Lichen community structure and richness in three mid-elevation secondary forests in Costa Rica

Introduction: Lichen diversity, community structure, composition and species abundance have been used as indicators of the integrity and ecological continuity of tropical forest ecosystems. Objectives: To assess corticolous lichen species composition, diversity, and ecological importance of three forested stands differing in time of abandonment as indicators of how passive restoration influences the lichen community assemblage. Methods: We surveyed individual lichens on tree stems of a reference old secondary forest and a young secondary forest (50 and 14-year-old natural regeneration after pasture abandonment, respectively), and in a 35-year-old exotic cypress tree plantation, in the oriental Central Valley, in Orosí, Costa Rica. Standard diversity, similarity indexes, and the importance value index were calculated. An NMDS analysis was performed on the community structure parameters and in a presence-absence matrix. Results: We found 64 lichen species in 25 families with 42, 21, and 23 species, and 20, 10, and 15 families, in the young and old secondary forests, and the cypress plantation, respectively. Cryptothecia sp. possessed the highest importance across sites. More than 87 % of the species are rare. The combined IVI of the top three families were: 36, 48.5, and 74.8 % in the young and old forests and the Cypress plantation sites, respectively. Overall, Arthoniaceae is in the top three families. The young forest had the highest species richness, but the old forest presented the best evenness. Similarity and diversity indexes suggest a particularly low resemblance in the lichen communities but a smooth gradient differentiation between the three forests, which was confirmed by the NMDS test. The homogeneity test identified great differences in ecological importance and composition. Conclusions: This region contains a distinctive assemblage of species resulting in a strong community differentiation by site, reflecting the influence of ecophysiological and microclimatic factors that define lichen establishment and survival and suggesting a great regional beta diversity, within a fragmented landscape. Greater connectivity and passive restoration strategies resulted in greater diversity and a more heterogeneous community structure on both forests than the corticolous community of the abandoned plantation. Protection of forest fragments will maximize the integrity of future forests.

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Determinism and stochasticity in seed dispersal-successional feedbacks

10.1101/791988 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Nohemi Huanca Nuñez ◽

Robin L. Chazdon ◽

Sabrina E. Russo

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Seed Dispersal ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Mature Forest ◽

Site Variation ◽

Tropical Secondary Forest ◽

Successional Age

AbstractRegeneration of tropical secondary forests depends critically on seed input, and yet successional dynamics of seed dispersal remain poorly understood. We investigated the role of stochastic vs. deterministic processes in structuring seed rain in successional forests using four years of seed rain data collected at two time periods in four tropical secondary forest fragments representing a chronosequence and in mature forest. Determinism in successional trajectories is defined as predictable, directional, and orderly changes in community structure through time, resulting in convergence toward a climax community. We found that with increasing successional age, the community assembly of the seed rain in secondary forests became more deterministic, and community structure converged to that in the mature forest, both in terms of taxonomic and functional composition. Taxonomic similarity of the seed rain in successional forest to that of the mature forest increased with successional age, as did species co-occurrence and the percentage of shared species between the seed rain of successional and mature forests. The proportions of large, shade-tolerant species in the seed rain increased with successional age, although the proportion of animal-dispersed species increased only modestly. Analyses of the spatial variation in community structure in the seed rain among sites within each secondary forest showed evidence that assembly processes transitioned from being deterministic and convergent early on, to purely stochastic, and then to deterministic and divergent later in succession. Moreover, with increasing successional age, the composition of the seed rain became more similar to that of the mature woody stems in the forest, which could be an important deterministic driver of successional change, that, along with among site variation in landscape context and environment, could also generate idiosyncratic successional patterns among secondary forest fragments Our results suggest that the dominant processes influencing seed dispersal and assembly of the seed rain change during succession and point to successional feedbacks influencing the seed rain that are likely to shape regeneration trajectories.

