Publications by authors named "Luca L Morreale"
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
September 2023
Article Synopsis
- Temperate forests are losing over 20% of their land to urban development, which negatively impacts soil microbial communities.
- Urbanization decreases the connection between trees and beneficial ectomycorrhizal fungi, leading to reduced fungal growth in urban forests, while urban forest edges contribute to a different mix of microbes, including pathogens and bacteria that affect nutrient cycling.
- The study indicates that these changes could lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and soil microbiome dysfunction as urban areas expand, affecting even rural forests in the long run.
Article Synopsis
- Fragmentation at forest edges in temperate regions leads to increased tree growth and biomass, contradicting the traditional view that edges diminish ecosystem productivity.
- Analyzing over 48,000 forest inventory plots in the northeastern US, the study finds significant increases in forest growth (36.3%) and biomass (24.1%) at edges adjacent to human land use.
- The findings suggest a need to rethink the role of forest edges in conservation, as temperate forests have 52% more edge area compared to tropical forests, challenging the perception that fragments are less valuable.
Sci Total Environ
March 2020
Article Synopsis
- * The study uses detailed data to estimate Boston's annual biomass carbon uptake, indicating it could be nearly double that of rural forests, mainly occurring in high-density residential areas.
- * Policy interventions, such as reducing tree mortality in larger trees, could significantly enhance canopy cover and carbon storage, while strategic planting in urban spaces could maximize annual carbon uptake by 2040.
