Comment on “The Extent of Forest in Dryland Biomes”

Authors

• Daniel M. Griffith, Oregon State University
• Caroline E. R. Lehmann, University of Edinburgh, Centre for African Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand
• Caroline A. E. Strömberg, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington
• Catherine L. Parr, University of Liverpool, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Pretoria
• R. Toby Pennington, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, University of Exeter
• Mahesh Sankaran, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, University of Leeds
• Jayashree Ratnam, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
• Christopher J. Still, Oregon State University
• Rebecca L. Powell, University of DenverFollow
• Niall P. Hanan, New Mexico State University
• Jesse B. Nippert, Kansas State University
• Colin P. Osborne, University of Sheffield, Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Sheffield
• Stephen P. Good, Oregon State University
• T. Michael Anderson, Wake Forest University
• Ricardo M. Holdo, University of Georgia
• Joseph W. Veldman, Texas A&M University, Instituto Boliviano de Investigación Forestal
• Giselda Durigan, Assis State Forest, Forestry Institute of São Paulo State
• Kyle W. Tomlinson, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• William A. Hoffmann, North Carolina State University
• Sally Archibald, Centre for African Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Natural Resources and the Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
• William J. Bond, South African Environmental Observation Network, National Research Foundation, University of Cape Town

Publication Date

11-16-2016

Document Type

Article

Organizational Units

Geography and the Environment

Keywords

Forest, Ecosystem, Biotic composition, Management policies

Abstract

Bastin et al (Reports, 12 May 2017, p. 635) infer forest as more globally extensive than previously estimated using tree cover data. However, their forest definition does not reflect ecosystem function or biotic composition. These structural and climatic definitions inflate forest estimates across the tropics and undermine conservation goals, leading to inappropriate management policies and practices in tropical grassy ecosystems.

Publication Statement

Copyright held by author or publisher. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Recommended Citation

Griffith, Daniel M, et al. “Comment on ‘The Extent of Forest in Dryland Biomes.’” Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), vol. 358, no. 6365, 2017, p. eaao1309. doi: 10.1126/science.aao1309.