Journal Information

Most cited

Data available in articles published since the year 2014

551
From hotspot to hopespot: An opportunity for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
C.L. Rezende, F.R. Scarano, E.D. Assad, C.A. Joly, J.P. Metzger, B.B.N. Strassburg, M. Tabarelli, G.A. Fonseca, R.A. Mittermeier
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2018;16:208-14
551
Highlights

  • High-resolution remote sensing data reveals 28%, or 32 million hectares (Mha), of native vegetation cover in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

  • There are 7.2Mha of degraded riparian areas, of which 5.2Mha at least must be restored before 2038 by landowners for legislation compliance.

  • Restoring this existing legal debt could increase native vegetation cover in the biome up to 35%.

Open access
323
Fundão tailings dam failures: the environment tragedy of the largest technological disaster of Brazilian mining in global context
Flávio Fonseca do Carmo, Luciana Hiromi Yoshino Kamino, Rogério Tobias Junior, Iara Christina de Campos, Felipe Fonseca do Carmo, Guilherme Silvino, Kenedy Junio da Silva Xavier de Castro, Mateus Leite Mauro, ... Carlos Eduardo Ferreira Pinto
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:145-51
323
Highlights

  • The collapse of the Fundão dam was the major environmental disaster of the world mining industry.

  • We identify with high resolution satellite images the ecosystems and cultural heritage damage.

  • Contrary to post-disaster expectations, there was a setback in environmental legal planning.

Open access
175
Understanding Brazil’s catastrophic fires: Causes, consequences and policy needed to prevent future tragedies
Vânia R. Pivello, Ima Vieira, Alexander V. Christianini, Danilo Bandini Ribeiro, Luciana da Silva Menezes, Christian Niel Berlinck, Felipe P.L. Melo, José Antonio Marengo, ... Gerhard E. Overbeck
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:233-55
175
Highlights

  • Fire incidence in Brazil increased in 2019−2020, with unprecedented magnitude in the Pantanal.

  • Fire effects vary according to the evolutionary history of the affected ecosystem.

  • A drier climate and land use changes increase the risk of wildfires throughout Brazil.

  • Poor governance further exacerbates the risk and damage of wildfires.

  • Fire policies must be improved by collaboration among different sectors of the society.

Open access
147
Deforestation control in the Brazilian Amazon: A conservation struggle being lost as agreements and regulations are subverted and bypassed
William D. Carvalho, Karen Mustin, Renato R. Hilário, Ivan M. Vasconcelos, Vivianne Eilers, Philip M. Fearnside
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2019;17:122-30
147
Highlights

  • Brazil's regulations governing deforestation and logging are often circumvented.

  • Agreements with soy and beef companies are important but need strengthening.

  • Effectiveness of commodity agreements is diminished by laundering and leakage.

  • Timber harvest and transportation permits are open to widespread fraud.

  • Ways exist to reduce circumvention of commodity agreements and regulations.

Open access
140
Why Brazil needs its Legal Reserves
Jean Paul Metzger, Mercedes M.C. Bustamante, Joice Ferreira, Geraldo Wilson Fernandes, Felipe Librán-Embid, Valério D. Pillar, Paula R. Prist, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues, ... 407 scientist signatories (including 391 PhD researchers from 79 Brazilian research institutions)
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2019;17:91-103
140
Highlights

  • Legal Reserves represent almost one third of all remaining native vegetation in Brazil.

  • There is no solid argument, evidence or theory that support that Legal Reserve extinction will favor Brazil development.

  • The extinction of Legal Reserves will lead to a huge increase in native vegetation loss, with blatant negative consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem services provision.

  • Legal Reserves are a key-component for effective and less expensive nature-based solutions.

  • Legal Reserves should be considered as assets for the development of Brazil rather than liabilities.

Open access
114
Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change: concept, scalability and a role for conservation science
Fabio Rubio Scarano
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:65-73
114
Highlights

  • Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) promotes conservation while alleviating poverty and removing GHG.

  • EbA is a policy mix that integrates development and environmental policies.

  • It triggers adaptive transition, a key step towards sustainability transitions.

  • Conservation science can boost EbA by looking into coupled human-natural systems.

  • Brazil´s policy setting favors what is possibly the planet´s largest EbA program.

Open access
98
Ecosystems as infrastructure
José Maria Cardoso da Silva, Emily Wheeler
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:32-5
98
Highlights

  • The concept of ecosystems as infrastructure is reviewed.

  • The terms green, ecological, natural, and blue have been used in the literature.

  • Green infrastructure is the most commonly used name.

  • A more inclusive concept for green infrastructure is proposed.

  • Design principles for green infrastructure at all spatial scales are suggested.

Open access
88
There is hope for achieving ambitious Atlantic Forest restoration commitments
Renato Crouzeilles, Edson Santiami, Marcos Rosa, Ludmila Pugliese, Pedro H.S. Brancalion, Ricardo R. Rodrigues, Jean P. Metzger, Miguel Calmon, ... Severino Pinto
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2019;17:80-3
88
Open access
85
Emerging threats linking tropical deforestation and the COVID-19 pandemic
Pedro H.S. Brancalion, Eben N. Broadbent, Sergio de-Miguel, Adrián Cardil, Marcos R. Rosa, Catherine T. Almeida, Danilo R.A. Almeida, Shourish Chakravarty, ... Angelica M. Almeyda-Zambrano
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2020;18:243-6
85
Highlights

  • Pandemics can become a new indirect driver of tropical deforestation.

  • Halting illegal deforestation should be considered an essential activity during the pandemic.

  • Forest fires could aggravate the health risks of COVID-19.

  • Tropical deforestation will increase the risks of emerging zoonotic diseases.

  • Indigenous people should be especially protected during the current pandemic.

Open access
79
Introducing digital cameras to monitor plant phenology in the tropics: applications for conservation
Bruna Alberton, Ricardo da S. Torres, Leonardo F. Cancian, Bruno D. Borges, Jurandy Almeida, Greice C. Mariano, Jefersson dos Santos, Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2017;15:82-90
79
Highlights

  • Leaf phenology monitoring using digital cameras in tropical vegetation.

  • Digital images can track temporal changes in the vegetation structure.

  • Phenocams are potential tools for conservation biology.

  • Phenocams for tropical phenology monitoring are a promising research field in Brazil.

Open access
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation