Abstract
Secondary forests are the woody vegetation that results from the successional processes of species colonization after the original primary forest clearance. Primary forest clearances occur due to disturbances caused by natural factors such as windstorms, hurricanes, landslides, or fire. Human activities as deforestation to implement crop fields, pastures, mines, and roads can also promote the increase of secondary forests. This paper discusses the problems faced to achieve economic profitability in tropical secondary forests, giving as example the northeast region of Para state in the Brazilian Amazonia. One alternative to transform tropical secondary forests into more economically competitive land use is the intensification of silvicultural treatments aiming increased productivity of timber and non‑timber tree species. This can be implemented through Organized Disturbances to promote: a) the improvement of natural regeneration; b) enrichment planting in gaps; c) tending over naturally established seedlings and saplings of commercial species; and d) Assisted Densification of low density species. In addition to these silvicultural treatments, we propose a cyclic agroforestry system inside artificially created canopy gaps in small lands covered by secondary forests. This cyclic agroforestry system can provide crop production of grains and fruits with secondary forest conservation.
Highlights
Secondary forests are defined as the woody vegetation that results from the successional processes of species colonization after the original primary forest clearance
The objectives of this work are a) to present a review on the ecological aspects of secondary tropical forests, b) to propose well established management alternatives to increase the economic profitability of secondary tropical forests, and c) to exemplify possible production systems applicable to the secondary forests of the Brazilian Amazonia
Forest disturbances caused by natural factors that result in canopy gaps are crucial for the maintenance of species diversity in tropical forests (Denslow & Hartshorn, 1994; Zhu et al, 2014)
Summary
Secondary forests are defined as the woody vegetation that results from the successional processes of species colonization after the original primary forest clearance. Primary forest clearances occur due to disturbances caused by natural factors or human activities such as agriculture, cattle ranching, mining, or the opening of roads. In lands covered by primary forests, the formation of secondary forests only occurs after strong natural disturbances caused by windstorms, hurricanes, landslides, or fire. These disturbances destroy parts of the original old-growth forest forming small open-canopy patches. The losses of primary or old-growth forests through deforestation to provide lands for agriculture and cattle ranching activities have been the most significant factor for the increase of secondary forests worldwide. The objectives of this work are a) to present a review on the ecological aspects of secondary tropical forests, b) to propose well established management alternatives to increase the economic profitability of secondary tropical forests, and c) to exemplify possible production systems applicable to the secondary forests of the Brazilian Amazonia
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