This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on ecosystem services delivered by forests.
The first chapter summarises the current state of knowledge on the interactions between forest ecosystems and the climate system and the way in which forests influence the water cycle.
The second chapter reviews the wealth of research on the range of species, functional groups and ecological processes which can develop as a result of the biodiversity in tropical forests. The chapter also considers the main threats to tropical forest biodiversity.
The third chapter examines the importance of forest carbon content and the methods currently used to monitor it. The chapter also explores the mechanisms driving forest carbon storage and offers a considered discussion on whether forests should be considered sources or sinks of carbon.
The fourth chapter highlights how sustainable forest management (SFM) can be used to maintain or enhance biodiversity in temperate and boreal forests. The chapter utilises two case studies to demonstrate successful implementation of SFM in Ireland and Canada.
The final chapter considers the benefits of introducing agroforestry into agroecosystems, focussing on its influence on soil health. The chapter discusses the benefits of agroforestry systems on key soil physical, chemical and biological properties.
Chapter 1 - Ecosystem services delivered by tropical forests: regulating services of tropical forests for climate and hydrological cycles: Oliver Gardi, Bern University of Applied Sciences and School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Switzerland; 1 Introduction2 Forest-climate interactions3 Forests in the carbon cycle4 Climate change mitigation in the forestry and timber sector5 Forests in the water cycle (regional scale)6 Summary and future trends7 Where to look for further information8 References Chapter 2 - Biodiversity and ecosystem services in tropical forests: recent findings and implications for sustainable forest management (SFM): Beth A. Kaplin, University of Rwanda, Rwanda and University of Massachusetts-Boston, USA; 1 Introduction2 The importance of tropical forests as repositories of biodiversity3 Recent research on biodiversity and ecosystem services from tropical forests4 The main threats to tropical forest biodiversity5 Synthesis and conclusion6 Where to look for further information7 References Chapter 3 - Advances in understanding the role of forests in the carbon cycle: Matthew J. McGrath and Anne Sofie Lansø, Laboratoire des sciences du climat et de l’environnement, France; Guillaume Marie, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Yi-Ying Chen, Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Tuomo Kalliokoski, University of Helsinki, Finland; Sebastiaan Luyssaert and Kim Naudts, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Philippe Peylin, Laboratoire des sciences du climat et de l’environnement, France; and Aude Valade, Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre, Spain; 1 Introduction2 The importance of forest carbon content3 Monitoring forest carbon4 Mechanisms driving forest carbon storage5 Are forests sources or sinks of carbon?6 Carbon management as distinct from climate management7 Future trends and conclusion8 Acknowledgements9 Where to look for further information10 References Chapter 4 - Advances in understanding forest ecosystem services: conserving biodiversity: Anne Oxbrough, Edge Hill University, UK; and Jaime Pinzón, Natural Resources Canada, Canada; 1 Introduction2 The impact of forest loss and fragmentation on biodiversity3 Tree species diversity, tree species composition and conservation4 The impact of clearcutting on biodiversity5 The importance of deadwood to forest biodiversity6 Case study: managing for plantation forest biodiversity in landscapes of low forest cover7 Case study: managing for biodiversity in boreal mixedwood forests – emulating natural forest dynamics8 Summary9 Future trends10 Where to look for further information11 References Chapter 5 - Agroforestry: a system for improving soil health: S. H. Anderson and R. P. Udawatta, University of Missouri, USA; 1 Introduction2 Biological properties critical for soil health3 Physical properties critical for soil health4 Chemical properties critical for soil health5 Conclusion6 Future trends7 Where to look for further information8 References
Beth A. Kaplin is a Professor of Conservation Science in the College of Science & Technology at University of Rwanda (UR) and a Research Professor in the School for the Environment at University of Massachusetts-Boston (UMB). She is also a Senior Fellow at the Center of Global Governance and Sustainability at UMB. In June 2016 she was appointed Director of the Center of Excellence in Biodiversity & Natural Resource Management at UR. She also created the Regional Network for Conservation Educators in the Albertine Rift to support and empower conservation scientists in Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, and Uganda. She is a member of the Society for Conservation Biology and the Association for Tropical Biology & Conservation, and formerly Associate Editor for the journal Biotropica. Stephen H. Anderson is the William A. Albrecht Distinguished Professor of Soil and Environmental Sciences in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, USA. His current areas of research include evaluating soil management effects on soil hydraulic properties, developing X-ray computed tomography and microtomography techniques to assess pore-scale soil properties and processes, and utilizing hydrologic models to evaluate effectiveness of conservation practices at the watershed scale.
