Secondary Forest Patches Research Articles

Vertebrate fauna of Morankanda-Mukalana secondary forest patch in Sri Lanka: A checklist reported from 2004-2008 survey

Morankanda-Mukalana is a fragmented forest patch which is located in the Galle district, Southern wet zone of Sri Lanka. Biogeography of the Morankanda is noteworthy because it is located in the middle of the transition area of forest reserves or proposed forest reserves, which includes Beraliya Mukalana. This basic field survey was carried out upon the request made by Morakanda Estate management to define vertebrate checklist in the related area with the aim of starting analogue forestry as a future practice. During the study, a total of nine freshwater fish species were recorded (including four endemics), together with 14 species of amphibians (8 endemics), 43 reptile species (20 tetrapods and 23 serpentoids incl. 16 endemics), and 26 mammals (3 endemics). Avifauna comprised of 112 species (9 migrants) with 12 endemic birds (including proposed endemics). The high vertebrate faunal diversity revealed in this study paved the way for the estate management to change their plantation practice by maintaining partially analogue forestry following conservation practices which will positively affect to improve the status of wild fauna. Keywords. Agro-ecosystem, analogue forestry, endemic fauna, rain forests, vertebrate checklist.

Species Composition and Visiting Frequencies of Flower Visitors ofChromolaena odoratain a Dry Zone Forest Patch of Sri Lanka

Plant-animal interaction has been a major theme in ecology as it has helped ecologists to rule out different patterns they observed in the surrounding environments.Chromolaena odoratais another plant species that is studied extensively as it has become a major troublesome weed in many parts of the tropics. But, handful of studies are available on pollination of this invasive plant species in dry forests and its function as a pollinator sink in these environments. The current study was carried out in a dry zone secondary forest patch in North-Central Sri Lanka to assess the diversity, abundance, and pollination strength of flower visitors associated with theC. odorata. The results suggest that the diversity of Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera is higher than the other insect orders that visitedC. odorata, but all species exerted equal pollination strength on the plant. The attraction of large numbers of insects is concluded to as one of the factors that contribute to the reproductive success ofC. odoratain dry zone forests.

Vascular epiphyte assemblages in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest fragment: investigating the effect of host tree features

This study investigates the relative importance of dispersal- and niche-related mechanisms structuring the assemblages of vascular epiphytes in a 10-ha secondary Atlantic Forest patch in Sao Paulo city, Brazil. We tested for the effect of characteristics of host trees (species, height, trunk diameter, presence of lianas, and distance to a near stream) and of space on epiphyte abundance, species richness, and species composition of vascular epiphytes. Inside a 0.2-ha plot, all 86 trees with diameter at breast height >13 cm (27 species) were recorded, as well as all epiphytes larger than 15 cm in length on those trees (380 individuals, 22 species). Twenty-eight trees (32.6 %) did not carry epiphytes. On individual trees, tree species showed a significant effect on epiphyte abundance, richness, and species composition. The bark-shedding Piptadenia gonoacantha carried less epiphytes than other tree species. Distance to the stream showed effects on abundance and species composition, with lower abundance farther from the stream. Tree height had a positive effect on abundance, richness, and species composition, but trunk diameter had none, supporting the importance of vertical stratification in controlling epiphyte richness. Variation partitioning analyses showed little or no effect of “pure space” on abundance, richness, and species composition (explaining 6.7, 4.5, and 0.7 % of variation, respectively), as compared to environmental effects (26, 30, and 14.5 %), generally supporting a higher importance of niche-based processes in structuring epiphytic assemblages on host trees in the plot.

Evaluating phyllostomid bat conservation potential of three forest types in the northern Neotropics of Eastern Mexico

