Technology and Science03 July, 20263 min read
Studies in Panama Show Nitrogen Drives Rapid Tropical Forest Regrowth on Abandoned Farmland
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Post-disturbance tropical forests rapidly regain vegetation and structure. Rainforest protection funds face delays and pledges uncertainty, delaying initial payments.
Nitrogen Drives Regrowth
Science et vie describes how, on abandoned agricultural lands, dense vegetation can reappear in only a few years, transforming impoverished soils into young, biologically vibrant forests. The article says studies in Panama found above-ground biomass increases at a rate well above that of old-growth forests in the first ten years after land abandonment, and it cites a large experiment published in Nature Communications that tracked about 90,000 trees across 76 plots. It adds that nitrogen appears as the “invisible engine” of accelerated resurgence, and it reports that an extra supply of nitrogen can almost double the rate of tree growth on former agricultural lands, with biomass increases of up to 95% in the very early stages.
Science et vie also warns that this strong dependence on nitrogen concerns only a limited time window, because the effect disappears as some trees cooperate with bacteria able to capture atmospheric nitrogen. The article concludes that artificially accelerating growth with nitrogen fertilizers is “neither desirable nor viable,” because these inputs are costly, polluting and generate greenhouse gases.
Biodiversity Recovery Limits
Agence Science-Presse reports that tropical forests reconstituting after a major disturbance can recover 90% of their biodiversity after only 30 years, and it says the study covered 62 sites in Ecuador. It adds that the researchers measured restoration capacity across 16 groups of living organisms, and it reports that after 30 years secondary forests had recovered more than 90% of biodiversity. Agence Science-Presse further states that the composition of these forests is 75% similar to that of old-growth forests, while complete recovery would take several decades because the time to recover is variable.
The article says trees and bacteria recover more slowly than mobile animals such as birds and insects, which in turn accelerate biodiversity through pollination and seed dispersal. It also reports that the UN called, by the end of 2025, for tripling annual investments to protect these forests, which it says help regulate water and serve as natural barriers against ecological disasters.
Funding at Risk
Les Frontaliers says Luxembourg will contribute up to 50 million euros to an international fund dedicated to protecting tropical forests, and it links the move to Luxembourg joining the Tropical Forest Forever Facility program. It reports that the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) was created to give forests economic value by offering countries stable and long-term financing in exchange for their conservation efforts, and it says the mechanism guarantees that at least 20 percent of the funds directly benefit indigenous peoples and communities. Climate Home News, however, frames the TFFF as “at risk after UK stalls on pledge,” saying the facility has so far raised $6.8 billion but needs to mobilise at least $10 billion by the end of 2026.
Climate Home News adds that if the fund falls short of this goal, the Norwegian contribution of up to $3 billion in loans over 10 years will not be disbursed, and it reports that UK climate minister Katie White praised the TFFF at Kew Botanic Gardens. It also quotes Ed Davey saying it is “incredibly important” that the government invests in the TFFF “as soon as possible,” warning that if critically important sovereign governments do not come on board soon, there is a risk the idea will lose momentum.