Close Menu
  • Last News
    • Cities
    • Climate
    • Energy
    • Impact
    • Markets
    • Opinions
    • Policy
    • Reports
    • Research
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of NASA's Gravity Imaging Radio Observer mapping an exoplanet's interior. Image generated by AI.
“100x More Precise”: New NASA Probe Promises Unmatched Exoplanet Scans in Deep-Space Exploration Revolution
Illustration of the Bugatti Tourbillon featuring a V16 hybrid engine. Image generated by AI.
“1,800 Horsepower Unleashed”: Bugatti Tourbillon’s V16 Engine Screams to 9,000 RPM in Unprecedented Hypercar Debut
Illustration of a breakthrough in rubidium extraction technology in China. Image generated by AI.
“China Achieves Unthinkable Feat”: This Bold Extraction of 99.9% Ultra-Pure Rubidium from Salt Lake Brine Stuns the World
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
Sustainability Times
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
Subscribe
  • Featured
  • Cities
    Illustration of Downtown Residences skyscraper in Dubai's Business Bay area. Image generated by AI.

    “Tallest Home in the Sky”: Dubai’s 1,500-Foot Residential Tower Set to Shatter Records and Completely Transform the Urban Skyline

    June 14, 2025 at 4:11 PM
    Illustration of Egypt's ambitious Jirian urban development project featuring an artificial Nile canal. Image generated by AI.

    “Egypt’s Visionary Project Unveiled”: Skyscrapers Rising Amidst the Desert and Beside the Pyramids as Revolutionary New City Takes Shape

    June 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM
    Illustration of Saudi Arabia's futuristic Line project stretching across the desert. Image generated by AI.

    “Saudi Mega-Skyscraper Turns Deadly”: This 105-Mile Structure Threatens to Annihilate Migratory Birds on a Catastrophic Scale

    June 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
    Illustration of Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL air taxi flying over Los Angeles during the 2028 Olympics. Image generated by AI.

    Flying Over LA Gridlock: These American Air Taxis Promise a Spectacular Debut During the 2028 Olympic Games

    May 20, 2025 at 4:07 PM
    Illustration of the sinking urban landscape affecting major U.S. cities due to groundwater depletion (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “America’s Cities Are Sinking Fast”: 28 Urban Giants Like New York and Houston Are Quietly Crumbling Beneath Our Feet

    May 13, 2025 at 7:00 AM
  • Climate
    Illustration of a revolutionary plastic dissolving in ocean water. Image generated by AI.

    “This Plastic Melts in the Ocean”: Japanese Scientists Reveal a Radical Material That Could Finally End the Global Pollution Crisis

    June 15, 2025 at 6:08 PM
    Illustration of the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems. Image generated by AI.

    “Ocean Acidification Is a Time Bomb”: This Silent Threat Is Accelerating Extinction and Pushing Earth Toward an Irreversible Collapse

    June 15, 2025 at 6:45 AM
    Illustration of rising global CO2 emissions and their impact on climate change. Image generated by AI.

    “Global CO₂ Emissions Surge Out of Control”: This Alarming Spike Signals a Dangerous New Phase in the Climate Crisis

    June 12, 2025 at 10:11 AM
    Illustration of the colossal landslide in Greenland's Dickson Fjord triggering a mega-tsunami. Image generated by AI.

    “Unprecedented Natural Disaster Strikes”: A 650-Foot Mega-Tsunami Sends Seismic Waves Circling the Globe

    June 11, 2025 at 6:07 PM
    Illustration of the destabilizing effects of climate change on glaciers. Image generated by AI.

    “40% of Glaciers Vanishing Anyway”: This Chilling Climate Shock Exposes the Irreversible Collapse Already Underway

    June 9, 2025 at 6:49 AM
  • Energy
    Illustration of the Bugatti Tourbillon featuring a V16 hybrid engine. Image generated by AI.

    “1,800 Horsepower Unleashed”: Bugatti Tourbillon’s V16 Engine Screams to 9,000 RPM in Unprecedented Hypercar Debut

    June 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
    Illustration of a revolutionary zinc-iodine battery technology for sustainable energy storage. Image generated by AI.

    “Still at 99.8%”: Revolutionary Zinc-Iodine Battery Holds Nearly Full Capacity After 500 Brutal Charge Cycles

    June 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
    Illustration of Meta's partnership with XGS Energy to develop a 150-megawatt geothermal power plant. Image generated by AI.