Forest conversion to anthropogenic uses is a generalized phenomenon throughout tropical Latin America. We evaluated whether patches of secondary forest, which develop relatively rapidly after field abandonment, contribute to conservation of phyllostomid bat assemblages. Our objective was to compare patterns of phyllostomid bat abundance and the structure and composition of phyllostomid bat assemblages across three forest types in the northern neotropics of eastern Mexico. We studied phyllostomid bats within secondary evergreen, primary semi-deciduous, and primary evergreen forests. For each forest type, three representative sites were sampled with mist nets once during the dry season and once during the rainy season for a total of nine sites. Richness, diversity, and assemblage composition patterns were compared among forest types for all phyllostomid species, and for three groups of sensitivity to habitat fragmentation. Abundance of individual species was also compared among forest types. A total of 646 individual bats from 15 species, 11 of which were phyllostomids, were registered. Combining both seasons, more than 250 captures were accomplished at both the primary evergreen and secondary evergreen forests, and only 81 individuals were caught at primary semi-deciduous forests. Overall richness and diversity of species and sensitivity groups were greater in the rainy than the dry season. Richness was greater in secondary evergreen than in primary semi-deciduous forests, and diversity was greatest in the primary evergreen, intermediate in the secondary evergreen, and lowest in the primary semi-deciduous forest. Some overlap in composition was also evident, although there was separation between forest types and seasons. Mean abundances were higher for some species at primary evergreen and secondary evergreen forests, but were threefold lower (though not significantly) in secondary evergreen forests in the dry season for some other species. We also found that primary evergreen forests have the greatest importance for phyllostomids during the dry season. These results suggest that maintenance of secondary evergreen forests, which cover a large proportion of the northeastern Mexican neotropics, would contribute to the conservation of diverse tropical bat communities. Therefore, large areas of this forest type should necessarily be incorporated in the landscape.

Descomposición de hojarasca de las especies leñosas nativas y exóticas más abundantes del pedemonte de las Yungas, Tucumán, Argentina

Ecologia Austral, 24:286-293 (2014) Exotic species may influence the process of decomposition, either directly (through differences in the quality and/or quantity of leaf-litter) or indirectly (by altering microclimatic conditions and the abundance and/or activity of decomposers). The aims of our study were: I) to compare the decomposability of the most abundant exotic and native species in secondary forests of the Sierra de San Javier, Tucuman, II) to assess the effect of the environment on the rate of decomposition of an homogeneous substrate and III) to evaluate the effect of the litterbags mesh size on the decomposition process. To do this, we incubated leaf-litter of 7 native and 7 exotic species under standard conditions for one year and also leaf-litter of Populus deltoides (homogeneous substrate) in native and invaded by Ligustrum lucidum secondary forest patches in bags with two mesh sizes. Native and exotic species did not differ in their weight loss rates, but there were interspecific differences. The decay constant of the homogeneous substrate was lower in invaded patches so it is possible that L. lucidum modify the composition and /or activity of decomposing organisms and generate changes in micro-environmental conditions. In addition, decomposition was higher in bags with larger mesh size. This pattern may be explained by the differential access of macro invertebrates. Our results suggest the absence of a pattern of decay in native and exotic species as groups, and the potential influence that L. lucidum would have over the factors controlling littler decomposition.

Land cover dynamics in Osa Region, Costa Rica: secondary forest is here to stay

Although high deforestation rates are documented in Latin America, there are also significant signs of secondary forest regrowth. In this study, we analyze the land cover dynamics in the Osa Peninsula region of Costa Rica between 1987 and 2009 that provides a good scenario for evaluating the effects over forest trends of the environmental policies set up in 1996. Remote sensing imagery from Landsat and SPOT 2 satellites was classified using the See5 algorithm to obtain land cover maps for 1987, 1998, 2003 and 2009. Our results show that land cover changes in Osa County are driven by grassland/forest dynamics. Forest area diminished over the 1987–1998 period, whereas it increased by 5 and 6 % during the 1998–2003 and 2003–2009 periods, respectively. Grassland abandonment was identified as the main driver of the net increase in forest cover area. Fragmentation analysis was done over the forest class of these maps disclosing secondary forest of the persistent forest of each period. Persistent forest patches decrease in number, but increase in size through time, forming areas of persistent forest established in bigger patches with lower edge density. Secondary forest patches have increased in number and size, forming larger areas of forest established in bigger patches. Nearly half of the reforested area in the period 1987–2009 remained as secondary forest in 2009, playing a key role by decreasing forest fragmentation and strengthening the natural corridor connecting the conservation areas of the region.

