http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/forests/ Forest Biomes. Read all about forests, including forest ecology, carbon uptake, and how human activities are affecting forests. Full articles, photos. en-us Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:05:01 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/forests/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134936.htm The American West has seen a recent increase in large wildfires due to droughts, the build-up of combustible fuel, or biomass, in forests, a spread of fire-prone species and increased tree mortality from insects and heat. A research team warns that these conditions may be "a perfect storm" for more fires. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121852.htm By combining airborne laser technology, satellite mapping, and ground-based plot surveys, a team of researchers has produced the first large-scale, high-resolution estimates of carbon stocks in remote and fragile Madagascar. The group has shown that it is possible to map carbon stocks in rugged geographic regions and that this type of carbon monitoring can be successfully employed to support conservation and climate-change mitigation under the United Nations initiative on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172924.htm A new study examines several options for managing the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that is destroying US ash trees. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172924.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122618.htm Several periods of field work during 2008 have led to the discovery of a new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice in Costa Rica's high-altitude region Cerro de la Muerte. The discovery was made thanks to molecular data analysis of mitochondrial DNA. The collected records have also increased the overall knowledge of plant lice (one of the most dangerous agricultural pests worldwide) from the region with more that 20 percent. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122618.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163754.htm A new study shows that land-cover changes, in particular deforestation, in the vicinity of glaciers do not have an impact on glacier loss. However, the study also shows that deforestation decreases precipitation in mid elevation zones, which affects the quality of life of the population living in the surrounding areas. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163754.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181218.htm Yellow-cedar, a culturally and economically valuable tree in southeastern Alaska and adjacent parts of British Columbia, has been dying off across large expanses of these areas for the past 100 years. But no one could say why -- until now. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201181218.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129151009.htm Tropical vegetation contains 21 percent more carbon than previously thought. Using a combination of remote sensing and field data, scientists were able to produce the first "wall-to-wall" map (with a spatial resolution of 500 m x 500 m) of carbon storage of forests, shrublands, and savannas in the tropics of Africa, Asia, and South America. Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129151009.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224513.htm Scientists have developed a novel computer model describing how future hurricanes and sea level rise may trigger changes to South Florida's native coastal forests. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224513.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126142939.htm Another attractive theory falls foul of the facts. A census of trees in rainforests on three continents has confirmed that competition plays a central role in structuring communities. This contradicts the so-called neutral theory in ecology, which views random fluctuations as the decisive factor. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126142939.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126115125.htm A new study comparing the carbon-holding power of freshwater wetlands has produced measurements suggesting that wetlands in temperate regions are more valuable as carbon sinks than current policies imply. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126115125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124184157.htm Half of all wetlands in the US, Europe and China were destroyed during the 20th century, but a thriving restoration effort aims to recreate marshes and other ecosystems lost. A new study cautions, however, that restored wetlands do not recover to the condition of a natural, undamaged wetland for hundreds of years, if ever. This calls into question mitigation banks that allow developers to destroy one wetland if they create another. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124184157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124162353.htm When it comes to conserving the world's orchids, not all forests are equal. Ecologists revealed that an orchid's fate hinges on two factors: A forest's age and its fungi. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124162353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184235.htm Researchers were stunned to rediscover one of the rarest primates in Borneo, the grizzled langur, thought by many to be extinct. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184235.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173701.htm Portions of the Amazon basin are experiencing a transition in energy and water cycles. Evidence suggests that the Amazon may also be transitioning from a net carbon sink to a net source. This research shows that although the Amazon is resilient to individual disturbances, such as drought, multiple disturbances override this, increasing the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to degradation. This review provides a framework for understanding the associations between natural variability and drivers of change. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173701.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151720.htm Thousands of broken trees line the banks of the Chattooga River. The dead gray stabs were once evergreen monsters offering shade to trout and picturesque views to visitors. These Eastern hemlocks are dying rapidly, and researchers are working to save them. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151720.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120108143601.htm Those making land use decisions to reduce the harmful effects of climate change have focused almost exclusively on greenhouse gases -- analyzing, for example, how much carbon dioxide is released when a forest is cleared to grow crops. A new study aims to present a more complete picture -- to incorporate other characteristics of ecosystems that also influence climate. Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120108143601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120107151247.htm Biologists have discovered a new primate species in the Sahafina Forest in eastern Madagascar, a forest that has not been studied before. The name of the new species is Gerp’s mouse lemur (Microcebus gerpi). Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120107151247.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104111721.htm The Bechstein’s bat or Myotis bechsteinii lives in deciduous forests. It used to be very common in the Holocene era, but today there are only a few dispersed groups, despite the fact that a colony can be found almost anywhere in Europe. It has been rendered vulnerable by human interference and forest destruction. And this has even led to confusion about its origin. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104111721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222133459.htm Researchers treated burnt soil with an organic polymer used in agriculture. Applying granules of the non-toxic polymer cut soil erosion by half in both laboratory and field experiments. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222133459.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220133913.htm Forest thinning to help prevent or reduce severe wildfire will release more carbon to the atmosphere than any amount saved by successful fire prevention. There may be valid reasons to thin forests – such as restoration of forest structure or health, wildlife enhancement or public safety – but increased carbon sequestration is not one of them. