Land Use and Land Cover in Tropical Forest: Global Research

Abstract

Tropical ecosystems play an important role in the environment. They provide multiple ecosystem services, such as carbon capture and sequestration, food supply, and climate regulation. Studying land use and land cover change makes it possible to understand the land’s alterations associated with deforestation, degradation, erosion, soil desertification, and biodiversity loss. The objective of this study is to evaluate the different approaches to land use and land cover research in tropical forests based on the evolutionary and qualitative analysis of the last 44 years of scientific production. The data were collected using the Scopus database and was based on the PRISMA methodology’s four phases: (i) identification, (ii) screening, (iii) eligibility, and (iv) included. The results showed a significant increase in the study of land use and land cover consolidated in 4557 articles, with contributions from 74 countries, revealing 14 themes and seven lines of research. Core research areas such as biodiversity, land use, and conservation exist due to the ongoing interest in the value of tropical forests and their response to climate change. The present research allowed us to consider future study topics such as the relationship between sustainable development goals and land use and cover in tropical forests, as well as the evaluation of the environmental impact of economic activities in forests.

Global Evolution of Research on Silvopastoral Systems through Bibliometric Analysis: Insights from Ecuador

“…Generally, as more references are incorporated into bibliometric methods, we become more able to understand the field of research [9]. Thus, many studies include bibliometrics for the analysis of various academic disciplines, such as land use and land cover in tropical forests [10], forest carbon sequestration [11], and ecosystem services provided by pastoral husbandry [4], among others. The objective of this study was to perform an exploratory review of the evolution of research focused on silvopasture from 1983 to 2022, with a special emphasis on the case of Ecuador.…”

The impact of land use and cover changes on river flows in Wundanyi Catchment of Taita Hills, Kenya (1970–2030)

“…Generally, land cover modification through natural and anthropogenic activities has intensified in recent decades and has produced more far-reaching impacts than they did in the past [2]. These changes are the primary drivers of the unprecedented local, regional, and global shifts in hydrological processes through their effects on infiltration, erosion, and evapotranspiration [3]. Given the role of vegetation cover in modulating infiltration, transpiration, and evaporation, LUCC can significantly influence surface runoff and river discharges [4].…”

Land use and land cover changes implications on biodiversity in the Owabi catchment of Atwima Nwabiagya North District, Ghana

“…Africa Ecological Footprint Report on Green Infrastructure for Africa's Ecological Security [ 20 ] reviewed that the continent has loss approximately 40% of biodiversity over the last four decades as a result of land use change. This could have serious implications for human well-being [ 21 ], due to its impact on people's livelihoods and services provided [ 14 , 22 , 23 ].…”