Abstract
The study was developed with the objective of evaluating the effect of the altitudinal gradient on the structure and diversity of the tree community on Mount Unango, for this, where 3 strata were allocated with 25 plots each, all with 100m². After its development, it was found in strata1, 2 and 3, a total of 1919 tree individuals distributed in 33 species, 25 genera, and 16 botanical families. The families best represented in number of species were: Fabaceae, and Caesalpinaceae. The species Catunaregam obovata, Piliostigma thonningii, Syzygium guineense, Parinari curatellifolia, Cussonia arborea and Annona senegalensis were present in all altimetric strata at Unango Mount. The diversity was: 1,9, 2,6, and 1.8 respectively for strata 1, 2 and 3. Analytically there was a high similarity between the strata 1 and 2 studied with 50% in the Jaccard index (9 species in common), and lower similarity between strata 1 and 3 (1 species in common) with 25% of the index. The gradient studied presents a peak of diversity and richness at intermediate altitudes. And there was an abrupt transition in terms of the composition in the upper stratus (1040m), which presents most of its floristic composition with characteristics of the high mountain ecosystems.
Highlights
It is important to register dead or fallen individuals, in order to know the difference between biomass and necromass, which will allow the subsequent knowledge of the carbon balance and dynamics in the plant community, as well as it will be important to designate whether or not necessary the intervention of silvicultural actions, or management activities in the area [11]
The pattern found in the present study shows that the curves of species accumulation, were higher for stratum 2, followed by 1 and 3 respectively, based on these curves, the sample sufficiency was achieved, as it represents the floristic composition of each of the altitudinal strata
For Stratum 1, the most important species in its composition stood out Brachystegia boemii, Brachystegia Spiciformis, Proteia caffra and the species of the genus Uapaca present, respectively
Summary
Type of Vegetation Along the Altitudinal Variation There are many definitions of mountains, the Convention on Biological Diversity brings us a more comprehensive one: “Mountains are characterized by distinct abiotic, biotic, social, cultural, economic and spiritual values”. These areas tend to have a combination of the following physical and biological characteristics: altitude or slope of the land, diversified climate, a relatively high composition of endemic species and native species, and degrees of fragility and isolation, in their structure. A fifth of the world's landscape consists of mountains and about 2 billion people depend on their ecosystems for food, wood, fuel and minerals. About 80% of our planet's freshwater originates in the mountains [14]
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