Rainforest seedlings are more likely to survive in natural forests than in places where logging has happened – even if tree restoration projects have taken place, new research shows.
Rainforest seedlings are more likely to survive in natural forests than in places where logging has happened – even if tree restoration projects have taken place, new research shows.
Scientists monitored over 5,000 seedlings for a year and a half in North Borneo.
They studied a landscape containing both natural forest and areas logged 30 years ago – some of which were recovering naturally, while some had been restored by methods including tree planting.
A drought had triggered “mast fruiting” across the region, with trees simultaneously dropping fruit in masse and new seedlings emerging.
Read more at: University of Exeter
Logged forests have reduced seedling density, reducing the probability for the next generation to emerge. (Photo Credit: David Bartholomew)
