The exceptional value of intact forest ecosystems

By James E. M. Watson, T. Evans, O. Venter, B. Williams, A. Tulloch, Claire L. Stewart, I. Thompson, J. Ray, K. Murray, Álvaro Salazar and 18 more. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2018

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Conservation implications of ecological responses to extreme weather and climate events (2018, background): “Intact habitats on land are typified by large, contiguous areas of native vegetation that often span environmental gradients, such as altitude, rainfall or temperature (Watson et al., 2018).”
Getting the message right on nature‐based solutions to climate change (2021, positive): “Not only are these intact ecosystems hotspots for biodiversity, but intact old-growth forests are particularly im - portant for carbon storage and sequestration (Watson et al., 2018) while also protecting people from climate change impacts (Martin & Watson, 2016).”
Understanding the value and limits of nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challenges (2020, background): “owing to greater soil depth, age and structural diversity [16]), managed and hybrid systems such as city parks or green roofs contribute to urban cooling, storm-water management, and bring mental and physical health benefits [17].”
Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient (2019, background): “…areas where biodiversity and ecological processes are expected to be relatively intact and resilient (Keith et al., 2013; Swift & Hannon, 2010) and regional‐scale ecosystems services may be supported (e.g., climate regulation, carbon sequestration, and water provisioning; Watson et al., 2018).”