The research involved the establishment of 52 'tree islands' of varying sizes and tree diversity within an industrial oil palm plantation to assess their impact on biodiversity.

A recent study led by Göttingen University, in collaboration with IPB University and Jambi University, has explored the role of ecological restoration in promoting biodiversity recovery within oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Remarkably, only ten percent of the natural regeneration in restored areas consisted of non-native species, showcasing a successful colonization by local flora, including endemic species.

Tree islands also foster functional and evolutionary diversity, which is essential for building resilient ecosystems capable of withstanding climate change.

Despite these positive outcomes, biodiversity levels in restored areas remain significantly lower than in undisturbed forests, highlighting the urgent need to protect remaining forest patches.

Professor Holger Kreft noted that beginning with a higher diversity of planted native trees leads to greater ecological diversity over time.

Dr. Gustavo Paterno emphasized that larger tree islands, particularly those over 400 square meters, are crucial for supporting endemic and forest tree species that struggle in conventional plantations.

Southeast Asia's tropical forests, rich in biodiversity, are critically threatened by the expansion of oil palm plantations driven by rising global demand for palm oil.

This important research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through the Collaborative Research Centre 'Ecological and Socio-economic Functions of Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation Systems (EFForTS)'.

The findings of this study were published in the journal Science on November 14, 2024, under the title 'Diverse and larger tree islands promote native tree diversity in oil palm landscapes'.

The research demonstrates the potential of transforming biodiversity-poor agricultural lands into thriving ecosystems through effective restoration strategies.

Findings indicate that these tree islands can significantly enhance the natural regeneration of native tree diversity, with many trees already fruiting and some exceeding 15 meters in height within just six years.