Forest ecology

Forest ecology is the study of all aspects of the ecology of wooded areas, including rainforest, deciduous and evergreen, temperate and boreal forest. It includes the community ecology of the trees and other plant and non-plant species, as well as ecosystem processes and conservation.

Latest Research and Reviews

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News and Comment

  • News & Views |

    An experiment in secondary forests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo finds that calcium, an overlooked soil nutrient, is scarcer than phosphorus, and represents a potentially greater limitation on tropical forest growth.

    • Helena Vallicrosa
    Nature Ecology & Evolution 6, 1056-1057

  • Editorial |

    Meeting climate targets will require considerable carbon dioxide removal in addition to emission cuts. To achieve this sustainably, a range of methods are needed to avoid adverse effects and match co-benefits with local needs.

    Nature Geoscience 15, 341

  • Comments & Opinion |

    Data on tropical forests are in high demand. But ground forest measurements are hard to sustain and the people who make them are extremely disadvantaged compared to those who use them. We propose a new approach to forest data that focuses on the needs of data originators, and ensures users and funders contribute properly.

    • Renato A. F. de Lima
    • , Oliver L. Phillips
    •  & Rodolfo Vásquez
    Nature Ecology & Evolution 6, 656-658

  • Comments & Opinion |

    Trees outside of forests are numerous and can be important carbon sinks, while also providing ecosystem services and benefits to livelihoods. New monitoring tools highlight the crucial contribution they can make to strategies for both mitigation and adaptation.

    • David L. Skole
    • , Cheikh Mbow
    •  & Jay H. Samek
    Nature Climate Change 11, 1013-1016

  • News & Views |

    The strength of functional diversity effects on forest productivity increases over time, highlighting the key role of multi-species tree communities in long-term restoration initiatives.

    • Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramírez
    Nature Ecology & Evolution 5, 1572-1573
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