scholarly journals Geomorphology and Altitude Effects on the Diversity and Structure of the Vanishing Montane Forest of Southern Ecuador

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Cabrera ◽  
Ángel Benítez ◽  
Nixon Cumbicus ◽  
Carlos Naranjo ◽  
Pablo Ramón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Montane Forests ◽  
Southern Ecuador ◽  
Floristic Classification ◽  
Diverse World ◽  
Value Diversity ◽  
Fisher’S Alpha

(1) Background: Neotropical montane forests represent one of the most diverse world ecosystems; however, they are also among the most threatened ones mostly due to deforestation. Our main goal is to classify and clarify the forest types based on the changes in basal area (BA), tree density, and species composition of montane forests in Southern Ecuador, and to determine the influence of critical environmental and geomorphological factors. (2) Methods: One hundred thirty-two temporary plots of 400 m2 were installed in homogeneous and well-conserved forest stands. We identified and measured all trees >10 cm diameter breast height (DBH). We modeled species diversity (Fisher’s alpha) change in relation to climatic, altitudinal, and geomorphological gradients using GLM and Kruskall-Wallis analyses. The change in composition was determined using cluster analyses (BIOENV analysis followed by a LINKTREE procedure). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to analyze changes across climatic and geomorphological gradients. Finally, we used a SIMPER analysis to identify the species that contributed most to the floristic dissimilarity among the identified altitudinal forests types. (3) Results: The floristic groups were determined by altitude, temperature, and isothermality, but also some geomorphological variables and lithology were used. Plots located in low hills have higher alpha diversity compared to the high hills and dissected mountains. (4) Conclusions: Altitude is the most important factor responsible for the division of structural and floristic groups. In addition, those plots located on the whitish tuff have higher alpha value diversity compared with plots in andesitic tuffs. Precipitation on the wettest quarter (>839 mm) and isothermality (>90.5) are the most relevant climatic factors driving the floristic classification.

scholarly journals Geomorphology and Altitude Effects on Diversity and Structure of Vanishing Montane Forest of Southern Ecuador

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Cabrera ◽  
Angel Benítez ◽  
Nixon Cumbicus ◽  
Carlos Naranjo ◽  
Pablo Ramón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Multidimensional Scaling ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Montane Forest ◽  
Montane Forests ◽  
Southern Ecuador ◽  
Value Diversity

1) Background: Neotropical montane forests represent one of the most diverse ecosystems; however, they are also the most threatened for deforestation. Our main goal is to evaluate the change in Basal Area (BA), Density and Species Composition of montane forests in the southern Ecuador and to determine the influence on some critical ecological and geomorphological factors. 2) Methods: One hundred thirty-two temporary plots of 400 m2 each were installed; we identified and measured all trees> 10 cm DBH. We modeled species diversity (Fisher’s alpha) change in relation to climatic, elevational and geomorphological gradients with GLM and Kruskall-Wallis analyses. The change in composition was determined using Cluster Analyses (BIOENV analysis followed by a LINKTREE procedure). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to analyze changes across climatic and geomorphological gradients. Finally, we used SIMPER analysis to identify the species that contributed most to the dissimilarity among the different elevations. 3) Results: Formation of floristic groups was influenced by altitude, temperature and Isothermality; physiographic province, great landscape, geological landscape and lithology. Plots located in low hills have higher alpha diversity with respect to the high hills and dissected mountains. 4) Conclusions: The elevation is first hierarchical factor responsible of the division of structural and floristic groups. Plots located on the whitish tuff have a higher alpha value diversity compared with plots in andesitic tuffs. Wettest quarter (> 839 mm) and Isothermality (> 90.5) are the climatic factors that driven de floristic divisions.

scholarly journals Analysis of Structure and Diversity of the Kilengwe Forest in the Morogoro Region, Tanzania

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sylvester Kacholi
Keyword(s):  
Species Abundance ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Wiener Index ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Importance Value ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Total Species ◽  
Fisher’S Alpha

