Tropical forests speed their own recovery, capturing nitrogen and carbon faster after being logged or cleared for agriculture. Researchers working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research […]

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In deer-populated forests, tastier plants can avoid being eaten if they are surrounded by less appealing plants. But with deer gone, diverse plots become weaker […]

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Tropical forests are a sometimes underappreciated asset in the battle against climate change. They cover 7 percent of land surface yet hold more than 30 […]

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Although useful to Tarzan, vines endanger tropical forests’ capacity to store carbon. In a major experimental study in Panama, Smithsonian researchers showed that woody vines, […]

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Rainforests on infertile wet soils support more than half of all plant species. Shrublands on infertile dry soils in southwestern Australia, jokingly called “knee-high tropical […]

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The Smithsonian is joining with local communities and the Nigerian Montane Forest Project to better understand and conserve montane forests in Nigeria.

The post Taking the Pulse of Our Planet’s Forests: appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

White-tailed deer don’t like to eat the invasive plants Japanese stilt grass, garlic mustard or barberry. Native oak seedlings and tulip poplar, on the other […]

The post Too many hungry deer are lowering diversity of native plants in eastern U.S. forests appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The lack of clear international regulations is putting ???animal forests??? at risk, a recent analysis concludes. The research examined threats to these important seafloor habitats, and suggests that collective responsibility and coherent ecosystem-based management are needed to prevent their loss.

Millions of years ago, Africa's savannas were covered with thick, ancient forests, which disappeared and turned into the grassy ecosystems that they are today.

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During heatwaves, forests initially have a warming effect on surrounding air temperatures. However, in the longer-term they have a cooling impact, according to a recent study. This new information about plant contributions to temperatures will help further improve climate modelling.

A new study based on high-resolution satellite observations of forests suggests the 'albedo', or reflectivity, of a forest needs to be carefully considered in afforestation schemes designed to mitigate climate change, i.e. carbon balance alone is not a good indicator of mitigation value. The authors argue that the Kyoto Protocol carbon accounting rules grossly overestimate the cooling caused by afforestation, because they do not consider albedo effects.

Putting a price on carbon emissions from deforestation is unlikely to prevent tropical forests being cleared for palm oil production, according to a recent study. Additional measures should be included in climate policies to protect forests from increasing global demands, such as biofuels.

A new study has highlighted the regional variation in the impacts that climate change may have on European forests. In northern and western Europe there may be positive effects on forest growth, whilst increasing drought and fires in the Mediterranean could damage forests.

A recent study has assessed how climate change could affect the impact of European insect pests on forests to help develop effective forest protection strategies. Changing temperatures may cause some populations of insects to grow or move into new regions of Europe.

A new analysis of temperate forests has estimated that, on average, tree-felling and the removal of tree biomass reduces carbon levels in the soil by 8 per cent. The reduction is greatest in the forest floor layer where about 30 per cent of carbon is lost.

An innovative reforestation technique has been used successfully to restore patches of forest in an area of Sardinia where traditional reforestation methods have previously failed. It was the first time the technique, known as the Miyawaki method, has been used to restore forests in a Mediterranean region.

International trade in wood and wood products affects forest stocks around the world. A recent study examines the relationship between changes in forest cover and international timber trade at global level. If finds that some wealthier nations with low population density can maintain forest areas while exporting wood; but other, usually poorer, nations, are losing forests through domestic and global demand for wood.

Forests may need to be converted to more drought-tolerant mixtures of tree species to prevent significant die-off under climate change, predicts a new study which modelled German forests. The researchers indicate that climate change is likely to lead to significant forest damage, which could be reduced through adaptive management.

The impacts of drought on European trees are of high concern, especially under a changing climate. New research has indicated that, if summers become continually drier, sensitive species, such as larch and spruce, will suffer reduced growth in some Alpine areas. This could potentially compromise ecosystem services provided by forests in these areas.

A recent study suggests that, since forests play a significant role in the regional and global supply of water vapour in the atmosphere, they should be thought of as global public goods and not viewed negatively in terms of water consumption.

