Trees, Forests and People最新文献

{"title":"Genomic diversity and broad characterization of fruits of Euterpe edulis Mart. in natural and managed populations","authors":"Suelane Costa dos Santos ,&nbsp;Francine Alves Nogueira de Almeida ,&nbsp;Aléxia Gonçalves Pereira ,&nbsp;Guilherme Bravim Canal ,&nbsp;Jônatas Gomes Santos ,&nbsp;Diego Pereira do Couto ,&nbsp;Natália Zardo Barbiero ,&nbsp;Sabrina Colodette Altoé ,&nbsp;Matheus Alves Silva ,&nbsp;Marcello Zatta Péres ,&nbsp;Gabriel Lenen Javarini Moro ,&nbsp;Vinicius Sartori Fioresi ,&nbsp;Marcia Flores da Silva Ferreira ,&nbsp;Adésio Ferreira","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Euterpe edulis</em> is a promising palm tree in the fruit industry, which produces a pulp similar to açaí. Here, we investigated a commercial population of <em>E. edulis</em> for fruit production and pulp commercialization, which has been the subject of breeding studies aimed at selecting matrices. In this study, we compared the genetic diversity of the commercial population in the municipality of Rio Novo do Sul - ES, compared with natural populations distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes, as well as to evaluate the phenotypic diversity for fruit traits over three years, in the commercial population. In the analysis of 637 individuals of <em>E. edulis</em> by genomic SNPs, 388 of the commercial population were compared with another 249 individuals from 26 natural populations of 26 locations. The analysis evaluated fruit traits in 2018, 2019, and 2021. The results indicate considerable allelic variability, relevant heterozygosity in the commercial population, and high diversity and low inbreeding. The natural populations are divided into three groups, and the populations south of the Atlantic Forest are distinguished from those analyzed. Among the 13 fruit traits evaluated, fruit and seed diameter showed the least variation with production traits. This study highlights that the managed area has a significant reserve of genetic variability, the potential to maintain the incentive for the sustainable use of the fruit for pulp production, and establishes a solid basis for practices that join the species conservation and sustainable management. Besides, the research highlighted the presence of exclusive genetic groups and alleles in the populations north and south of the Atlantic Forest, stressing the importance of conserving all populations to maintain this species’ genetic variability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Street-tree composition, infrastructure conflicts and carbon storage in a medium-sized Brazilian city","authors":"Rodrigo Ferreira de Morais ,&nbsp;Gustavo Hiroaki Shimizu ,&nbsp;Leandro de Souza Pinheiro ,&nbsp;Daniela Fernanda da Silva Fuzzo ,&nbsp;Edimar Olegário de Campos Júnior ,&nbsp;Enéas Ricardo Konzen ,&nbsp;Marcos Vinicius Bohrer Monteiro Siqueira","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents an integrated qualitative and quantitative assessment of street trees in a medium-sized Brazilian city, aiming to evaluate species composition, tree health, infrastructure conflicts, spatial heterogeneity, and ecosystem service provision. The street-tree community exhibited strong dominance by a limited number of species and a high prevalence of exotic taxa, indicating low structural evenness and long-standing limitations in urban planning practices, which increase vulnerability to pests, diseases, and management failures. Most trees were classified as healthy or in good condition; however, biotic stressors such as fungal infections and insect activity significantly reduced the probability of individuals reaching higher health categories. Conflicts between trees and urban infrastructure were widespread, particularly those related to root exposure and interference with overhead utilities, and displayed clear spatial variation among neighborhoods, suggesting unequal planning strategies and maintenance efforts across the urban landscape. Although direct human damage to trees was generally low, its uneven distribution among species highlights species-specific susceptibility and management challenges. Ecosystem services, including carbon storage and microclimatic regulation, were disproportionately concentrated in a small subset of species, reinforcing the structural fragility of the system despite its current functional importance. By integrating health assessment, conflict indices, spatial analysis, and biomass estimation within a unified analytical framework, this study advances urban forestry practice by offering a replicable approach for diagnosing vulnerabilities and prioritizing management actions. The findings emphasize the importance of coordinated municipal planning that explicitly incorporates species diversity and spatial equity as core elements for developing more resilient and sustainable street-tree systems in medium-sized cities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101167"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Connecting Mediterranean forests: a framework for conservation corridor planning","authors":"João R.L. Puga,&nbsp;Sofia Corticeiro,&nbsp;Bruna R.F. Oliveira","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mediterranean forests are increasingly threatened by land fragmentation, climate change, and governance challenges, placing biodiversity, ecosystem services, and rural livelihoods at risk. Forest conservation corridors (CC) offer a practical solution for restoring connectivity, enhancing ecological resilience, and supporting the long-term stability of Mediterranean landscapes. This paper presents a practitioner-oriented framework for CC planning and implementation, developed from a comprehensive narrative review of scientific literature, policy instruments, and real-world projects. The framework explicitly aligns corridor strategies with the objectives of the newly enacted Nature Restoration Law (NRL), demonstrating how corridor-based restoration directly supports the law’s targets for biodiversity recovery, climate mitigation, ecological resilience, and disaster risk reduction. Corridors are shown to be invaluable tools for advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to climate action, water management, disaster risk, rural economies, and food security. Forest corridors also enhance Nature’s Contributions to People (NCPs), delivering essential benefits from carbon sequestration and soil protection to water retention, health, learning, and cultural values. By mobilizing cross-sector partnerships, integrating economic incentives, enabling participatory monitoring, and fostering adaptive management, the proposed framework empowers stakeholders to design and maintain corridors that maximize ecological and social benefits. Regional case studies highlight best practices, common challenges, and innovative solutions, underscoring the role of forest corridors as a pillar for sustainable development and restoration in Mediterranean regions. Forest CCs should be central to policy and practice if the Mediterranean is to meet NRL, SDG, and NCP commitments for present and future generations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101208"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147399965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Co-creating conservation: Participatory cartography and land suitability analysis for community-based land-use governance in Mexico’s high-mountain forests","authors":"Gustavo M. Cruz-Bello ,&nbsp;Brenda N. Avelar-Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High mountain forests are vital socioecological systems that support biodiversity, cultural identity, and local livelihoods; however, these ecosystems face increasing pressures from land-use change, climate variability, and unregulated tourism. This study examines the role of local communities in forest governance through a participatory case study in Nanacamilpa, Mexico, home to a threatened firefly sanctuary. We integrated participatory workshops with spatial analysis, including multi-criteria land-suitability and land-use change assessments (2012–2021), to co-develop sustainable management strategies with local stakeholders. The primary challenge lay in reconciling the preservation of the forest, vital for firefly habitat, with the economic well-being of local households, achieved through the sustainable development of the municipality's key economic activities. Results identified distinct land-suitability patterns: conservation showed the broadest potential (30.5 % very-high suitability), while climate conditions constrained agriculture, and sustainable tourism was the most restricted (&lt;10 % very-high suitability). A second suitability scenario incorporating socioeconomic variables re-ranked spatial priorities, reducing conservation feasibility near settlements while increasing agricultural suitability in accessible areas, highlighting the importance of integrating ecological potential with socio-institutional conditions. The overlap analysis of high-suitability areas revealed significant potential for interaction between conservation and timber extraction (31 % overlap), underscoring the need for integrated management. Land use/cover change analysis and modeling indicated high landscape stability (&gt;99 %) between 2012 and 2021, with gradual forest loss and projected continued urban expansion toward 2032, reinforcing concerns about incremental degradation rather than abrupt deforestation. Community-generated proposals emphasized adaptive strategies: regulating tourism carrying capacity, promoting agroforestry, enforcing selective logging, and strengthening local conservation associations. Despite a net forest loss of 15 hectares, community insights highlighted that hidden degradation poses a greater threat than outright deforestation. The findings demonstrate that participatory, spatially explicit planning empowers communities to balance ecological integrity with livelihood needs. This bottom-up approach is essential for building resilient governance, positioning local communities not as beneficiaries but as critical co-managers of high-mountain forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101205"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147400030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Limited provenance differentiation and trait-dependent site effects revealed in a European beech provenance trial","authors":"Markus Müller ,&nbsp;Daniel Schmidt ,&nbsp;Martin Hofmann ,&nbsp;Wilfried Steiner ,&nbsp;Oliver Gailing","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat and drought are increasingly affecting forest ecosystems. Also, European beech (<em>Fagus sylvatica</em> L.) showed growth decline in large parts of its distribution area. Therefore, a better understanding of drought-related traits as well as the identification of suitable provenances for future environmental conditions is necessary. In this study, we investigated specific leaf area (SLA), stomatal density, phenological traits, and growth (diameter at breast height (dbh)) in a trial comprising multiple German and Belgian European beech provenances replicated at two different sites in Germany. We combined trait measurements (ca. 1900 trees), climatic data, SNP genotyping (41 markers, some of them previously identified as candidate markers in an independent GWAS) and environmental association analysis, to assess differences in the mentioned traits as well as to identify SNPs potentially involved in adaptation. SLA differed markedly between the two sites, indicating strong local effects under our test conditions. Stomatal density varied little between sites. Bud burst timing showed moderate differentiation among provenances, whereas leaf senescence and growing season length showed weak provenance effects. Climatic transfer effects (i.e., trait responses to the difference between climate at provenance origin and climate at the trial site) were detected for bud burst, dbh, and leaf senescence. Moreover, bud burst in 2022 was consistently delayed in provenances originating from warmer climates (higher mean annual temperatures) at both trial sites. SNP-trait associations revealed two significant loci that were significant after multiple-testing correction, including an intronic SNP in a gene potentially related to electron transport. This SNP