    “Meta Goes Underground”: Tech Giant Joins U.S. Startup to Build 150-Megawatt Geothermal Powerhouse Deep Below Earth

    June 19, 2025 at 7:54 AM
    Illustration of the T3600 subsea trencher, the world's most powerful sea trencher designed to protect offshore infrastructure. Image generated by AI.

    “World’s Deepest Cable Burial”: This Monster Trencher Digs 18 Feet Beneath the Seabed to Power the Future

    June 19, 2025 at 7:10 AM
    Illustration of a solar canopy at a wastewater treatment facility in Pendleton, Oregon, showcasing sustainable energy infrastructure. Image generated by AI.

    “Slashed by 30%”: This U.S. Wastewater Plant Just Installed a 240-kW Solar Canopy That’s Changing Everything

    June 19, 2025 at 6:05 AM
  • Impact
    Illustration of Creme Puff, the world's oldest cat, enjoying a unique lifestyle. Image generated by AI.

    “World’s Oldest Cat Drank Red Wine”: This Bizarre Feline Habit Stuns Vets and Redefines Everything We Thought About Animal Longevity

    June 15, 2025 at 6:11 AM
    Illustration of Builder.ai revealing its reliance on manual labor behind a facade of AI innovation. Image generated by AI.

    Shocking Revelation in Tech Industry: A 1.5 Billion Dollar ‘Fake AI’ Exposed With 700 Real-Time Coders Operating From India

    June 11, 2025 at 3:45 PM
    Illustration of the shift from GPS to atomic clocks in aviation safety. Image generated by AI.

    End of GPS Era: The Secret Rise of Atomic Clocks Signals a Military-Grade Revolution in Global Positioning and National Security

    June 10, 2025 at 7:47 AM
    Illustration of Jeff Bezos' megayacht Koru anchored offshore due to docking restrictions in Monaco. Image generated by AI.

    “Bezos Denied at Monaco”: The $500 Million Megayacht Forced Offshore as Billionaire Arrives by Dinghy in Stunning Humiliation

    June 7, 2025 at 6:46 AM
    Illustration of U.S. soldiers using augmented reality gear in a battlefield scenario. Image generated by AI.

    “Meta Is Redefining Warfare”: U.S. Army Adopts AR-AI Headset That Turns Soldiers Into Real-Time Combat Intelligence Hubs

    June 6, 2025 at 4:59 PM
  • Markets
    Illustration of a colossal 55 billion-ton iron ore deposit discovery in Western Australia. Image generated by AI.

    Worldwide Panic as Monumental Geological Find Disrupts Global Trade and Triggers Market Turmoil on Every Continent

    June 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM

    Most sources of protein in the US contain vast quantities of microplastics

    January 11, 2024 at 5:47 AM

    Banking on change: How your accounts have climate impact

    December 26, 2023 at 7:13 PM

    Sparxell’s glitter is golden with nature-based color, design

    December 19, 2023 at 9:29 PM

    Lab-grown coffee tastes pretty darn good, scientists say

    December 12, 2023 at 10:42 PM
  • Opinions

    Smoke, Mirrors, and Smears: Inside the Campaign Against Gaurav Srivastava (Review)

    May 14, 2025 at 10:45 AM

    Nathan Law and the High Cost of Dissent: A Review of Targeted, Episode 3

    May 13, 2025 at 9:46 AM

    From charts to conversations: a real review of Hint App, The Pattern, and TimePassages

    May 13, 2025 at 5:12 AM

    Where Time Touches Light: Yefan Liu and the Future of Cultural Design

    April 18, 2025 at 3:39 AM
    “Ancient Predator Resurfaces: The Terrifying Epicyon, Massive Canid Beast With Bone-Crushing Jaws, Shakes Experts to Their Core”

    “He’s Back From Extinction”: The Gigantic Epicyon Returns With Bone-Crushing Jaws That Terrified Prehistoric America

    April 16, 2025 at 7:53 AM
  • Policy
    Illustration of China's newly unveiled underground military command center near Beijing. Image generated by AI.

    “We Cannot Ignore This Threat”: China’s 1,000-Acre Military Megabase Revealed by Satellite Triggers US Intelligence Emergency

    June 8, 2025 at 5:53 PM
    Illustration of a Russian satellite maneuvering near a U.S. government satellite in space. Image generated by AI.

    “Russia’s Orbital Weapon Moves In”: US Military Reacts Urgently as Armed Satellite Approaches Critical American Asset in Alarming Encounter

    June 8, 2025 at 7:14 AM
    Illustration of China's expanding aircraft carrier fleet reshaping global naval dynamics. Image generated by AI.

