Publications

Regenerative Agriculture in the UK. An ecological perspective

This report, produced by the British Ecological Society brings together 40 academics, including LCNR’s Jed Soleiman, practitioners and farmers across the UK to explore the evidence for Regenerative Agriculture as a solution to delivering for both food and nature.

Summary report here

Maria B. Millsa,b , Yadvinder Malhic , Robert M. Ewersb , Lip Khoon Khoc,d, Yit Arn Tehe , Sabine Bothf , David F. R. P. Burslemg , Noreen Majalaph , Reuben Nilush , Walter Huaraca Huascoc,d , Rudi Cruzi,j , Milenka M. Pillcoj , Edgar C. Turnerk , Glen Reynoldsl , and Terhi Riuttab,c,d (2022). Tropical forests post-logging are a persistent net carbon source to the atmosphere. PNAS.

Carbon sources and sinks in recovering logged forests

Are recovering logged forests a carbon sink due to increased tree growth rates or a carbon source due to carbon losses from soil organic matter and deadwood? Our research shows that sources outweigh sinks for at least the first decade after logging.

Yadvinder Malhi, Terhi Riutta, Oliver R. Wearn, Nicolas J. Deere, Simon L. Mitchell, Henry Bernard, Noreen Majalap, Reuben Nilus, Zoe G. Davies, Robert M. Ewers & Matthew J. Struebig (2021). Logged tropical forests have amplified and diverse ecosystem energetics. Nature.

Metabolic approach to forest ecosystem health

Do metabolic ecology approaches offer a useful new approach to assessing ecosystem health and nature recovery? Our research uses areas of old growth and selectively logged forest to assess this approach.

Ryan Veryard, Jinhui Wu, Michael J. O’Brien, Rosila Anthony, Sabine Both6, David F.R.P. Burslem, Bin Chen, Elena Fernandez-Miranda Cagigal, H. Charles J. Godfray, Elia Godoong, Shunlin Liang, Philippe Saner, Bernhard Schmid, Yap Sau Wai, Jun Xie, Glen Reynolds, and Andy Hector (2023). Positive effects of tree diversity on tropical forest restoration in a field-scale experiment. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adf0938.

Active restoration of selectively logged forest

The dipterocarp trees that dominate the lowland forests of Southeast Asia have traits that mean they may be slow to naturally recover from selective-logging and other disturbances. Can active restoration techniques accelerate forest recovery? Our research uses the experimental treatments of Sabah Biodiversity Experiment to assess the effectiveness of replanting with different species and of ‘climber cutting’ – the removal of climbing liana species.

Charles J. Marsh, Edgar C. Turner, Benjamin Wong Blonder, Boris Bongalov, Sabine Both, Rudi S. Cruz , Dafydd M. O. Elias, David Hemprich-Bennett, Palasiah Jotan, Victoria Kemp, Ully H. Kritzler, Sol Milne, David T. Milodowski, Simon L. Mitchell , Milenka Montoya Pillco, Matheus Henrique Nunes, Terhi Riutta, Samuel J. B. Robinson, Eleanor M. Slade, Henry Bernard, David F. R. P. Burslem, Arthur Y. C. Chung, Elizabeth L. Clare, David A. Coomes, Zoe G. Davies, David P. Edwards, David Johnson, Pavel Kratina, Yadvinder Malhi, Noreen Majalap, Reuben Nilus, Nicholas J. Ostle, Stephen J. Rossiter, Matthew J. Struebig, Joseph A. Tobias, Mathew Williams, Robert M. Ewers, Owen T. Lewis, Glen Reynolds, Yit Arn Teh, Andy Hector (2025). Tropical forest clearance impacts biodiversity and function, whereas logging changes structure. Science.

The natural value of recovering selectively logged forests
Large areas of forest in Borneo have been selectively logged and are now undergoing recovery – how do these selectively logged forests differ from their undisturbed old growth counterparts and what are the consequences if they are converted to oil palm plantation?

Dahlsjö CAL  (2023). Strategies to manage tree pest and disease outbreaks: a balancing act.. BMC Ecology and Evolution.

Tree diseases are one of the major threats to forests worldwide. As the frequency and severity of disease outbreaks increase, effective prevention and mitigation strategies are urgently needed. Emerging methods are available to tackle this issue, however, trade-offs and potential ecological consequences should be considered for successful forest preservation.

Wu H; Dahlsjö CAL; Malhi Y (2024). Evaluating the impact of an invasive pathogen on tree population decline: An evidence based modelling approach..  Forest Ecology and Management.

Highlights

• A complexity-appropriate model was developed to forecast an invasive forest disease
• If 15 % of trees are resistant they create an efficient buffer against population decline
• Our modelling framework helps prediction, error assessment, and scenario building

Dahlsjö CAL; Malhi Y (2024). Unravelling a hidden synergy: How pathogen-climate interactions transform habitat hydrology and affect tree growth.. Science of The Total Environment, 954, 176325..

Interactions between multiple global change stressors are a defining characteristic of the Anthropocene. Tree-associated pathogens are affecting forested ecosystems worldwide and occur in the context of increased frequency and intensity of extreme climate events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods. The effects of these events, along with subsequent changes in environmental conditions, on remaining and regenerating trees, are not well understood but crucial for the restoration and conservation of forested habitats.

Example Opportunity Report

This Treescapes Opportunity Report is an example of a parish report showing existing natural assets, potential locations for nature recovery opportunities (species-rich grassland, woodland, hedgerows, silvo-arable or silvo-pasture, community orchards), and the natural benefits that they could provide. Such reports were provided free of charge to 150 Oxfordshire parish groups and land managers, thanks to funding from the Woodland Trust.

GETTING STARTED WITH PARISH NATURE RECOVERY

A guide for parish councils and community groups.

This guide has been created by the Oxfordshire Treescape Project team to support community groups start planning nature recovery at the parish scale.

It is intended as a guide only, rather than prescriptive instructions. If you have any queries about this document or would like further help or support, please contact info@growgreencarbon.org

Oxfordshire’s greenspace-deprived neighbourhoods

Coordinating author: Martha Crockatt

This report explores Natural England’s Green Infrastructure data to identify neighbourhoods in Oxfordshire experiencing both socio-economic deprivation and poor provision of accessible greenspace, with a view to these neighbourhoods being prioritised in terms of planning, allocation of funding, and effort for improving quality and quantity of accessible greenspace.

Contributors: Matt Witney (Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership), Alison Smith (University of Oxford), Rosie Rowe (Oxfordshire County Council), Mark Hirons (University of Oxford),  Constance McDermott (University of Oxford), Camilla Burrow (Wild Oxfordshire) and Joseph Gent (University of Oxford).

Oxfordshire’s greenspace-deprived neighbourhoods

A new report which has just been launched explores Natural England’s Green Infrastructure data to identify neighbourhoods in Oxfordshire experiencing both socio-economic deprivation and poor provision of accessible greenspace, with a view to these neighbourhoods being prioritised in terms of planning, allocation of funding, and effort for improving quality and quantity of accessible greenspace.