This study investigates the structure, species composition, and diversity of a section of the Kilengwe Forest in Tanzania. In order to accomplish the proposed objectives, 18 plots of 20 m × 20 m were randomly established in the forest and the number of tree species in each plot was identified and counted. The most important families and species were determined using importance value indices at the respective taxonomic levels. Diversity was measured using the Shannon-Wiener and Fisher alpha diversity indices. A total of 276 stems/ha representing 93 species/ha within 26 families were documented from 0.72 ha. Fabaceae and Julbernadia globiflora were the dominant family and species, respectively. Seventy-eight percent of the total species were rare. The average basal area of the forest was 7.1 m2/ha. The Shannon-Wiener index (4.02) and Fisher’s alpha diversity (35.5) indicated high species diversity within the forest. The species-area and species-abundance curves revealed an escalating trend implying that more sampling efforts could result in a higher number of species existing in the forest. The size class distribution displayed a reverse J-shaped pattern; however, the larger size classes DBH >50 cm were not represented. The study suggests the necessity for anthropogenic disturbance control as this is the major source of forest degradation in the studied area.

scholarly journals Altitudinally coordinated pattern of plant community structure in the Shivapuri National Park, Nepal

1970 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalik Ram Sigdel
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
National Park ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Flower Colour ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Plant Community Structure ◽  
Closed Canopy

Study on plant community structure was undertaken in different altitudinal ranges of Shivapuri National Park. The general objective of this study is to analyse different plant community structure in Shivapuri National Park with regards to altitudinal variation. The forest was divided into three distinct altitudinal ranges on the basis of dominancy. In each altitudinal range standard quadrats method was applied for vegetation analysis. The highest number of species was found in site II. All the ecological parameters of the plant species were higher in site II except Basal Area of tree that was highest in site III. The pattern of distribution of plant species was not uniform according to altitude. At higher elevation, the forest was mature with almost closed canopy and trees were large; so the tree density was low. Species richness was highest in site II. Species diversity among tree and shrub species was higher in site I. But for herb species diversity was higher in site II for both seasons. Such type of variations may be due to nature of soil i.e. acidity, nutrient availability and other micro-climatic factors. The most noteworthy thing was that variation in flower colour of Rhododendron arboreum i.e. deep scarlet at low altitude, but it gradually changed into pinkish white as altitude increased. Key words: Altitude, Density, Plant community, Species diversity doi: 10.3126/banko.v18i1.2161 Banko Janakari, Vol. 18, No. 1, 11-17

scholarly journals TREE SPECIES DIVERSITY IN A PRISTINE MONTANE FOREST PREVIOUSLY UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN FOJA MOUNTAINS, PAPUA, INDONESIA

REINWARDTIA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asep Sadili ◽  
Kuswata Kartawinata ◽  
Herwasono Soedjito ◽  
Edy Nasriadi Sambas
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Montane Forest ◽  
Tree Species Diversity ◽  
Importance Value ◽  
Montane Forests ◽  
Species Area

ADILI, A., KARTAWINATA, K., SOEDJITO, H. & SAMBAS, E. N. 2018. Tree species diversity in a pristine montane forest previously untouched by human activities in Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 17(2): 133‒154. ‒‒ A study on structure and composition of the pristine montane forest previously untouched by human activities was conducted at the Foja Mountains in November 2008. We established a one-hectare plot divided into 100 subplots of 10 m × 10 m each. We enumerated all trees with DBH ≥ 10 cm which diameters were measured, heights were estimated and habitats were noted. We recorded 59 species, 42 genera and 27 families, comprising 693 trees with the total basal area (BA) of 41.35 m2/ha. The forest had lower species richness compared to those of lowland forests in Kalimantan, and Sumatra and montane forests in West Java. The Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index was 3.22. Nothofagus rubra (Importance Value, IV=47.89%) and Parinari corymbosa (IV=40.3%) were the dominant species, constituting the basis for designating the forest as the Nothofagus rubra - Parinari corymbosa association. To date, the dominance of N. rubra is unique to the Foja Mountains, as elsewhere in Papua the montane forests were dominated by N. pullei or other species. The species-area curve indicated a minimal area of 5000 m2. On the family level Fagaceae (IV=53.23%), Chrysobalanaceae (IV=40.53%) and Myristicaceae (IV=26.43%) were dominant. Verti-cally the forest consisted of four strata (A–D). In each stratum Nothofagus rubra, Platea latifolia, Parinari corymbosa and Myristica hollrungii were dominant. The diameter class distribution of Nothofagus rubra, Parinari corymbosa and Platea latifolia led us to assume that these species were regenerating well.

scholarly journals Deriving Stand Structural Complexity from Airborne Laser Scanning Data—What Does It Tell Us about a Forest?

