How resilient are African woodlands to disturbance from shifting cultivation?

摘要: Large parts of sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing rapid changes in land use and cover, driven largely by the expansion small-scale shifting cultivation. This practice creates complex mosaic landscapes with active agricultural fields patches mature woodland, interspersed remnant various stages regrowth. Our objective here was to examine rate extent which carbon stocks trees soils recover after cultivation, detail how this disturbance regrowth affect patterns tree species composition diversity over 40 years succession a miombo woodland landscape southeast Tanzania. We sampled 67 areas, including plots previously cleared for fields, woodlands reference purposes. Sites were further stratified soil texture test associated effects. Tree accumulated at an average 0.83 ± 0.10 Mg C x ha(-1) yr(-1), having no clear impact on accumulation rates. Bulk both types appeared unaffected initial clearance subsequent regrowth, resulted significant time. regrowing developed rapidly within -10 equivalent that woodland. Many found reappeared relatively quickly abandonment, although is expected take considerably longer recover, least 60-80 required compositional similarity between reach levels similar among nearby woodlands. Through impacts β-diversity, also increase total number present landscape, many recorded only results relevance sequestration projects helping inform potential future biodiversity benefits restoring disturbed habitats (REDD+). At time where cultivation threatened shifts larger-scale, commercial agriculture, we show secondary can retain considerable value, act as sinks.