London, UK: A new study has revealed that replanting logged forests with diverse mixtures of seedlings can significantly accelerate their recovery.
Satellite observations of the island of Borneo have shown how lowland rainforests have recovered over a decade. It is one of the world’s largest ecological experiments.
The study is published in the journal Science Advances. The University of Oxford’s Professor Andy Hector and colleagues initiated the experiment over 20 years ago as part of the SE Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP).
The study evaluated the regeneration of 125 plots in a logged tropical forest area, each sown with varying combinations of tree species.
The study found that plots with a mix of 16 native tree species recovered canopy area and total tree biomass faster than plots with only four or one species. Interestingly, even plots with just one tree species recovered more rapidly than those left for natural restoration.
Our new study demonstrates that replanting logged tropical forests with diverse mixtures of native tree species achieves multiple wins, accelerating the restoration of tree cover, biodiversity, and important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration.
Professor Andy Hector (Department of Biology, University of Oxford), remarked.
The diverse recovery rates are likely due to the varying roles or niches different tree species have within an ecosystem, as per the researchers.
These roles encompass the specific physical and environmental conditions each species is suited for, as well as their interactions with other organisms.