Research
Competing Demands on Land: Implications for Carbon Sink Enhancement and Potential of Forest Sector in Karnataka to Contribute to the INDC Forest Goal of India
The land is a critical resource that provides food for a burgeoning population of about 7 billion, supports livelihoods and is important for sustainable development. Growing demands for food, feed, fuel, fiber, and raw materials create local as well as remote pressures for land-use change (Lambin and Meyfroidt, 2011). The cascade of outcomes resulting from these demands is complicated by urbanization and globalization (Barles 2010; Kissinger and Rees 2010). Climate change is an additional stress that will exacerbate the pressure on land as there is a conflict between goals related to production and those related to conservation and climate change mitigation. In light of this, the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UNDP, 2015) have recognized the need for integration of human development and the environment as mutually reinforcing development goals.
Impact of Agroforestry Systems on Ecological and Socio-Economic Systems: A Review
Agroforestry systems are deliberately designed and managed to maximize positive interactions between tree and non-tree components and encompass a wide range of practices. The fundamental idea behind the practice of AF is that trees are an essential part of natural ecosystems, and their presence in agricultural systems provides a range of benefits to the soil, other plant species and overall biodiversity. They are also increasingly recognized as a tool for mitigating climate change and also aid in adaptation of farming communities. Significant research has been carried out over the years at a range of spatial scales and the impacts of agroforestry systems researched and reported in literature. In this paper, the impacts of AF systems on various aspects such as ecology and environment, aesthetics and culture, social and economic status of farmers practicing AF and finally, climate change mitigation and adaptation is discussed, based on a review of papers over a temporal and spatial scale. The paper also based on the review, summarizes some of the negative aspects of agroforestry. The concluding section highlights some of the limitations and the need for more research on agroforestry systems, given their emerging importance in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
An Ecological Framework for Greening Cities
An ecologically planned greening strategy in an urban landscape helps provide a healthy and wholesome environment for its citizens and, at the same time, promotes biodiversity, offers ecosystem services, raises awareness about environmental conservation, protects the city’s environment (from pollution), and ameliorates climate locally. Designing a greening strategy compatible to local physico-climatic conditions requires consideration and integration of a number of complex factors. The current paper aims to develop a comprehensive framework for a greening strategy based on the principals of ecology. This paper also focuses on deriving benefits from the green cover in the landscape through maximizing the flow of ecosystem services. The outcome of such an ecologically designed greening strategy will be in the form of a customized green plan right from a neighbourhood scale to a community and finally a city scale.
Biomass and Carbon Stock Dynamics in Tropical Evergreen and Deciduous Forests of Uttara Kannada District, Western Ghats, India
Western Ghats is one of the biodiversity ‘hotspots’ of the world and currently, there is limited evidence on the status and dynamics of tropical forests in the context of human disturbance and climate change. This study presents the findings of the study conducted under a citizen science programme. The biomass and carbon stocks in the evergreen and deciduous forests of the study area are comparable to the standing biomass of other tropical forests and range from 344-417 tC. There are no major differences between carbon stocks in less and more disturbed forests, which is of significance, given the large dependence of communities on the more disturbed forests. Periodic and long-term monitoring of forests is necessary in the context of potential increased human pressure and climate change to plan and manage forests for mitigation as well as adaptation in a synergistic manner.