    “U.S. Navy on High Alert”: China’s Fleet of 6 Supercarriers Triggers Global Tensions and Redefines Sea Power Balance

    June 4, 2025 at 5:45 PM
    Illustration of SpinLaunch's centrifugal launch system deploying microsatellites into low-Earth orbit. Image generated by AI.

    “Hypersonic Madness in Orbit”: US Company Launches Pancake Probes at Relentless Speed, Triggering Chinese Military Alarm

    June 3, 2025 at 3:49 PM
    Illustration of the AURA-E drone revolutionizing rural logistics in Australia. Image generated by AI.

    Unprecedented Aerial Gamble: This New Australian Drone Can Travel 310 Miles Carrying 110 Pounds Across Remote Outback

    June 2, 2025 at 7:53 AM
  • Reports
    Illustration of the SABRE South Collaboration’s experimental setup for detecting dark matter in the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Scientists Stunned by Mysterious Light”: Bold Experiment Uses 4-Inch Glowing Crystal Core to Unveil Secrets of Elusive Dark Matter

    May 5, 2025 at 6:05 AM
    Illustration of a precision laser being fired from Earth to a satellite orbiting the Moon during daylight (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    China Hits the Moon With a Laser: First Daylight Lunar Reflection in History Stuns Scientists and Ignites Global Space Race

    May 4, 2025 at 5:09 PM
    Illustration of the SR-72 hypersonic jet soaring through the sky (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China Stunned by US Jet”: SR-72 Hypersonic Aircraft to Fly at Over Mach 5 in 2025, Triggering Shock and Panic in Beijing

    May 4, 2025 at 6:03 AM
    Illustration of China's expansive underground military command center near Beijing (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    China Unveils Its Military Mega-Project: Satellite Images Reveal Construction of the Largest Military Hub on Earth Spanning Over 1,000 Acres

    May 3, 2025 at 6:54 AM
    Illustration of China's new amphibious anti-tank missile system on the ZTD-05 vehicle (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China Unleashes Amphibious Beast”: This Armored Truck-Turned-Tank Can Now Hunt Enemy Targets Across Rivers and Swamps

    May 2, 2025 at 5:52 AM
  • Research
    Illustration of NASA's Gravity Imaging Radio Observer mapping an exoplanet's interior. Image generated by AI.

    “100x More Precise”: New NASA Probe Promises Unmatched Exoplanet Scans in Deep-Space Exploration Revolution

    June 19, 2025 at 5:53 PM
    Illustration of a breakthrough in rubidium extraction technology in China. Image generated by AI.

    “China Achieves Unthinkable Feat”: This Bold Extraction of 99.9% Ultra-Pure Rubidium from Salt Lake Brine Stuns the World

    June 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
    Illustration of a CT scan revealing the internal structure of a dinosaur egg. Image generated by AI.

    “Hidden for 80 Million Years”: Rare Dinosaur Egg Reveals Stunning Secrets Through Groundbreaking CT Scan Analysis

    June 19, 2025 at 9:53 AM
    Illustration of the rediscovered Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna in the Indonesian rainforest. Image generated by AI.

    “Lost for 62 Years Then Found Alive”: Ultra-Rare Egg-Laying Mammal Resurfaces in Remote Indonesian Rainforest Against All Odds

    June 18, 2025 at 5:53 PM
    Illustration of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider test facility with superconducting magnets. Image generated by AI.

    “CERN Achieves Unbelievable Feat”: These Chilling -456°F Giant 20-Ton Magnets Drive 10x More Particle Collisions in a Mind-Blowing Scientific Milestone

    June 18, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Sustainability Times

Animals play a vital role in restoring forests worldwide

Eirwen WilliamsEirwen WilliamsDecember 6, 2022 at 12:57 AM0
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
Photo: Pixabay/ottawagraphics
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

Photo: Pixabay/ottawagraphics

When many people think of forests, they think of trees that serve a variety of crucial functions from acting as carbon sinks to providing wildlife habitats. Yet in regrowing forests we will need to focus on more than just planting trees; we’ll also need to pay attention to another driver of forest recovery: animals.

This is according to an international team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Yale School of the Environment, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute who examined regenerating forests in Panama going back up to 100 years.

What they have found is that animals are key to the recovery of tree species richness and abundance to old-growth levels after decades of regrowth.

