Effects of density and structure on production in the communal forests of the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental

Abstract

The Sierra Madre Occidental in the Mexican State of Durango, is home to about 5 million ha of species-rich forest ecosystems. Local communities depend on these forests for their livelihood. The preservation of the species richness and productivity of this unique resource requires improved understanding of the effects of forest structure and density on production. The community structure was analysed for three species groups (all species; 12 species of Pinus; and 16 species of Quercus). Based on data gathered in 580 remeasured observational field plots, the main results of this study were as follows: (1) two distinct clusters were identified in each species group, (a) the dominant species with a smaller range of growth rates, and (b) the remaining species which have a smaller maximum size and a greater variation of growth rates. (2) Density (expressed as basal area per hectare) and the percentage contribution to the total basal area of all pine species have a significant effect on forest production (expressed as volume increment per hectare per year). (3) Potential production is surprisingly high (in excess of 20 m3 ha−1 y−1 for some stands) in these forests, but the high potential cannot be realised in many areas because of reduced basal areas caused by overharvesting. (4) The available evidence does not confirm the findings of a recent study that suggests a continuous increase in production with increasing richness. Our observations show that production attains a potential maximum at intermediate levels of richness (between 7 and 9 species per 0.25 ha) and declines with further increases in species richness. This study represents a comprehensive analysis of the effects of density and structure on the community forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental based on a large set of permanent field plots where all trees have been mapped.