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Effects of vegetation cover on seedling and sapling dynamics in secondary tropical wet forests in Costa Rica

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467405002890 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 65-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Juan Manuel Dupuy ◽

Robin L. Chazdon

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Tree Species ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Canopy Gaps ◽

Canopy Gap ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Tree Seedling ◽

Understorey Vegetation

We examined effects of experimental manipulations of vegetation cover on recruitment, mortality and density of seedlings (20–100 cm tall) and saplings (≥100 cm tall) of woody growth forms over a 2.5-y period. We created four treatments in each of three 15–20-y-old tropical forest stands in Costa Rica: a large canopy gap (270–350 m2), a small canopy gap (50–100 m2), understorey vegetation removal, and an unmanipulated control treatment. Creation of canopy gaps, especially large ones, increased first-year recruitment and density, as well as overall mortality of seedlings. Saplings experienced lower mortality and more prolonged gap-enhanced recruitment and density than seedlings. Removal of understorey vegetation had little or no effect on tree seedling and sapling dynamics. Recruitment and density of lianas responded only to large gaps, whereas understorey species responded to both gap treatments and to spatial heterogeneity within gaps. Tree species exhibited diverse regeneration requirements, whereas liana and understorey species were more specialized to the high and low ends of the light availability gradient, respectively. Canopy gaps provide a critical mechanism for regeneration of lianas, and canopy tree species that dominate during the early stages of secondary forest succession. The choice of management system for these secondary forests can determine the direction and rate of succession.

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Long-term monitoring reveals an avian species credit in secondary forest patches of Costa Rica

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.3539 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e3539 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Steven C. Latta ◽

Nathan L. Brouwer ◽

Alison Olivieri ◽

Julie Girard-Woolley ◽

Judy F. Richardson

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Bird Community ◽

Safety Net ◽

Primary Forest ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Forest Species ◽

Forest Patches ◽

Permanent Resident ◽

Over Time

Degraded and secondary forests comprise approximately 50% of remaining tropical forest. Bird community characteristics and population trends in secondary forests are infrequently studied, but secondary forest may serve as a “safety net” for tropical biodiversity. Less understood is the occurrence of time-delayed, community-level dynamics such as an extinction debt of specialist species or a species credit resulting from the recolonization of forest patches by extirpated species. We sought to elucidate patterns and magnitudes of temporal change in avian communities in secondary forest patches in Southern Costa Rica biannually over a 10 year period during the late breeding season and mid-winter. We classified birds caught in mist nets or recorded in point counts by residency status, and further grouped them based on preferred habitat, sensitivity to disturbance, conservation priority, foraging guild, and foraging strata. Using hierarchical, mixed-effects models we tested for trends among species that share traits. We found that permanent-resident species increased over time relative to migrants. In both seasons, primary forest species generally increased while species typical of secondary forest, scrub, or edge declined. Species relatively sensitive to habitat disturbance increased significantly over time, whereas birds less sensitive to disturbance decreased. Similarly, generalists with higher habitat breadth scores declined. Because, we found very few changes in vegetation characteristics in secondary forest patches, shifts in the avian community toward primary forest species represent a species credit and are likely related to vegetation changes in the broader landscape. We suggest that natural regeneration and maturation of secondary forests should be recognized as a positive conservation development of potential benefit even to species typical of primary forest.

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Spatial Distribution of Lichens in Metrosideros excelsa in Northern New Zealand Urban Forests

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13040170 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 170

Author(s):

Gladys N. Benitez ◽

Glenn D. Aguilar ◽

Dan Blanchon

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Species Richness ◽

New Zealand ◽

Lichen Species ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Breast Height ◽

Lichen Community ◽

The North ◽

The City ◽

Lichen Flora

The spatial distribution of corticolous lichens on the iconic New Zealand pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) tree was investigated from a survey of urban parks and forests across the city of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. Lichens were identified from ten randomly selected trees at 20 sampling sites, with 10 sites classified as coastal and another 10 as inland sites. Lichen data were correlated with distance from sea, distance from major roads, distance from native forests, mean tree DBH (diameter at breast height) and the seven-year average of measured NO2 over the area. A total of 33 lichen species were found with coastal sites harboring significantly higher average lichen species per tree as well as higher site species richness. We found mild hotspots in two sites for average lichen species per tree and another two separate sites for species richness, with all hotspots at the coast. A positive correlation between lichen species richness and DBH was found. Sites in coastal locations were more similar to each other in terms of lichen community composition than they were to adjacent inland sites and some species were only found at coastal sites. The average number of lichen species per tree was negatively correlated with distance from the coast, suggesting that the characteristic lichen flora found on pōhutukawa may be reliant on coastal microclimates. There were no correlations with distance from major roads, and a slight positive correlation between NO2 levels and average lichen species per tree.

