Modeling of forest soil and litter health using disturbance and landscape heterogeneity indicators in northern Iran

Are litterfall and litter decomposition processes indicators of forest regeneration in the neotropics? Insights from a case study in the Brazilian Amazon

“…Anthropogenic disturbance such as deforestation for monocultures, forest fires, forest fragmentation, selective cutting of timber affects soil and litter characteristics as well as biodiversity (Erfani et al, 2017). Thus, sustainable management requires a detailed understanding of the complex relationships between disturbance levels and ecosystem functioning indicators (Cajaiba et al, 2018).…”

“…In fact, the NMDS analysis demonstrated that the recovery of forests is associated with higher production of fruits and flowers, while the dominance of twigs and branches indicated disturbance. These functional characteristics must be selected according to land use, soil characteristics, and environmental circumstances (Cardoso et al, 2013;Erfani et al, 2017). In this way, understanding of litter dynamics in different stages of forest regeneration could be used as a proactive method to recommend restoration practices for landowners and public agencies (Celentano et al, 2011).…”

“…Litterfall in forest ecosystems are composed of organic material, including leaves, twigs, flowers, fruits, bark, and other plant parts that have fallen to the forest floor (Celentano et al, 2011;Scoriza et al, 2012;Camargo et al, 2015). This material functions primarily as a route for the transfer of nutrients from vegetation to the soil, maintaining soil fertility which is essential for the sustainability of forest systems (Silver et al, 2014;Camargo et al, 2015;Erfani et al, 2017). In the Amazon region, litter is essential for the ecosystem functioning because of the low soil fertility and litter decomposition that allows for nutrient release from the plant biomass to the ecosystem (Martius et al, 2004;Quesada et al, 2011;Almeida et al, 2015).…”