Natural regeneration of subtropical montane forest after clearing fern thickets in the Dominican Republic

Tropical forests can recover after anthropogenic disturbances of light to moderate intensity (Aide et al. 1995, 1996, 2000; Uhl 1987, Uhl et al. 1988); however, severe disturbances (e.g. compaction or loss of soil) often result in conditions that prevent forest recovery. These degraded sites are often dominated by grasses (Aide & Cavelier 1994, Cabin et al. 2002, Cavelier et al. 1998, Uhl et al. 1988) and ferns (Cohen et al. 1995, García et al. 1994, Slocum et al. 2000, Walker & Boneta 1995) that can impose barriers for tree regeneration and arrest the succession process. Important barriers for tree regeneration include: (1) competition with grasses and ferns for soil moisture, nutrients and light (Aide & Cavelier 1994, Guimarães-Vieira et al. 1994, Holl et al. 2000, Nepstad et al. 1996, Russell et al. 1998, Walker 1994, Zimmerman et al. 2000), and (2) dispersal limitation given that grasses and fernlands offer few resources that attract seed dispersers (Guevara & Laborde 1993, Holl et al. 2000, McDonnell & Stiles 1983, Slocum & Horvitz 2000, Zimmerman et al. 2000).

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Natural Regeneration After Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon: Implications for Restoration of Tropical Forests

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change ◽

10.3389/ffgc.2021.594627 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Author(s):

Roger Chambi-Legoas ◽

Daigard Ricardo Ortega Rodriguez ◽

Francisco de Marques de Figueiredo ◽

Joel Peña Valdeiglesias ◽

Percy Amílcar Zevallos Pollito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forests ◽

Natural Regeneration ◽

Forest Restoration ◽

Gold Mining ◽

Forest Recovery ◽

Regeneration Process ◽

Peruvian Amazon ◽

Secondary Species ◽

Number Of Species ◽

Madre De Dios

Context: Gold mining is the most destructive activity in the natural forests of the Madre de Dios region in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Understanding the natural regeneration process of these degraded areas is necessary to develop forest restoration projects in such conditions.Aims: We aimed to evaluate forest recovery and identify the successional and structure patterns of vegetation governing natural regeneration over time.Methods: Structure, composition, richness, diversity, and successional status were evaluated in abandoned artisanal gold mine areas in Madre de Dios, southeastern Peru. Vegetation data were recorded in 61 plots of 250 m2 established in five sites varying from 1 to 19 years of abandonment. Vegetation in abandoned areas was compared with six undisturbed forests evaluated in previous inventories.Results: In the mining lands, tree density and basal area recovered quickly, while species richness and composition were slow. Forest recovery is an initial stage of transition from pioneer to early secondary species until at least 19 years after abandonment. The most abundant and frequent species were the fast-growing species Ochroma pyramidale and Cecropia engleriana. These species could be considered potential candidates to promote restoration plans. Pioneer species represented 63% of the number of species in plots of 1–4 years, 57% in plots of 5–7 years, and 50% in plots of 8–19 years. Early and late secondary species represented 34 and 16%, respectively, of the number of species in plots of 8–19 years. Abandoned mining and reference plots present less than 5% of species in common.Conclusion: Our results highlight a slow natural regeneration process in areas for up to 19 years after gold mining. Species from different successional statuses were identified as potential candidates for recovering vegetation in such areas. Our findings may have important implications for further research focusing on the ecological restoration in tropical forests severely degraded by gold mining.

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Seasonality, drivers, and isotopic composition of soil CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes from tropical forests of the Congo Basin

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-17-6207-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (23) ◽

pp. 6207-6218

Author(s):

Simon Baumgartner ◽

Matti Barthel ◽

Travis William Drake ◽

Marijn Bauters ◽

Isaac Ahanamungu Makelele ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Soil Respiration ◽

Tropical Forests ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Congo Basin ◽

Co2 Fluxes ◽

Soil Co2 ◽

Montane Forests ◽

Lowland Forest ◽

Lowland Forests

Abstract. Soil respiration is an important carbon flux and key process determining the net ecosystem production of terrestrial ecosystems. To address the lack of quantification and understanding of seasonality in soil respiration of tropical forests in the Congo Basin, soil CO2 fluxes and potential controlling factors were measured annually in two dominant forest types (lowland and montane) of the Congo Basin over 2 years at varying temporal resolution. Soil CO2 fluxes from the Congo Basin resulted in 3.45 ± 1.14 and 3.13 ± 1.22 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 for lowland and montane forests, respectively. Soil CO2 fluxes in montane forest soils showed a clear seasonality with decreasing flux rates during the dry season. Montane forest soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil moisture, while CO2 fluxes in the lowland forest were not. Smaller differences of δ13C values of leaf litter, soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil CO2 indicated that SOC in lowland forests is more decomposed than in montane forests, suggesting that respiration is controlled by C availability rather than environmental factors. In general, C in montane forests was more enriched in 13C throughout the whole cascade of carbon intake via photosynthesis, litterfall, SOC, and soil CO2 compared to lowland forests, pointing to a more open system. Even though soil CO2 fluxes are similarly high in lowland and montane forests of the Congo Basin, the drivers of them seem to be different, i.e., soil moisture for montane forest and C availability for lowland forest.

