Researchers studied 1,561 forest plots across 10 tropical countries; non-native trees formed 28% of stems in young moist forests, but declined as the canopy returned
A new study which was done across tropical countries suggests that non-native trees can become surprisingly common in young regenerating forests, especially where the canopy is still open. But as the forest matures and the canopy closes, their share tends to decline. The study was published in Nature’s July 2026 journal.The research analysed 1,561 forest…