A reason is that amimals carry a wide variety of seeds from forested areas into deforested ones, thereby spreading vegetation. In the tropics more than 80% of tree species can be dispersed by animals far and wide, which makes the role of animals vital in reforestation.

“Animals are our greatest allies in reforestation,” says Daisy Dent, a tropical ecologist who was the senior author of the study. “Our study prompts a rethink of reforestation efforts to be about more than just establishing plant communities.”

The scientists say that placing regenerating forests near patches of old growth while reducing hunting encourages animals to colonize these new habitats.

“We show that considering the wider ecosystem, as well as features of the landscape, improves restoration efforts,” says Sergio Estrada-Villegas, a biologist at Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá who was the study’s first author.

However, most forest restoration efforts continue to focus on increasing tree cover rather than reestablishing the animal-plant interactions that underpin ecosystem function, the scientists note.

“Figuring out how animals contribute to reforestation is prohibitively hard because you need detailed information about which animals eat which plants,” Estrada-Villegas explains.

To obtain that information, the scientists examined data on the forest at the Barro Colorado Nature Monument in the Panama Canal, one of the world’s best studied tropical forests where generations of scientists have been documenting frugivore interactions to understand which animals disperse which tree species.

Estrada-Villegas and Dent mined this long-term dataset to determine the proportion of plants dispersed by four groups of animals: flightless mammals, large birds, small birds, and bats. Their aim was to see how this proportion changed over a century of natural restoration.

This approach has yielded highly detailed data on animal seed dispersal recovery across the longest timeframe of natural restoration.

“Most studies examine the first 30 years of succession, but our data spanning 100 years gives us a rare glimpse into what happens in the late phase of restoration,” Dent says.

Young regenerating forests, it was found, were made up mostly of trees dispersed by small birds. However, as the forest aged, the number of trees dispersed by larger birds increased.

In a surprising discovery the majority of plants were dispersed not by birds but by terrestrial mammals across all forest ages from 20 years old to old growth.

“This result is quite unusual for post-agricultural regenerating forests,” Dent observes. “It is likely that the presence of large tracts of preserved forests near our secondary stands, coupled with low hunting, has allowed the mammal populations to thrive and to bring an influx of seeds from neighboring patches.”

The experts say this newly learned insight should inform forest restoration practices as we can co-opt frugivorous species to help the restoration process and speed up forest recovery.

Did you like it? 4.3/5 (25)

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Forest Wildlife
Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleThrifting is one way to empower young people about the climate
Next Article Community wildlife conservation isn’t always a win-win solution
Eirwen Williams
  • X (Twitter)

Eirwen Williams is a New York-based journalist at Sustainability Times, covering science, climate policy, sustainable innovation, and environmental justice. A graduate of NYU’s Journalism Institute, he explores how cities adapt to a warming world. With a focus on people-powered change, his stories spotlight the intersection of activism, policy, and green technology. Contact : [email protected]

Keep Reading
Illustration of the rediscovered Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna in the Indonesian rainforest. Image generated by AI.

“Lost for 62 Years Then Found Alive”: Ultra-Rare Egg-Laying Mammal Resurfaces in Remote Indonesian Rainforest Against All Odds

Illustration of a revolutionary plastic dissolving in ocean water. Image generated by AI.

“This Plastic Melts in the Ocean”: Japanese Scientists Reveal a Radical Material That Could Finally End the Global Pollution Crisis

Illustration of the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems. Image generated by AI.

“Ocean Acidification Is a Time Bomb”: This Silent Threat Is Accelerating Extinction and Pushing Earth Toward an Irreversible Collapse

Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of NASA's Gravity Imaging Radio Observer mapping an exoplanet's interior. Image generated by AI.
“100x More Precise”: New NASA Probe Promises Unmatched Exoplanet Scans in Deep-Space Exploration Revolution
Illustration of the Bugatti Tourbillon featuring a V16 hybrid engine. Image generated by AI.
“1,800 Horsepower Unleashed”: Bugatti Tourbillon’s V16 Engine Screams to 9,000 RPM in Unprecedented Hypercar Debut
Illustration of a breakthrough in rubidium extraction technology in China. Image generated by AI.
“China Achieves Unthinkable Feat”: This Bold Extraction of 99.9% Ultra-Pure Rubidium from Salt Lake Brine Stuns the World
News by category
  • Featured
  • Cities
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Impact
  • Markets
  • Opinions
  • Policy
  • Reports
  • Research
Information
  • About Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Legal Mentions
  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
© Sustainability-Times.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.