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Secondary Forests and Agrarian Transitions: Insights from Nepal and Peru

Human Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10745-021-00224-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Adam Pain ◽

Kristina Marquardt ◽

Dil Khatri

Keyword(s):

Forest Regeneration ◽

Agricultural Intensification ◽

Necessary Conditions ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Social Groups ◽

Agrarian Change ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Land Access ◽

San Martín

AbstractWe provide an analytical contrast of the dynamics of secondary forest regeneration in Nepal and Peru framed by a set of common themes: land access, boundaries, territories, and rights, seemingly more secure in Nepal than Peru; processes of agrarian change and their consequences for forest-agriculture interactions and the role of secondary forest in the landscape, more marked in Peru, where San Martín is experiencing apparent agricultural intensification, than in Nepal; and finally processes of social differentiation that have consequences for different social groups, livelihood construction and their engagement with trees, common to both countries. These themes address the broader issue of the necessary conditions for secondary forest regeneration and the extent to which the rights and livelihood benefits of those actively managing it are secured.

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The Role of Recent (1985–2014) Patterns of Land Abandonment and Environmental Factors in the Establishment and Growth of Secondary Forests in the Iberian Peninsula

Land ◽

10.3390/land10080817 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 817

Author(s):

Marina Palmero-Iniesta ◽

Josep Maria Espelta ◽

Mario Padial-Iglesias ◽

Òscar Gonzàlez-Guerrero ◽

Lluís Pesquer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Iberian Peninsula ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Deciduous Forests ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Study Region ◽

Leaf Habit ◽

Forest Establishment

Farmland abandonment has been a widespread land-use change in the Iberian Peninsula since the second half of the 20th century, leading to the establishment of secondary forests across the region. In this study, we aimed to address changes in the recent (1985–2014) emergence patterns of these forests and examine how environmental factors affected their growth by considering differences in leaf-habit types. We used a combination of Landsat-derived land-cover maps and aboveground biomass (AGB) maps from the European Space Agency to assess the secondary forest establishment and growth, respectively, in the study region. We also obtained a set of topographic, climatic and landscape variables from diverse GIS layers and used them for determining changes over time in the environmental drivers of forest establishment and AGB using general linear models. The results highlight that secondary forest cover was still increasing in the Iberian Peninsula at a rate above the European average. Yet, they also indicate a directional change in the emergence of secondary forests towards lower and less steep regions with higher water availability (mean rainfall and SPEI) and less forest cover but are subjected to greater drought events. In addition, these environmental factors differentially affect the growth of forests with different leaf-habit types: i.e., needleleaf secondary forests being less favoured by high temperature and precipitation, and broadleaf deciduous forests being most negatively affected by drought. Finally, these spatial patterns of forest emergence and the contrasting responses of forest leaf-habits to environmental factors explained the major development of broadleaf evergreen compared to broadleaf deciduous forests and, especially, needleleaf secondary forests. These results will improve the knowledge of forest dynamics that have occurred in the Iberian Peninsula in recent decades and provide an essential tool for understanding the potential effects of climate warming on secondary forest growth.

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Bewirtschaftung von tropischen Sekundärwäldern

Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie ◽

10.1515/zfw.2002.0005 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Tropical Asia ◽

Land Use Systems ◽

The Future ◽

The Tropics ◽

Primary Forests

AbstractManagement of secondary tropical forests: a new perspective for sustainable use of forests in Asia. The decline of primary forests in the tropics is leading to a reassessment of the role secondary forests might play within the context of tropical forest management. Recent research has shown that secondary forests in the tropics can be both rich in species and complex in terms of stand structure. There is, moreover, a growing recognition of the importance of secondary forests for traditional subsistence economies in the tropics and of their economic potential for land use systems in the future. Management of secondary forests in Asia as an alternative to the extraction of timber from primary forests but also as one among other options to intensify traditional land use systems has a potential for the future especially because of the existence of vast tracts of valuable secondary forest cover, and because of the store of traditional knowledge that can still be found in tropical Asia.

