Rainforests Rebound in Decades, Not Centuries, Study Finds
A large Ecuador study shows tropical forests can regain animal life within about three decades, much faster than the traditional century-plus timeline. Using chronosequencing across 45 regrowing patches and 16 taxa, researchers found animal diversity nearing that of old-growth forests, aided by remnant trees and proximity to intact forests. However, about 30% of soil bacteria may be irreversibly lost and some highly specialized species haven’t returned. The findings highlight that conservation should leverage nearby old forests to maximize natural recovery, but do not justify ongoing deforestation.