was previously significant in an environmental association study in European beech. Our results showed substantial trait variability, which could contribute to short-term acclimation, but require confirmation in multi-site trials. Maintaining genetic diversity is an important management strategy to promote long-term adaptation under environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101214"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147400031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic characterization of the male-sterile Japanese cedar ‘Fukushima-funen 3’ reveals a naturally pyramided genotype and a novel MS2 allele, and leads to the development of marker-assisted selection for the MS2 locus","authors":"Kakeru Kobayashi ,&nbsp;Masahiro Watanabe ,&nbsp;Saneyoshi Ueno ,&nbsp;Yoichi Hasegawa ,&nbsp;Satoko Hirayama ,&nbsp;Nana Matsumura ,&nbsp;Eriko Tsurisaki ,&nbsp;Yutaka Takeishi ,&nbsp;Yukiko Ito ,&nbsp;Masanori Igarashi ,&nbsp;Yoshinari Moriguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101203","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101203","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pollen allergies are an increasingly serious public-health issue worldwide. Japanese cedar (<em>Cryptomeria japonica</em> D. Don, Cupressaceae) is an important forestry species in Japan that releases large amounts of airborne pollen in spring, causing severe allergic reactions. Planting male-sterile individuals is expected to reduce pollen dispersal effectively. ‘Fukushima-funen 3’ is a male-sterile individual whose causal gene has remained unidentified. Through test crossings, we determined that the gene responsible for male sterility in ‘Fukushima-funen 3’ is <em>MS2</em>, and that this individual is heterozygous at the <em>MS1</em> locus. These findings were supported by microscopy observations of pollen development and genotyping using DNA markers targeting the causal mutations in <em>MS1</em> and <em>MS2</em> candidate genes. Sanger sequencing of the coding region of the <em>MS2</em> candidate gene revealed that ‘Fukushima-funen 3’ has both a previously reported single-nucleotide substitution and a novel 8-bp deletion within the mutation site. We conducted marker-assisted selection on 1511 breeding materials collected from various regions of Japan using these two mutations as DNA markers, and identified eight breeding materials with male sterility alleles. Some of these individuals had male sterility alleles at multiple loci, implying their potential utility in gene-pyramiding-based breeding strategies. These findings will contribute to the genetic elucidation of male sterility in <em>C. japonica</em> and the development of trees with superior traits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101203"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147400052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is forest structure better explained by present or historical forest cover? A case study in Brașov, Romania","authors":"Dhananjana Rajakaruna,&nbsp;Samira Alhassan,&nbsp;Mihai Daniel Niță","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest ecosystems are not only shaped by their present conditions but also by their past land uses. Recognizing these influences of historical and current forest cover on forest structure is essential for conserving forest structural heterogeneity. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate how past and present forest cover affect the current forest structure in Brașov, Romania. We examined (i) which forest cover periods best predict present-day forest structure, and (ii) how historical and contemporary forest cover together influence current forest patterns. Forest cover changes were analyzed for five decades from 1970s to 2020s using topographic maps and satellite imagery, while the spatial scale ranged from 30 to 500 m. LiDAR data in 84 plots were collected to calculate seven structural indices. The relationship between forest cover and structural indices was checked using simple and multiple linear regression models. According to the simple linear regression, legacy effects were observed in both the Coefficient of Variation of the Vertical Profile (R² = 0.24) and the Standard Deviation of the Canopy Height Model (R² = 0.11) with 2000s forest cover at 100 m, reflecting a two-decade influence on forest structure, while the Vertical Complexity Index (R² = 0.32) at 30 m responded to a one-decade influence with 2010s forest cover. This was further supported by multiple linear regression modeling. These findings show that forest structure has exhibited both time-lagged and scale-dependent responses to forest cover changes. Therefore, integrating historical data into current forest monitoring can enhance forest structural diversity conservation and management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101212"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147400066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of economic growth on forest fragmentation: Evidence from Chinese counties","authors":"Fangfang Li ,&nbsp;Yushan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yue Lu ,&nbsp;Wenyuan Liang ,&nbsp;Lingchao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2025.101125","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2025.101125","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest fragmentation threatens forest ecosystems and sustainable development across the globe. While the relationship between economic growth and aggregate forest cover has been extensively studied under the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework, the impact of economic development on the spatial configuration of forests – specifically forest fragmentation – remains underexplored. Therefore, the EKC framework was used in this study to investigate the nonlinear relationship and moderating mechanisms between economic growth and forest fragmentation. This study used county-level data in China from 2000 to 2020 as samples and adopted high-resolution remote sensing data and panel threshold regression models. Empirical results showed threefold findings. First, high-income group