Post-logging recovery time is longer than expected in an East African tropical forest

Abstract

Uncertainty in recovery times of tropical forests can lead to mismanagement, such as in setting inappropriate harvesting rates or failing to achieving conservation targets. We use long-term plot data (17 y) to estimate recovery times of separate forest compartments, which experienced different levels of timber extraction within Kibale National Park, Uganda. We estimate that structural recovery (basal area) of heavily logged and moderately logged compartments will take respectively 112 and 95 y, when compared to adjacent mature forest. Our data suggests that recovery in terms of species composition will take significantly longer. Our estimates of structural recovery are derived from rates of change of diameter at breast height and basal area measurements which have been used traditionally as indicators of forest growth and productivity. Our results suggest that the severity of the logging has an impact on the rate of recovery, with current recovery rates estimated at 0.32 m 2 ha −1 y −1 in a moderately logged compartment and 0.25 m 2 ha −1 y −1 in heavily logged areas, highlighting the possible benefits of reduced impact harvesting in increasing long-term yields. We investigate how some representatives of the wildlife community were affected by differential recovery times and find that recovery times of frugivorous primate's forest habitats were 2.5 times slower when compared with folivorous primates.