The ecology and ecosystem services of native trees: Implications for reforestation and land restoration in Mesoamerica

Tropical forests provide a variety of goods and services to humanity. Although efforts to protect and manage these forests have increased in recent decades, forest loss continues. The last decade and a half has seen considerable research on reforestation with native species in Mesoamerica, including both biophysical and social aspects. Advances in knowledge have led to increasingly sophisticated reforestation treatments as well as novel ways of deriving forest goods and services from human dominated landscapes.This Special Issue includes articles produced as the result of a conference held in Panama City, Panama in January 2010 with the goal to summarize the state of knowledge of native species reforestation and associated ecosystems services in Mesoamerica. The introduction concludes with a call for continued research, including a mechanistic understanding of tree interactions with the biophysical environment in order to advance or knowledge of ecosystem services and their interactions. Results from these and other studies aimed at socioeconomic aspects of reforestation are critical to land use planning.

Research highlights
► Contents describe advances in both biophysical and social aspects of reforestation and land restoration in the region.
► Future research directions should include efforts to gain a mechanistic understanding of tree interactions with the biophysical environment in order to advance or knowledge of ecosystem services and their interactions.
► Further socioeconomic studies related to reforestation are critical to land sue planning.