counties showed a U-shaped EKC relationship for forest fragmentation, while low-income group counties showed an inverted U-shaped EKC relationship. Second, labor migration, energy transition and agricultural intensification positively moderated the impact of economic growth on forest fragmentation. Third, the moderating effects were more significant in low-income group, compared to high-income group. This study provided theoretical explanations and empirical support for the impact of economic growth on forest fragmentation and underlying mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101125"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal dynamics and climatic-anthropogenic drivers of kernel NDVI across China’s subtropical forests","authors":"Rong Yu ,&nbsp;Rubei Hou ,&nbsp;Jingjing Zhou ,&nbsp;Linmin Liu ,&nbsp;Jingxia Chen ,&nbsp;He Qu ,&nbsp;Su Ding ,&nbsp;Zhi Ye ,&nbsp;Zihang Chen ,&nbsp;Jun Pang ,&nbsp;Jiacheng Chen ,&nbsp;Shusu Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101173","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101173","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Subtropical forests play a crucial role in global carbon cycling and climate regulation, yet their vegetation dynamics remain highly sensitive to climate variability and anthropogenic pressures. These ecosystems, characterized by diverse forest types, face complex challenges in responding to changing climatic-anthropogenic conditions. Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation greenness and its drivers is essential for predicting forest responses and informing conservation strategies. We analyzed the kernel Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (kNDVI) across subtropical forests in China from 2001 to 2017 to investigate vegetation dynamics, their relationship with carbon uptake, and their responses to climatic, anthropogenic, and geographic factors across spatial scales. Our results showed a predominant increase in kNDVI across all six forest types in 91.96% of the forested areas, particularly in the central and southern regions dominated by natural forests. A strong and significant positive correlation between kNDVI and gross primary productivity was observed in 73.99% of the forested areas, validating the important role of vegetation greenness in ecosystem photosynthetic activity in subtropical regions. Partial correlation analysis at the pixel scale showed that while temperature and precipitation generally promoted greenness, surface solar radiation and water balance exhibited widespread negative correlations. This finding suggests that subtropical vegetation is limited not only by resources but also by excessive surpluses, where cloud cover (diffuse radiation) and moderate moisture are more favorable than direct heat stress and hydrological saturation. Piecewise structural equation modeling at the regional scale revealed that population density surpassed climatic factors to become the strongest negative driver, highlighting a critical human footprint that constrains vegetation recovery. Furthermore, we identified divergent physiological strategies, with deciduous broadleaf forests showing a unique vulnerability to warming and excessive moisture compared to evergreen species. This study highlights the combined influence of anthropogenic pressure and climatic constraints. While affirming the success of conservation policies in promoting forest recovery, our findings underscore the critical need for integrated management strategies that address divergent physiological vulnerabilities and target degraded areas under a changing climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101173"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unmanaged wild and alien plants in semi-natural landscapes support livelihoods of low-income households in southern Java, Indonesia","authors":"Dwi Setyo Aji ,&nbsp;Thomas A. Groen ,&nbsp;Louise Willemen","doi":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tfp.2026.101220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In tropical regions of Southern Java, semi-natural landscapes host plants that people collect and use. However, their utilisation patterns remain poorly understood. This study examines how unmanaged plants collected from semi-natural landscapes contribute to the livelihoods of low-income households in southern Java, Indonesia. We examine which plants are collected, how they support livelihoods, and how the use varies across space and season. We interviewed 237 households and identified 78 plants that were collected and used across five livelihood categories: income, food, fodder, medicinal sources, and cultural uses. Collection for personal consumption was the most common, followed by income and fodder. Alien plants such as <em>Carica spp., Musa spp.</em>, and <em>Curcuma spp.</em> were reported to be key to livelihood resources, particularly for food and income. The prevalence of alien plant collections highlights their significance as livelihood resources, suggesting for sustainable management to maintain these benefits in semi-natural landscapes. Twenty-eight species had single uses, while the remaining were collected for multiple purposes. The collection patterns showed little differentiation across income groups, household composition, seasons, and spatial patterns. These findings indicate that unmanaged plants are part of everyday livelihood support, rather than being used by particular groups or in specific seasons. Despite those similarities, clustering indicates that nearby households shared similar access and practices. Overall, the findings show that semi-natural landscapes serve as livelihood contributions by providing reliable and low-cost plant resources. Semi-natural landscapes, therefore, should be considered in land-use planning and policies that aim to support rural livelihoods and sustainable landscape management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36104,"journal":{"name":"Trees, Forests and People","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 101220"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147448582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}