforestation in the Pando department in northwestern Bolivia. Historically, the economy of Pando has always been based primarily in agro-forestal extraction activities that provided income to communities without the need to destroy the surrounding forests. The most important of these agro-forestal products have been rubber (primarily during the beginning of the 20th century) and more recently Castaña (Brazilian Nut). Recently however, as the result of various forces, the inhabitants of Pando have begun to cut down there forests at an alarming rate. The most relevant causes of this phenomenon …
An Integrated Research Approach To The Development Of Fungal Isolates As Bioherbicides For The Control Of Woody Weeds, Patrick Mershon
An Integrated Research Approach To The Development Of Fungal Isolates As Bioherbicides For The Control Of Woody Weeds, Patrick Mershon
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Prickly acacia (Acacia nilotica) is an invasive weed tree in Australia, ranked seventh on the list of Weeds of National Significance because of its aggressiveness and its economic and environmental impacts. The significant downsides to manual and chemical control of this species drove the search for a biological control mechanism. Surveying and sampling stands of A. nilotica naturally exhibiting disease symptoms yielded several native Australian fungi capable of pathogenesis in this species, which are currently under assessment as potential bioherbicides for this weed. Three field trials were established at the same site in order to further advance current …
“Hariyo Ban Nepalko Dhan” (“Nepal’S Wealth Is The Green Forest”): The People’S Participation In Structuring Sustainable Development Through Community Forestry, Natasha Eulberg
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Community forestry has a long history in Nepal, and despite the nationalization of the country’s forests in the mid-twentieth century, current legislation determines that rights and execution of community forest management lies largely with community forest user groups (CFUGs). This research questions to what extent CFUGs truly represent autonomous bodies with the full power and ability to manage and utilize community forests and forest resources. This research also seeks to determine the impact and distribution of CFUG operations and benefits on CFUG members, and the ways in which CFUG management practices have impacted how group members perceive and interact with …
Perdido En La Cadena: Un Análisis Del Impacto Económico Y Ambiental De Cajas De Embalaje En Baños, Ecuador, Zhang Yuan
Perdido En La Cadena: Un Análisis Del Impacto Económico Y Ambiental De Cajas De Embalaje En Baños, Ecuador, Zhang Yuan
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
La cuestión del calentamiento de la atmósfera causa de la pérdida del carbono de la biomasa está una preocupación a nivel mundial. Con la emisión de CO2 por la combustión de los combustibles fósiles, la temperatura ha subido aproximadamente 0.16 °C desde 1990 hasta 2000. El bosque, por otra parte, sirve como un tranque y el regulador de carbono mediante el intercambio de carbono entre la atmósfera y biosfera. Sin embargo, varios usos antropogénicos del bosque ha causado la desaparición de árboles y la gran pérdida de carbono de la biomasa global. Para medir la pérdida de carbono causada por …
Nunca Han Visitado, No Han Vivido Ecoturismo Comunitario: Una Alternativa Sostenible Y Constitucional De Desarrollo En La Zona De Intag, Jenny Johnston
Nunca Han Visitado, No Han Vivido Ecoturismo Comunitario: Una Alternativa Sostenible Y Constitucional De Desarrollo En La Zona De Intag, Jenny Johnston
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Durante mi estudio en Ecuador y a través de todas mis clases, conversaciones, y experiencias, han habido muchos temas nuevos e interesantes. Aunque todas me han enseñado mucho, la experiencia que me impactó más fue mi semana en Intag. Durante toda mi vida siempre tuve una fascinación con el bosque nublado con la combinación de palabras más mística y romántica. La verdad es que antes de llegar en Intag la mi primera vez, no sabía nada sobre el poder de la belleza de los bosques, la naturaleza, y también sobre la lucha en contra de la minería. A través de …
Deforestación En El Corredor De Sangay- Llanaganates, Ecuador: Un Análisis Con Gps Y Satélite, Joel Mandella
Deforestación En El Corredor De Sangay- Llanaganates, Ecuador: Un Análisis Con Gps Y Satélite, Joel Mandella
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Esta investigación usa puntos de GPS e imágenes de satélite para marcar los sitios de deforestación en el programa Google Earth de una región de Ecuador—una región nunca estudiada en este caso. La región estudiada se extiende desde 1º 20.200’S al norte hasta 1º 30.200’S al sur, y 78º 30.128’W al oeste hasta 78º 0.128’W al este. Esta región está ubicada en la provincia de Tungurahua, Ecuador, con la ciudad de Baños de Agua Santa al extremo oeste, y la ciudad de Puyo al extremo este. La economía de la región es basada en la agricultura y la crianza de …
Too Much Weed: Invasive Species In Chitwan National Park, Laura Nelson
Too Much Weed: Invasive Species In Chitwan National Park, Laura Nelson
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Invasive plant species threaten jungle eco-systems in Chitwan National Park. Mikania micrantha is the most destructive invasive plant in the park and has been named one of the world’s 100 worst invaders. It is an exceptionally fastgrowing and aggressive perennial plant that is quickly spreading throughout Chitwan and ousting native plant species that comprise the diets of rhinos and other important wildlife species. M. micrantha poses both immediate ecological concerns to wildlife and threatens rural subsistence farming populations by destroying cropland. In Nepal, no policy or program exists to contain invasive plant species, and large-scale management of M. micrantha is …
Traditional Plant Use Of The Raglay In Cãu Gãy Village, Núi Chúa National Park, Alex Greene
Traditional Plant Use Of The Raglay In Cãu Gãy Village, Núi Chúa National Park, Alex Greene
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Members of the Raglay community of Cãu Gãy Village were interviewed to determine the extent and nature of their traditional reliance on plants. This community, located in the buffer zone of Núi Chúa National Park, was found to utilize 64 plant species for a wide variety of uses. Botanical specimens and photographs were used to identify 42 plants to species level, 13 to genus level, and 6 to family level, while 3 remained unidentified. For each plant, the Raglay name, local Vietnamese name, use, specific application, and preparation were documented, as well as any details of ritual or commercial significance. …
Post-Fire Demography Of A Dry Eucalypt Forest In The Midlands, Tasmania: A Pilot Study, Christine Urbanowicz
Post-Fire Demography Of A Dry Eucalypt Forest In The Midlands, Tasmania: A Pilot Study, Christine Urbanowicz
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
There have been many efforts to regenerate the threatened and declining dry eucalypt forests found within the Midlands of Tasmania. This pilot study was completed as part of a larger research project on eucalypt regeneration. Researchers need to know where recruits are most successful in order to appropriately place regeneration microsites. I have begun characterizing the baseline demography of a recently burnt remnant forest. I had two objectives: 1. to characterize the stand structure where recruits are successful, and 2. to describe where the recruits are within this structure. Data on location, size, and life history stage of trees were …
A Reassessment Of Avian Assemblages Along The Lakes Corridor In The Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland, Shaina N. Stewart
A Reassessment Of Avian Assemblages Along The Lakes Corridor In The Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland, Shaina N. Stewart
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Forest fragmentation is the process by which large areas of continuous forest are replaced by foreign ecosystems that restrict native growth to isolated patches. Biota remaining within these fragmented environments often suffer consequences that stem from reduced forest area. Wildlife corridors—linear patches of habitat that connect remnant fragments—have frequently been proposed to alleviate fragmentation effects by facilitating biotic movement between forest patches. Initiated in 1998, the Lakes Corridor on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland, Australia, connects the two formerly isolated sections of Crater Lakes National Park with the goal of promoting wildlife dispersal between them. This study monitored avian …