Meeting rising demand for oil palm whilst minimizing the loss of tropical biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions is a core conservation challenge. One potential solution focusing expansion high-yielding crops on presently low-yielding farmlands alongside protecting nearby forests that can enhance provision functions. A key question how this would impact invertebrate functional diversit...

Tree species are key organisms of forest ecosystems, due their size and extended life, providing the environmental setting for many other living organisms. The levels of genetic diversity and the effective population sizes are essential issues for the maintenance and survival of tree species populations, because they direct adaptation to the current environment and future environmental changes....

Understanding mating patterns and gene movement in plant populations occupying highly disturbed landscapes is essential for insights into their long-term survival. We used allozyme genetic markers to examine mating patterns and to directly measure pollen flow in the Central American epiphytic orchid, Laelia rubescens. Study populations were located in disturbed, seasonally dry tropical forest i...

We compared post-agricultural succession across the range of farming activities practiced in Guatemala’s northern lowlands: agroforestry, swidden, ranching, and input-intensive monocultures. At 10 sites over 13 to 40 months we assessed the following characteristics of trees and shrubs that were 1 cm diameter at breast height: height, basal-area accumulation, recruitment of all individuals and f...

The National Phosphorus Project rainfall simulator was used to quantify overland flow and P transport from nine sites distributed throughout the watershed of a New York City Watershed Agriculture Program collaborating dairy farm. Observed concentrations of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) were low (0.007-0.12 mg L(-1)) in flow from deciduous forest, extensively managed pasture, and hillside see...

One vexing problem facing mankind is how to promote sustainable use of common property resources. Within developed and developing countries alike, misuse of fresh water, pastures, and forests is commonplace. While developed countries have in many cases designed principles and laws to promote sustainable resource use, developing countries often lack the institutional know-how and means to enforc...

The unavoidable diet change in emerging countries, projected for the coming years, will significantly increase the global consumption of animal protein. It is expected that Brazilian livestock production, responsible for close to 15% of global production, be prepared to answer to the increasing demand of beef. Consequently, the evaluation of pasture quality at regional scale is important to inf...