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Contributions to Molecular Phylogeny of Lichen-Forming Fungi 2. Review of Current Monophyletic Branches of the Family Physciaceae

Acta Botanica Hungarica ◽

10.1556/034.63.2021.3-4.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 63 (3-4) ◽

pp. 351-390

Author(s):

S. Y. Kondratyuk ◽

L. Lőkös ◽

I. Kärnefelt ◽

A. Thell ◽

M.-H. Jeong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Molecular Phylogeny ◽

Type Species ◽

Lichen Species ◽

New Combinations ◽

Phylogeny Analysis ◽

The Family ◽

Crustose Lichens ◽

First Time ◽

Combined Matrix

Seven genera new to science, i.e.: Helmutiopsis, Huriopsis, Johnsheardia, Klauskalbia, Kudratovia, Kurokawia and Poeltonia of the Physciaceae are proposed for the ‘Rinodina’ atrocinerea, the ‘Rinodina’ xanthophaea, the ‘Rinodina’ cinnamomea, the ‘Heterodermia’ obscurata, the ‘Rinodina’ straussii, the ‘Anaptychia’ isidiata and the ‘Physconia’ grisea groups consequently that all form strongly supported monophyletic branches in a phylogeny analysis based on a combined matrix of nrITS and mtSSU sequences. Phylogenetic positions of species belonging to the genera Kashiwadia s. l., Leucodermia, Mischoblastia,Oxnerella, Phaeorrhiza s. l., Polyblastidium and Rinodinella s. l. are discussed. Oxnerella afghanica which for the first time recorded as parasitic lichen species from both epiphytic and saxicolous crustose lichens is designated as type species for the genus Oxnerella. Sequences of the recently described Physcia orientostellaris as well as Huriopsis xanthophaea and additional sequences of Kashiwadia aff. orientalis and Mischoblastia aff. oxydata are submitted to the GenBank. The positions of Polyblastidium casaterrinum from Costa Rica, ‘Rinodina’ efflorescens from Białowieża, Poland, and ‘Mischoblastia’ confragosula from Cambodia in the Physciaceae are confirmed in a phylogeny analysis based on the nrITS sequences. The presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in lichen associations is exemplified with earlier incorrect identifications of Heterodermia, Kashiwadia, Kurokawia,Oxnerella and Poeltonia specimens. Fifty-six new combinations are presented: Helmutiopsis alba (for Rinodina alba Metzler ex Arn.), Helmutiopsis aspersa (for Lecanora aspersa Borrer), Helmutiopsis atrocinerea (for Parmelia atrocinerea Fr.), Huriopsis chrysidiata (for Rinodina chrysidiata Sheard), Huriopsis chrysomelaena (for Rinodina chrysomelaena Tuck.), Huriopsis lepida (for Lecanora lepida Nyl.), Huriopsis luteonigra (for Rinodina luteonigra Zahlbr.), Huriopsis plana (for Rinodina plana H. Magn.), Huriopsis thiomela (for Lecanora thiomela Nyl.), Huriopsis xanthomelana (for Rinodina xanthomelana Müll. Arg.), Huriopsis xanthophaea (for Lecanora xanthophaea Nyl.), Johnsheardia cinnamomea (for Rinodina mniaroea var. cinnamomea Th. Fr.), Johnsheardia herteliana (for Rinodina herteliana Kaschik), Johnsheardia jamesii (for Rinodina jamesii H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia reagens (for Rinodina reagens Matzer et H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia zwackhiana (for Lecanora zwackhiana Kremp.), Kashiwadia austrostellaris (for Physcia austrostellaris Elix), Kashiwadia jackii (for Physcia jackii Moberg), Kashiwadia littoralis for Physcia littoralis Elix), Kashiwadia nubila (for Physcia nubila Moberg), and Kashiwadia tropica (for Physcia tropica Elix), Klauskalbia crocea (for Heterodermia crocea R. C. Harris), Klauskalbia flabellata (for Parmelia flabellata Fée), Klauskalbia obscurata (for Physcia speciosa (Wulfen) Nyl. *obscurata Nyl.), Klauskalbia paradoxa (for Heterodermia paradoxa Schumm et Schäfer-Verwimp), Kudratovia bohlinii (for Rinodina bohlinii H. Magn.), Kudratovia candidogrisea (for Rinodina candidogrisea Hafellner, Muggia et Obermayer), Kudratovia luridata (for Buellia luridata Körb.), Kudratovia metaboliza (for Rinodina metaboliza Vain.), Kudratovia pycnocarpa (for Rinodina pycnocarpa H. Magn.), Kudratovia roscida (for Lecanora roscida Sommerf.), Kudratovia straussii (for Rinodina straussii J. Steiner), Kudratovia terrestris (for Rinodina terrestris Tomin), Kurokawia bryorum (for Anaptychia bryorum Poelt), Kurokawia isidiata (for Anaptychia isidiata Tomin), Kurokawia mereschkowskii (for Physcia mereschkowskii Tomin), Kurokawia palmulata (for Psoroma palmulatum Michx.), Kurokawia runcinata (for Lichen runcinatus With.), Kurokawia stippea (for Parmelia aquila var. stippea Ach.), Lecania safavidiorum (for Oxnerella safavidiorum S. Y. Kondr., Zarei-Darki, Lőkös et Hur), Leucodermia erinacea (for Lichen erinaceus Ach.), Mischoblastia confragosula (for Lecanora confragosula Nyl.), Mischoblastia destituta (for Lecidea destituta Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana (for Lecanora moziana Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana subsp. parasitica (comb. et stat. nova for Rinodina moziana var. parasitica Kaschik et H. Mayrhofer), Mischoblastia ramboldii (for Rinodina ramboldii Kaschik), Mischoblastia vezdae (for Rinodina vezdae H. Mayrhofer), Oxnerella afghanica (for Rinodina afghanica M. Steiner et Poelt), Oxnerella castanomelodes (for Rinodina castanomelodes H. Mayrhofer et Poelt), Physciella nigricans (for Lecanora nigricans Flörke), Poeltonia elegantula (for Physconia elegantula Essl.), Poeltonia grisea (for Lichen griseus Lam.), Poeltonia isidiomuscigena (for Physconia isidiomuscigena Essl.), Poeltonia perisidiosa (for Physcia perisidiosa Erichsen), Poeltonia venusta (for Parmelia venusta Ach.), and Polyblastidium albicans (for Parmelia albicans Pers.) are proposed.

