Abstract
In this paper, the floristic composition is studied in plots of early post-agricultural succession induced in four agroecosystems (Ocopata, Rancas, Tupicocha and Ucupi) in the district of Cajatambo, Lima. The plots are located between 2,992 masl and 4,220 masl in three plant formations (agriculture, scrubland and grassland), and the description of the floristic composition was made before and after inducing the succession between 2015 and 2017. The number of determined plants is 78, all of which belong to 30 botanical families, of which the Asteraceae (16 species), Fabaceae (11 species) and Poaceae (8 species) families stand out. Indeed, the only common species among the four agroecosystems is Medicago polymorpha ; moreover, five species appear in three of the four agroecosystems: Brassica rapa subsp. campestris and Verbena litoralis (Ocopata, Tupicocha and Rancas), Oenothera rosea and Trifolium repens (Ocopata, Rancas and Ucupi) and Bidens andicola (Tupicocha, Rancas and Ucupi).
Highlights
Ecological succession is a key concept for the sustainable management of agroecosystems, but little is known about its specific role in agricultural systems, in mountain ecosystems (Sarandón & Flores, 2014)
It is defined as the process of directed temporal change of vegetation during a specific ecological time, where, usually after a disturbance, changes are observed in the taxonomic composition, three-dimensional structure of the cover and functions of the system
By maintaining a mosaic of cultivated and resting plots, farmers have captured the essence of the ecological succession process, which, in essence, is a regeneration process (Gutiérrez, Aguilera & González, 2008)
Summary
Ecological succession is a key concept for the sustainable management of agroecosystems, but little is known about its specific role in agricultural systems, in mountain ecosystems (Sarandón & Flores, 2014) It is defined as the process of directed temporal change (linear or cyclic) of vegetation during a specific ecological time, where, usually after a disturbance, changes are observed in the taxonomic composition, three-dimensional structure of the cover and functions of the system. Agricultural activity simplifies ecosystems by replacing multidimensional diversity with minimal species and varieties, which are simultaneously and homogeneously managed (Sarandón & Flores, 2014) In this sense, biological diversity is vital insofar that it provides services that go beyond the production of food, fibre and fuels (Altieri & Nicholls, 2012; Gliessman, 2002). When agricultural activity is interrupted or ceases, weeds are ubiquitous and may dominate fields during early succession (Omacini, Tognetti, Trebino & Chaneton, 2005)
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