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Liana density declined and basal area increased over 12 y in a subtropical montane forest in Argentina

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467417000153 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 241-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sergio Javier Ceballos ◽

Agustina Malizia

Keyword(s):

Light Availability ◽

Basal Area ◽

Anthropogenic Disturbances ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Forest Recovery ◽

Permanent Plots ◽

Stem Density ◽

Mature Forest ◽

Shade Tolerant Species ◽

North Western

Abstract:Changes in density and basal area of lianas ≥2 cm diameter were monitored in two 1-ha permanent plots in a subtropical montane mature forest of north-western Argentina. Liana stems were identified and measured at 130 cm from the main rooting point in two censuses conducted in 2003 and 2015. Between censuses, the density of liana stems decreased 13.3%, while basal area increased 11.5%. Density and basal area decreased mainly among lianas of 2–3 cm diameter, but increased in lianas ≥4 cm diameter. Quechualia fulta (Asteraceae), Serjania meridionalis (Sapindaceae) and Chamissoa altissima (Amaranthaceae) suffered large reductions in stem density and basal area. Dissimilar responses of density and basal area of lianas might be a consequence of the suppression of anthropogenic disturbances (e.g. livestock browsing) and the decrease of treefall gap frequency in the studied forest in recent decades. Light-demanding liana species decreased and shade-tolerant species increased possibly in response to the decline in the light availability associated with forest recovery from past disturbance. Lianas increased in basal area to a lesser extent compared with reports from several tropical and subtropical forests where lianas are increasing dramatically.

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Seasonality, drivers, and isotopic composition of soil CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes from tropical forests of the Congo Basin

10.5194/bg-2020-133 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Simon Baumgartner ◽

Matti Barthel ◽

Travis W. Drake ◽

Marijn Bauters ◽

Isaac Ahanamungu Makelele ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Soil Respiration ◽

Tropical Forests ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Congo Basin ◽

Co2 Fluxes ◽

Soil Co2 ◽

Montane Forests ◽

Lowland Forest ◽

Lowland Forests

Abstract. Soil respiration is an important carbon flux and key process determining the net ecosystem production of terrestrial ecosystems. To address the enormous lack of quantification and understanding of seasonality in soil respiration of tropical forests in the Congo Basin, soil CO2 fluxes and potential controlling factors were measured for the first time annually in two dominant forest types (lowland and montane) of the Congo Basin during three years at varying temporal resolution. Soil CO2 fluxes from the Congo Basin resulted in 3.69 ± 1.22 and 3.82 ± 1.15 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 for lowland and montane forests, respectively. Respiration in montane forest soils showed a clear seasonality with decreasing flux rates during the dry season. Montane forest soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil moisture while CO2 fluxes in the lowland forest were not. Paired ẟ13C values of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil CO2 indicated that SOC in lowland forests is more decomposed than in montane forests, suggesting that respiration is controlled by C availability rather than environmental factors. In general, C in montane forests was more enriched in 13C throughout the whole cascade of carbon intake via photosynthesis, litterfall, SOC, and soil CO2 compared to lowland forests, pointing to a more open system. Even though soil CO2 fluxes are similarly high in lowland and montane forests of the Congo Basin, the drivers of them were different, i.e. soil moisture for montane forest and C availability for lowland forest.

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Natural regeneration in abandoned fields following intensive agricultural land use in an Atlantic Forest Island, Brazil

Revista Árvore ◽

10.1590/s0100-67622012000400008 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 659-671 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Milene Silvestrini ◽

Airton de Deus Cysneiro ◽

Aline Lopes Lima ◽

Larissa Giorgeti Veiga ◽

Ingo Isernhagen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Natural Regeneration ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Seedling Recruitment ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Tree Regeneration ◽