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Biomass and Soil Carbon Stocks in Wet Montane Forest, Monteverde Region, Costa Rica: Assessments and Challenges for Quantifying Accumulation Rates

International Journal of Forestry Research ◽

10.1155/2016/5812043 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lawrence H. Tanner ◽

Megan T. Wilckens ◽

Morgan A. Nivison ◽

Katherine M. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Cloud Forest ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Carbon Stocks ◽

Age Difference ◽

Biomass Carbon ◽

Mature Forest ◽

Large Trees

We measured carbon stocks at two forest reserves in the cloud forest region of Monteverde, comparing cleared land, experimental secondary forest plots, and mature forest at each location to assess the effectiveness of reforestation in sequestering biomass and soil carbon. The biomass carbon stock measured in the mature forest at the Monteverde Institute is similar to other measurements of mature tropical montane forest biomass carbon in Costa Rica. Local historical records and the distribution of large trees suggest a mature forest age of greater than 80 years. The forest at La Calandria lacks historical documentation, and dendrochronological dating is not applicable. However, based on the differences in tree size, above-ground biomass carbon, and soil carbon between the Monteverde Institute and La Calandria sites, we estimate an age difference of at least 30 years of the mature forests. Experimental secondary forest plots at both sites have accumulated biomass at lower than expected rates, suggesting local limiting factors, such as nutrient limitation. We find that soil carbon content is primarily a function of time and that altitudinal differences between the study sites do not play a role.

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Seed mass and light requirements for regeneration in Southeast Asian rain forest

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b95-090 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 73 (6) ◽

pp. 817-826 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

D. J. Metcalfe ◽

P. J. Grubb

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Rain Forest ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Seed Mass ◽

Primary Forest ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Light Requirement ◽

Lowland Rain Forest ◽

Light Requirements ◽

Shade Tolerant Species

Seed mass values are given for 140 species of primary lowland rain forest and associated secondary forests in Singapore. Among shade-tolerant species of primary forest there is a trend for a decrease in mean seed mass with tall trees > woody climbers > small trees > shrubs > herbs; the differences between tall trees and small trees or shrubs or herbs, and between herbs and small trees or woody climbers are significant. There are a few light-demanding herbs or shrubs in the primary forest; among small trees, light demanders have significantly lower seed mass values than shade tolerators. In 9 out of 13 comparisons within taxa including both shade tolerants and light demanders the former had appreciably larger seeds than the latter. Two out of 13 comparisons involved very small seeded shade tolerators, and one a notably large-seed light demander. Many shade-tolerant herbs, shrubs, and trees have seed mass values much smaller than those of trees of secondary forest conventionally regarded as small seeded, and exploit moist, litter-free sites, e.g., steep microslopes. The trees of secondary forests on degraded soils do not differ significantly in seed mass from those on nondegraded soils. Key words: seed mass, light requirement, regeneration, tropical rain forest, phylogenetic analysis.

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