A new study exploring the sensitivity of grassland and forest plants to decreasing habitat size and isolation in north-central Europe concludes that an irreversible shift in the most dominant plant species may already be underway in forests and grassland, where forests are more vulnerable than grasslands.

Ticks that are able to transmit Lyme disease are more abundant in deciduous oak forests than pine forests, according to a study conducted in Belgium, which provides an example of how landscape can influence human health. To help prevent tick attacks and the incidence of Lyme disease, the researchers suggest increased efforts are needed to raise public awareness of control measures, such as protective clothing and repellants.

Conserving genetic diversity is vital to allow populations to adapt in the face of changing conditions. A new study, assessing the conservation of genetic diversity of trees across Europe, has identified areas for improvement that could help maintain the genetic diversity of Europe's forests.

Controlled fires could help the regeneration capacity of some insects in regions of intensively managed forests, according to a recent study of Finnish forests that are part of an EU LIFE restoration project. Results indicated that fire can be an effective conservation measure but its impact depends on the region???s history and context.

There is a growing body of scientific research into the health benefits of urban forests, such as improving air quality and providing recreational space. However, new research challenges the assumption that their overall impact on quality of life is always positive and land planners need to take into account ecosystem disservices as well as services, say the researchers.

Pests that cause millions of euros in damage to Europe’s forests every year could be controlled using fungi. A new study finds that certain strains and formulations of fungi are extremely effective in killing large pine weevils. Control of the weevils using fungi may provide forest managers with an alternative to chemical pesticides.

From N.H. to Nova Scotia, Ancient forests emerge only during rare periods of extreme low tide.

Non-native earthworms are damaging hardwood forests; one University of Minnesota group is working to clear up the misconception that they're always harmless.

Kazakhstan's Altyn Emel, a newly named UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to deserts, forests and floodplains — and a giant sand dune that sings.

Marijuana smokers might praise their drug of choice as "natural," but pot growers in national forests all over the country have caused "severe" damage to these

U.S. startup DroneSeed merges technology and forestry to give scorched woodlands a second chance from above.

Video: Rock star Bryan Adams chats about his Canadian homeland and what they're doing to stave off deforestation.

Moving invasive purple sea urchins off the California coast helps to restore balance to the ecosystem.

A new website makes it super easy to help save the world, a little bit at a time.

Only about 2 percent of Iceland is now forested, down from as much as 40 percent before Vikings arrived.

Climate change is enabling a beech boom, according to a 30-year study, and that may spell ecological trouble.

Newly discovered remains of the Antarctic king, Antarctanax shackletoni, paint a lush picture of the Antarctica of 250 million years ago.

The deforestation situation in Indonesia is not entirely bleak, thanks to the efforts of the Katingan Project.

Rudi Putra takes on powerful palm oil plantations in the name of conservation — and wins.

A food forest is a forest full of plants that grow human food, and they don't require as much upkeep as gardens.

A ghost forest occurs when sea levels rise and flood healthy coastal forests with saltwater, killing the trees. Plus, 5 ghost forests in the U.S.

From biomass to wind energy, we’re testing your knowledge of the past, present and future of forest products.

Enviva and The Longleaf Alliance announce a partnership to protect and restore one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in North America.

Climate change is forcing tropical fish to migrate, and they threaten to mow down their new terrain.

'America's Forest' with host Chuck Leavell of The Rolling Stones explains how forests can help climate change, the economy and so much more.

In case you're missing the forest for the trees, here are a few reminders why woodlands are wonderful.

It’s time to say ‘Bula’ as Indian filmmakers make plans for filming in Fiji.

The Chugach and Tongass National Forests are changing, possibly in response to global warming.

As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States annually compiles a report on the nation's carbon flux—the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere compared to the amount stored by terrestrial landscapes.

Interest in landscape-scale approaches to fire management and forest restoration is growing with the realization that these approaches are critical to maintaining healthy forests and protecting nearby communities. However, coordinated planning and action across multiple ownerships have been elusive because of differing goals and forest management styles among landowners. Scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and their colleagues recognized that working at the landscape scale requires integrating the biophysical, social, and economic dimensions of the problem, and this necessitates collecting new types of information and inventing new tools.