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220133913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111218221321.htm By 2100, global climate change will modify plant communities covering almost half of Earth's land surface and will drive the conversion of nearly 40 percent of land-based ecosystems from one major ecological community type -- such as forest, grassland or tundra -- toward another, according to a new NASA and university computer modeling study. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111218221321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216084215.htm Large forest regions in Canada are apparently about to experience rapid change. Based on models, scientists can now show that there are threshold values for wildfires just like there are for epidemics. Large areas of Canada are apparently approaching this threshold value and may in future exceed it due to climate change. As a result both the area burnt down annually and the average size of the fires would increase, researchers say. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216084215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135933.htm The number of sugar maples in Upper Great Lakes forests is likely to decline in coming decades, according to ecologists, due to a previously unrecognized threat from a familiar enemy: Acid rain. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215094923.htm The forests of the world supply a significant amount of moisture that creates rain. A new study reveals how this important contribution of forests to the hydrologic cycle is often overlooked in water resource policy, such as that of the EU. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215094923.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153127.htm Over the past 10 years, the death of forest trees due to drought and increased temperatures has been documented on all continents except Antarctica. This can in turn drive global warming by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by trees and by releasing carbon locked up in their wood. New research offers evidence for the physiological mechanism governing tree death in a drought. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212092647.htm Researchers have released a set of 1x1 km tree species maps showing the distribution of 20 tree species over Europe. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212092647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111129103312.htm Warmer, drier summers and extreme weather events considered possible as the climate changes would be especially troublesome -- possibly fatal -- for walnut trees, according to researchers. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111129103312.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128115147.htm Not water, but sunlight is the main factor in determining the growth of the hundreds of tree species in tropical forests. The variation in physiological characteristics between tree species explains how the various species fit into their ecological niches, thereby contributing to diversity in tropical forests. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128115147.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111125160856.htm Rainforests that are subject to use by the human population and are divided into forest fragments can maintain their ecological functionality. Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111125160856.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122143356.htm A new study is first to focus on the extra carbon savings that can be squeezed from trees when wood not suitable for long-term building materials is used for bioenergy: Depending on the process used, ethanol from woody biomass emits less greenhouse gas than an equivalent amount of gasoline, between 70 percent and a little over 100 percent less. In contrast, corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions 22 percent on average. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122143356.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122112123.htm Ecological tourism has no effect on the presence of large mammals in the Amazon, according to a study that for the first time compares the biological diversity of ecotourism zones with that of protected areas. Furthermore, it can help to protect the biodiversity of areas that are not officially protected yet are vital in the ecological framework. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:21:21 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122112123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121104153.htm Natural selection has played a role in the development of the many skins patterns of the tiny Ranitomeya imitator poison dart frog. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121104153.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117140629.htm Organisms living on small islands are particularly threatened by extinction. However, data are often lacking to objectively assess these threats. Researchers have used satellite imagery to assess the conservation status of endangered reptiles and amphibians of the Comoro archipelago in the Western Indian Ocean. The researchers used their results to point out which species are most threatened and to define priorities for future protected areas. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117140629.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116162248.htm After an amazing five of the seven wild cat species found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra were recently caught on camera in tract of forest being rapidly lost to deforestation, the World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia is urging companies and authorities to take immediate steps to save the valuable area. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116162248.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116132910.htm The impact of deforestation on global warming varies with latitude, according to new research from a team of scientists representing 20 institutions from around the world. The finding calls for new climate-monitoring strategies, researchers say. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116132910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115175352.htm When biomass is combusted the carbon that once was bound in the growing tree is released into the atmosphere. For this reason, bioenergy is often considered carbon dioxide neutral. Research from Sweden, however, shows that this is a simplification. The use of bioenergy may affect ecosystem carbon stocks, and it can take anything from 2 to 100 years for different biofuels to achieve carbon dioxide neutrality. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115175352.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073941.htm In Europe, forests appear evergreen even in the cloudiest conditions, while the lush interiors of Asian jungles are typically overshadowed by a dense canopy. The ability of trees to adapt to light conditions, and even increase their intake of carbon for photosynthesis in poor light, has been explored by Czech researchers. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073941.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110192306.htm By analyzing nearly a decade of satellite data, a team of scientists has created a model that can successfully predict the severity and geographic distribution of fires in the Amazon rain forest and the rest of South America months in advance. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110192306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110142054.htm Tiny temperature changes on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans provide an excellent way to forecast wildfires in South American rainforests, new research shows. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110142054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110130106.htm Evergreen trees at the edge of Alaska's tundra are growing faster, suggesting that at least some forests may be adapting to a rapidly warming climate, says a new study. While forests elsewhere are thinning from wildfires, insect damage and droughts partially attributed to global warming, some white spruce trees in the far north of Alaska have grown more vigorously in the last hundred years, especially since 1950, the study has found. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110130106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093852.htm A recent report provides new ideas regarding carbon and energy benefits forests and forest products provide. The report summarizes and analyzes the most recent science regarding forests and carbon accounting, biomass use, and forest carbon offsets. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103212157.htm New research into greenhouse gas emissions from oil palm plantations provides robust measures now being used to inform international policies on greenhouse gas emissions. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103212157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103143243.htm Scientists braved ticks and a tiger to discover how human activities have perturbed the nitrogen cycle in tropical forests. Studies at two remote Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatory sites in Panama and Thailand show the first evidence of long-term effects of nitrogen pollution in tropical trees. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103143243.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103081431.htm A huge "migration" of trees has begun across much of the West due to global warming, insect attack, diseases and fire, and many tree species are projected to decline or die out in regions where they have been present for centuries, while others move in and replace them. In an enormous display of survival of the fittest, the forests of the future are taking a new shape. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103081431.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111101125553.htm Drying of northern wetlands has led to much more severe peatland wildfires and nine times as much carbon released into the atmosphere, according to new research. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111101125553.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031220600.htm Climate change, land use and other human-driven factors could pit savannas and forests against each other by altering the elements found by researchers to stabilize the two. Without this harmony, the habitats, or biomes, could increasingly encroach on one other to the detriment of the people and animals that rely on them. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:06:06 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031220600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031154132.htm More than half of eastern US tree species examined in a massive new study aren't adapting to climate change as quickly or consistently as predicted. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031154132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111028082115.htm The tropical rainforests harbor a multitude of living resources. Where, when and how did this wealth of biodiversity appear? To find answers to these fundamental questions, biologists have realized the first evolutionary history of a family of plants characteristic of this ecosystem: palms (Arecaceae or Palmae). Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111028082115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111026143809.htm Researchers in Israel have found that forests of the hardy salt cedar tree, indigenous to old-world deserts, have the potential to significantly offset the amount of carbon dioxide that human communities produce. What's more, they can flourish when nourished with low-quality waste water, and the trees themselves can be used as "biofuel" crops to reduce dependence on traditional fossil fuels like coal. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111026143809.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024153444.htm The reclusive American marten is getting even harder to find in the Sierra Nevada, according to new research. A new study at the Sagehen Experimental Forest found that marten detections have dropped 60 percent since the 1980s -- a decrease that may be caused by a degradation of the wooded areas in which they live, researchers say. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024153444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084326.htm New research analyzes the causes and characteristics of fires that have occurred in the Mediterranean basin in recent decades, and determines that rural exodus and changes in land use have increased the number and size of these fires. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111023135657.htm The largest and most comprehensive study yet done on the effect of biofuel production from West Coast forests has concluded that an emphasis on bioenergy would increase carbon dioxide emissions from these forests at least 14 percent. The findings are contrary to assumptions and some previous studies that suggest biofuels from this source would be carbon-neutral or even reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this research, that wasn't true in any scenario. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111023135657.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020105758.htm Studies of ant populations in Borneo reveal an unexpected resilience to areas of rainforest degraded by repeated intensive logging, a finding which conservationists hope will lead governments to conserve these areas rather than allow them to be cleared and used for cash crop plantations. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020105758.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020025606.htm NASA has released a series of new satellite data visualizations that show tens of millions of fires detected worldwide from space since 2002. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020025606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019183007.htm Rivers and streams in the United States are releasing substantially more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previously thought, according to researchers. Their findings could change the way scientists model the movement of carbon among land, water and the atmosphere. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019183007.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019171740.htm Wildfire, insect outbreaks and hurricanes destroy huge amounts of forest every year and increase the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, but scientists are now learning more about another force that can significantly affect their climate impact. Researchers conclude in a new study that the albedo effect, which controls the amount of energy reflected back into space, is important in the climatic significance of several types of major forest disturbances. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019171740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111018111932.htm Microscopic animals that live in soils are as diverse in the tropical forests of Costa Rica as they are in the arid grasslands of Kenya, or the tundra and boreal forests of Alaska and Sweden, according to new research. Scientists have generally accepted that a wider range of species can be found above ground at the equator than at Earth's poles. But this study proves for the first time that the same rules don't apply to the nematodes, mites and springtails living underground. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111018111932.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017111614.htm Rivers and streams in the United States are releasing enough carbon into the atmosphere to fuel 3.4 million car trips to the moon, according to researchers. Their findings could change the way scientists model the movement of carbon between land, water and the atmosphere. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017111614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013183806.htm Tropical tree cover will jump sharply between a forested state and savanna or treeless conditions rather than respond smoothly to climate change, according to a new study. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013183806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013153955.htm North American forests appear to have a greater capacity to soak up heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas than researchers had previously anticipated. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013153955.htm