Forest Recovery ◽

Agricultural Land Use ◽

Old Fields ◽

Vegetation Types

The time required to regrowth a forest in degraded areas depends on how the forest is removed and on the type of land use following removal. Natural regeneration was studied in abandoned old fields after intensive agricultural land use in areas originally covered by Brazilian Atlantic Forests of the Anchieta Island, Brazil in order to understand how plant communities reassemble following human disturbances as well as to determine suitable strategies of forest restoration. The fields were classified into three vegetation types according to the dominant plant species in: 1) Miconia albicans (Sw.) Triana (Melastomataceae) fields, 2) Dicranopteris flexuosa (Schrader) Underw. (Gleicheniaceae) thickets, and 3) Gleichenella pectinata (Willd.) Ching. (Gleicheniaceae) thickets. Both composition and structure of natural regeneration were compared among the three dominant vegetation types by establishing randomly three plots of 1 x 3 m in five sites of the island. A gradient in composition and abundance of species in natural regeneration could be observed along vegetation types from Dicranopteris fern thickets to Miconia fields. The gradient did not accurately follow the pattern of spatial distribution of the three dominant vegetation types in the island regarding their proximity of the remnant forests. A complex association of biotic and abiotic factors seems to be affecting the seedling recruitment and establishment in the study plots. The lowest plant regeneration found in Dicranopteris and Gleichenella thickets suggests that the ferns inhibit the recruitment of woody and herbaceous species. Otherwise, we could not distinguish different patterns of tree regeneration among the three vegetation types. Our results showed that forest recovery following severe anthropogenic disturbances is not direct, predictable or even achievable on its own. Appropriated actions and methods such as fern removal, planting ground covers, and enrichment planting with tree species were suggested in order to restore the natural forest regeneration process in the abandoned old fields.

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FRUGIVORIA E DISPERSÃO DE SEMENTES POR PEIXES

Scientific Magazine UAKARI ◽

10.31420/uakari.v1i1.2 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 7-18

Author(s):

Luciane Lopes de Souza

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Seed Dispersal ◽

Tropical Forests ◽

Natural Regeneration ◽

Main Species ◽

Fishing Gears ◽

Solimões River

Biotic or abiotic processes of seed dispersal are important for the maintenance of the diversity, and for the natural regeneration in tropical forests. Ichthyochory is one of the fundamental mechanisms for seed dispersal in flooded environments, as the igapó forests. A study on the ichthyochory of the igapós was conducted at Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve, in the middle Solimões river, from June 2002 to September 2004. Monthly samples of frugivorous fish were taken, with the main fishing gears used locally. Guts of 1,688 fish caught were examined. The main species were Myloplus rubripinnis (29.21%), Hemiodus immaculatus (18.96%),Colossoma macropom um (16.23%) and Mylossoma duriventre (16.05%). The diet was made of vegetables (fruits, leave and flowers), and animals (arthropods). 53.02% of all fish caught ingested fruits. The total number of intact seeds in the stomachs and intestines were 8,069 and 5,763 respectively. About 61.9% of the Brycon melanopterus (matrinchão), 46.34% of the Brycon amazonicus (mamuri) and 30.22% of M . rubripinnis (parum ) analysed had intact seeds in their guts. Seeds of Nectandra amazonum and Genipa spruceana ingested proved to be more viable than those non-ingested by fish. The high rates of frugivory, the presence of intact seeds in the guts of fish and the greater viability of ingested seeds all suggest that these animals are important seed dispersors in the igapó forests of Amanã Reserve.

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Floristic composition of the Montane Forest in the Almadina-Barro Preto axis, Southern Bahia, Brazil

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/s1676-06033878 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Macielle Macedo Coelho ◽

André Márcio Amorim

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Tropical Forests ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Woody Species ◽

Life Forms ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Forest Remnants ◽

Southern Bahia ◽

Arboreal Habit

The aim of this study is to survey the angiosperms of two montane forest remnants in the southern Bahia, Brazil: Corcovado (SCO) and Pedra Lascada (SPL). Both fragments are located in the municipality of Almadina and Barro Preto, respectively, and are 18 km distant from each other. We sampled 899 species of angiosperms distributed in 437 genera and 116 families. The SCO was the richest area with 678 species, distributed in 367 genera and 100 families. SPL showed 466 species in 269 genera and 88 families. The percentage of species identified was 85.8% and of this total, 37.7% are endemic to the Atlantic Forest, 11.2% are endemic to southern Bahia and northern Espírito Santo and 7% are disjunct between the Atlantic Forest and Amazon. The remaining percentages (44.3%) were of species widely distributed. The richest families in the two areas were Orchidaceae (10%), Rubiaceae (7%), Bromeliaceae (5.5%), Melastomataceae (4.2%) and Poaceae (4%). The richest genera were Psychotria (2%),Piper (1.8%), Ocotea (1.6%),Vriesea (1.5%) and Peperomia (1.4%). More than half of the recorded species showed non-arboreal habit, regarding life forms documented. That comes against the assertion that many authors in the tropical forests, where species richness in angiosperms is expected for non-woody species, especially in montane forests. Twelve species have been identified as new, but seven others already described from collections previously obtained in these two areas. Orchidaceae, Rubiaceae, Poaceae and Bromeliaceae showed significant richness in this study these families are commonly reported as the richest in other inventories in the Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia reinforcing their importance to the regional flora. The high levels of richness, endemism, and the growing numbers of new taxonomic discoveries from the SPL and SCO sites indicate the biological importance of these two forest remnants. The implementation of parks or other protected environmental reserves would be essential to the conservation of its species.

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