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1854
Author(s):  
Dominik Seidel ◽  
Peter Annighöfer ◽  
Martin Ehbrecht ◽  
Paul Magdon ◽  
Stephan Wöllauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Structure ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Airborne Laser Scanning ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Box Dimension ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
3D Point Clouds ◽  
Airborne Laser

The three-dimensional forest structure is an important driver of several ecosystem functions and services. Recent advancements in laser scanning technologies have set the path to measuring structural complexity directly from 3D point clouds. Here, we show that the box-dimension (Db) from fractal analysis, a measure of structural complexity, can be obtained from airborne laser scanning data. Based on 66 plots across different forest types in Germany, each 1 ha in size, we tested the performance of the Db by evaluating it against conventional ground-based measures of forest structure and commonly used stand characteristics. We found that the Db was related (0.34 < R < 0.51) to stand age, management intensity, microclimatic stability, and several measures characterizing the overall stand structural complexity. For the basal area, we could not find a significant relationship, indicating that structural complexity is not tied to the basal area of a forest. We also showed that Db derived from airborne data holds the potential to distinguish forest types, management types, and the developmental phases of forests. We conclude that the box-dimension is a promising measure to describe the structural complexity of forests in an ecologically meaningful way.

Ecosystem management applications of resource objective wildfires in forests of the Grand Canyon National Park, USA

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
Michael T. Stoddard ◽  
Peter Z. Fulé ◽  
David W. Huffman ◽  
Andrew J. Sánchez Meador ◽  
John Paul Roccaforte
Keyword(s):  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Grand Canyon ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Species Dominance ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Large Trees

Forest managers of the western United States are increasingly interested in utilising naturally ignited wildfires to achieve management objectives. Wildfires can accomplish a range of objectives, from maintenance of intact ecological conditions, to ecosystem restoration, to playing vital natural disturbance roles; however, few studies have carefully evaluated long-term effectiveness and outcomes of wildfire applications across multiple forest types. We remeasured monitoring plots more than 10 years after ‘resource objective’ (RO) fires were allowed to burn in three main south-western forest types. Results showed minimal effects and effective maintenance of open conditions in an intact pine-oak site. Higher-severity fire and delayed mortality of larger and older trees contributed to reductions in basal area and canopy cover at the mixed-conifer and spruce-fir sites. Species dominance shifted towards ponderosa pine in both the mixed-conifer and spruce-fir sites. Although fires resulted in 46–68% mortality of smaller trees initially, substantial ingrowth brought tree density to near pre-fire levels in all forest types after 12 years. Overall, the 2003 RO fires were broadly successful at maintaining or creating open and heterogeneous conditions and resulted in fire- and drought-tolerant species composition. These conditions are likely to be resilient to changing climate, at least in the short term. Substantial mortality of large trees and continuing loss of basal area, however, are a concern, given further climate warming.

scholarly journals Vascular Epiphytic Diversity in a Neotropical Transition Zone Is Driven by Environmental and Structural Heterogeneity

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 194008291988220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edilia de la Rosa-Manzano ◽  
Glenda Mendieta-Leiva ◽  
Antonio Guerra-Pérez ◽  
Karla María Aguilar-Dorantes ◽  
Leonardo Uriel Arellano-Méndez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Size Variation ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Semideciduous Forest

Vascular epiphytes contribute significantly to tropical diversity. Research on the factors that determine vascular epiphytic diversity and composition in tropical areas is flourishing. However, these factors are entirely unknown in tropical-temperate transition zones, which represent the distribution limit of several epiphytic species. We assessed the degree to which climatic and structural variables determine the diversity of vascular epiphytic assemblages (VEAs) in a transition zone in Mexico: the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve. We found 12,103 epiphytic individuals belonging to 30 species and 15 genera along a climatic gradient from 300 to 2,000 m a.s.l. Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the most species-rich families. Forests along the windward slope of the Sierra Madre Oriental (semideciduous forest and tropical montane cloud forest) had higher species richness than forests along the leeward slope (pine-oak forest and submontane scrub). Species richness was largely determined by seasonality and, to a lesser degree, by forest structure, whereas abundance was mainly determined by host tree size. Variation in VEAs composition was largely explained by climatic variables, whereas forest structure was not as important. VEAs differed among forest types and slopes in terms of taxonomic and functional composition. For example, certain bromeliad indicator species reflected differences between slopes. Although within-tree epiphytic species richness (alpha diversity) was low in this transition zone relative to other habitats, species turnover among forest types (beta diversity) was high. These findings suggest that each forest type makes a unique and important contribution to epiphytic diversity in this transition zone.

