Stanford university, 22nd June 2020 - Projects of plating large quantities of non-native, mono culture plantations has become very common to comeback the climate change pandemic. Recent research led by the Stanford University has no carbon sequestration benefits and there is significant correlation between the replacement of a natural ecosystem to larger non-native, monocultures with significant losses in the biodiversity.
These monocultures are described as 'highly uniform agricultural systems that replaces natural ecosystems and their rich biodiversity' by Sandy Gauntlett of the Pacific Indigenous People Environment Coalition.
The native fauna have taken centuries of evolution with their environment which creates a suitable habitat for these individuals in terms of food, shelter etc.
Polyculture forests are said to be significantly more beneficial for biodiversity as they provide a larger realized niche for the fauna as they provide a greater diversity of shelters, food, leaf litter, habitat type suitable for a wide range of different fauna. Monocultures often provide an environment which benefits generalist species which are widespread and will then out compete the specialist species. This habitat will typically have little diversity with one dominant species. This is negative because we are replacing rare species that can only habituate in a small number of ecosystems with species that have no treat.
Studies performed before and after transforming a native ecosystem into a monoculture plantation where it was discovered that there was a 40-60% decline in bird populations and a 25% decline in amphibian populations.
Studies published in 'Nature' has stated that youthful monoculture plantations may act as emitters. Old native forest climaxes are associated with storage of high volumes of carbon content, however, the disturbance and degradation resulting from replacing the previous ecosystem (similar to how disturbed peatlands act as methane emitters). These monocultures are typically raised for the purpose of reaching a nations timber production goals which will release much of the carbon stored which will often make these habitats release more carbon than it has stored throughout it's life.
It would be significantly more environmentally friendly on all aspects if less trees would be planted and more efforts are put into raising native polyculture woodlands.
- University, S., 2020. When Planting Trees Threatens The Forest | Stanford News. [online] Stanford News. Available at: <https://news.stanford.edu/2020/06/22/planting-trees-threatens-forest/> [Accessed 28 July 2020].
- Butler, R., 2008. Monoculture Tree Plantations Are “Green Deserts” Not Forests, Say Activists. [online] Mongabay Environmental News. Available at: <https://news.mongabay.com/2008/09/monoculture-tree-plantations-are-green-deserts-not-forests-say-activists/> [Accessed 28 July 2020].
