The overharvesting of natural resources for human use is highly detrimental to species populations, altering vital demographic rates. Various plant species have been harvested for different purposes, necessitating effective management strategies for species population stability and persistence. In Brazil, Araucaria angustifolia has been harvested for timber and seeds, resulting in population declines, and the species is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. However, effective alternatives for managing the A. angustifolia population remain limited. This study aimed to assess the demographic responses of an A. angustifolia population to simulations of timber and seed harvesting scenarios. In a scenario without harvesting, the population exhibited demographic stability. Timber removal from mature individuals proved less detrimental compared to harvesting involving immature and mature individuals. The seed-harvesting scenario demonstrated only slight demographic impacts. Larger individuals demonstrated a greater impact on demography. As a management approach, we suggest avoiding timber harvesting involving mature and immature individuals. Despite a few demographic consequences, seed harvesting should be approached cautiously to prevent potential impacts on the disperser community and possible cascade effects. This evidence can collaborate with global biodiversity assessments and support improvements in management strategies for A. angustifolia.
This study estimates Green GDP for India from 1971 to 2020 using the SEEA framework, integrating environmental degradation and natural resource depletion into national accounting based on standardized World Development Indicators. To address variations in data availability, three alternative Green GDP measures (GGDP1, GGDP2, and GGDP3) are constructed. The study further examines the dynamic relationship between environmentally adjusted economic performance and forest cover over the period 1990-2020 using Vector Autoregression (VAR) and Granger causality analysis. While both GDP and Green GDP exhibit a long-term upward trend, Green GDP consistently remains below conventional GDP, reflecting the economic costs of environmental degradation. Forest cover shows a gradual increase from 1990 onwards, although pressures from resource depletion persist. The empirical results indicate a unidirectional predictive relationship from Green GDP to forest cover, while no significant feedback is observed from forest cover to Green GDP under the current accounting framework. Impulse response analysis supports these findings, showing a positive response of forest cover to shocks in Green GDP. The absence of feedback effects reflects the underrepresentation of ecosystem services in national accounts. The findings highlight the need to strengthen environmental accounting and better integrate natural capital into policy frameworks for sustainable development.
This study models the current and future habitat suitability of Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze under varying climate and land-use scenarios across India. Using an ensemble species distribution modeling framework combining 8 machine learning algorithms, it evaluates the influence of 19 bioclimatic and multiple nonclimatic variables. Precipitation of the wettest quarter (BC-16) and minimum temperature of the coldest month (BC-6) emerged as key climatic drivers, while forest cover (VIP = 12.65%), urbanization (12.40%), and irrigated cropland (10.30%) were the most influential nonclimatic factors. The models performed well (AUC: 0.81-0.88; AUC > 0.80). Under future climate scenarios (RCPs 2.6-8.5 for 2050 and 2070), results indicate substantial shifts in habitat. Optimal habitat area ranged from 12.61 & times; 10(2) km(2) (2070 RCP 4.5) to 68.43 & times; 10(2) km(2) (nonclimatic scenario). Central and southern states of India show potential gains, while Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka may face significant losses. The greatest gain (+20.72%) occurs under 2050 RCP 8.5; the largest loss (-21.18%) is projected under 2070 RCP 4.5. B. monosperma supports vital ecosystem services lac production, soil stabilization, and livelihoods, highlighting the need for targeted conservation in climatically stable areas, adaptive land-use planning, and continuous monitoring. Practical implications of the current study are also summarized.
Understanding the mechanisms of soil carbon turnover is critical for interpreting soil carbon stability, yet these processes remain difficult to distangle due to environmental heterogeneity among forest sites. This study investigated carbon turnover dynamics among adjacent experimental plantation stands established with four species (Pinus strobus, Quercus aliena, Q. serrata, and Carpinus laxiflora) in a temperate forest of South Korea. Because the stands were established during the same period under similar environmental conditions, this setting allows a comparative assessment of carbon cycling processes across plantation stands while minimizing environmental heterogeneity. Soil carbon turnover was evaluated using complementary indices, including the respiration-to-carbon input ratio (RIR), soil carbon turnover time (tau soil), and the proportion of soil C relative to total C (PSI). Clear differences in soil carbon turnover dynamics were observed among the plantation stands. Variation in soil CO2 efflux contributed strongly to these differences, whereas carbon input by litterfall and soil physicochemical properties showed comparatively smaller contributions. These findings suggest that soil carbon turnover dynamics among adjacent plantation stands are strongly associated with variation in respiratory carbon losses under similar environmental conditions. This study provides a stand-level comparative framework for interpreting soil carbon turnover dynamics in temperate plantation forests.