Forest structure, floristic composition and soils of an Amazonian monodominant forest on maracá Island, Roraima, Brazil

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Nascimento ◽  
J Proctor ◽  
D. M. Villela
Keyword(s):  
Forest Type ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Canopy Layer ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Density Values ◽  
Set Up

Maracá is a riverine island located in the Rio Uraricoera in Roraima State (Brazil) and has an area of about 100,000ha. A forest type dominated by Peltogyne gracilipes Ducke (Caesalpiniaceae) occurs on Maracá Island on a range of soil types. This study compares the structure, floristic composition and soils of the Peltogyne forest with the most widespread lowland forest type on Maracá. Three 0.25ha plots were set up in each of three forest types: Peltogyne-rich forest (PRF), Peltogyne-pooi forest (PPF) and forest without Peltogyne (FWP). Within each plot all trees (≤ 10cm dbh) were recorded. Seedlings and saplings were sampled in subplots of 2m × 1m (seedlings) and 4m × 4m (saplings). In the PPF and FWP, Sapotaceae were the most important family with the highest relative dominance and relative density values. Caesalpiniaceae showed high values in the PRF and PPF. Licania kunthiana, Pradosia surinamensis and Simarouba amara occurred in the canopy layer in all the forest types. Peltogyne dominated the canopy in the PRF and comprised 20% of stems and 53% of the total basal area of all trees ≥ 10cm dbh, and 91% of the stems and 97% of the total basal area of individuals ≥ 50cm dbh. In PPF, Lecythis corrugata and Tetragastris panamensis were the most abundant species, followed by Peltogyne. In the FWP the most abundant trees (≥ 10cm dbh) were Licania kunthiana and Pradosia surinamensis. In all forest types, the soils were sandy and acid with low concentrations of extractable phosphorus and exchangeable cations, but the soils under PRF were notably richer in magnesium.

Structural stocking guides: a new look at an old friend

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1044-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey H Gove
Keyword(s):  
Basal Area ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Diameter Distribution ◽  
Minimal Amount ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Quadratic Mean ◽  
Parameter Recovery ◽  
Distribution Shape ◽  
New Information ◽  
New Type

A parameter recovery-based model is developed that allows the incorporation of diameter distribution information directly into stocking guides. The method is completely general in applicability across different guides and forest types and could be adapted to other systems such as density management diagrams. It relies on a simple measure of diameter distribution shape, the basal area larger than quadratic mean stand diameter, to estimate the parameters of the unknown distribution. This latter quantity is shown to have high correlation with stocking guide variables in northeastern forest types. A primary objective of this new type of guide is that its use should require a minimal amount of new information from the user and that the underlying model should be as simple as possible.

scholarly journals Spatial and seasonal variations of leaf area index (LAI) in subtropical secondary forests related to floristic composition and stand characters

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjuan Zhu ◽  
Wenhua Xiang ◽  
Qiong Pan ◽  
Yelin Zeng ◽  
Shuai Ouyang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Heterogeneity ◽  
Leaf Area Index ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Controlling Factors ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Subtropical Forests

Abstract. Leaf area index (LAI) is an important parameter related to carbon, water and energy exchange between canopy and atmosphere, and is widely applied in the process models to simulate production and hydrological cycle in forest ecosystems. However, fine-scale spatial heterogeneity of LAI and its controlling factors have not been fully understood in Chinese subtropical forests. We used hemispherical photography to measure LAI values in three subtropical forests (i.e. Pinus massoniana – Lithocarpus glaber coniferous and evergreen broadleaved mixed forests, Choerospondias axillaris deciduous broadleaved forests, and L. glaber – Cyclobalanopsis glauca evergreen broadleaved forests) during period from April, 2014 to January, 2015. Spatial heterogeneity of LAI and its controlling factors were analysed by using geostatistics method the generalised additive models (GAMs), respectively. Our results showed that LAI values differed greatly in the three forests and their seasonal variations were consistent with plant phenology. LAI values exhibited strong spatial autocorrelation for three forests measured in January and for the L. glaber – C. glauca forest in April, July and October. Obvious patch distribution pattern of LAI values occurred in three forests during the non-growing period and this pattern gradually dwindled in the growing season. Stand basal area, crown coverage, crown width, proportion of deciduous species on basal area basis and forest types affected the spatial variations in LAI values in January, while species richness, crown coverage, stem number and forest types affected the spatial variations in LAI values in July. Floristic composition, spatial heterogeneity and seasonal variations should be considered for sampling strategy in indirect LAI measurement and application of LAI to simulate functional processes in subtropical forests.

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