Genetic Diversity and Spatial Genetic Structure of an Epiphytic Bromeliad in Costa Rican Montane Secondary Forest Patches

AbstractInformation on genetic variation and its distribution in tropical plant populations relies mainly on studies of ground‐rooted species, while genetic information of epiphytic plants is still limited. Particularly, the effect of forest successional condition on genetic diversity and structure of epiphytes is scanty in the literature. We evaluated the genetic variation and spatial genetic structure of the epiphytic bromeliad Guzmania monostachia (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) in montane secondary forest patches in Costa Rica. The sampling design included plants on the same trees (i.e., populations), populations within forest patches and patches within secondary forest at two different successional stages (early vs. mid‐succession). Six microsatellites revealed low levels of population genetic variation (A = 2.06, AE = 1.61, HE = 0.348), a marked deficiency of heterozygotes (HO = 0.031) and high inbreeding (f = 0.908). Genetic differentiation was negligible among populations within the same forest patch, but moderate (GST = 0.123 ± 0.043) among forest patches. Genetic relatedness between individuals was significantly higher for plants located within the same forest patch and separated by <60 m and decreased as distance between plants increased, becoming significantly negative at distances >400 m. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant genetic variation between forest patches, but non‐significant variation between successional stages. The selfing breeding system and limited seed dispersal capabilities in G. monostachia could explain the observed levels and partitioning of genetic diversity at this geographic scale. However, these results also suggest that forest fragmentation is likely to influence the degree of local genetic structuring of epiphytic plants by limiting gene flow.

Coffee Agroforests Remain Beneficial for Neotropical Bird Community Conservation across Seasons

Coffee agroforestry systems and secondary forests have been shown to support similar bird communities but comparing these habitat types are challenged by potential biases due to differences in detectability between habitats. Furthermore, seasonal dynamics may influence bird communities differently in different habitat types and therefore seasonal effects should be considered in comparisons. To address these issues, we incorporated seasonal effects and factors potentially affecting bird detectability into models to compare avian community composition and dynamics between coffee agroforests and secondary forest fragments. In particular, we modeled community composition and community dynamics of bird functional groups based on habitat type (coffee agroforest vs. secondary forest) and season while accounting for variation in capture probability (i.e. detectability). The models we used estimated capture probability to be similar between habitat types for each dietary guild, but omnivores had a lower capture probability than frugivores and insectivores. Although apparent species richness was higher in coffee agroforest than secondary forest, model results indicated that omnivores and insectivores were more common in secondary forest when accounting for heterogeneity in capture probability. Our results largely support the notion that shade-coffee can serve as a surrogate habitat for secondary forest with respect to avian communities. Small coffee agroforests embedded within the typical tropical countryside matrix of secondary forest patches and small-scale agriculture, therefore, may host avian communities that resemble those of surrounding secondary forest, and may serve as viable corridors linking patches of forest within these landscapes. This information is an important step toward effective landscape-scale conservation in Neotropical agricultural landscapes.

Leaf litter depth as an important factor inhibiting seedling establishment of an exotic palm in tropical secondary forest patches

Intact tropical rainforests on continents and continental islands are considered to be relatively resistant to invasions by introduced plant species, but fragmentation and degradation may render them susceptible, especially to species from predominantly shade-tolerant families with centres of diversity in the tropics, such as palms. We investigated the seedling establishment patterns of the most common exotic palm species in Singapore’s secondary forest patches, the Macarthur palm (Ptychosperma macarthurii), in relation to landscape-level planting intensity, abiotic conditions, and recipient community composition. We first used conditional inference forests to narrow down the set of possible explanatory variables, followed by fitting generalised linear models with the forest patch and individual plots as random intercepts, to account for the nesting of plots within patches and overdispersion, respectively. The number of cultivated adults in the vicinity was not an important variable. Instead, leaf litter was the most important predictor of seedling density. Thick leaf litter in the disturbed and younger secondary forest matrix that surrounds old growth forest patches may therefore serve as a buffer against invasions, especially by small-seeded exotics. However, if adults of exotic species are allowed to establish unchecked, for example along forest trails that lead into the interior of the forested landscape, the seed rain may eventually reach old growth forest where leaf litter is typically thin. Further studies are required to determine if second-generation adults within invaded habitats contribute disproportionately more to propagule pressure than first-generation cultivated plants outside the invaded habitat.

Vegetation Restoration and Conservation Plans for Integrated Coastal Management in Hengqin, China

Fan, S.; Ren, H.; Wang, R.; Pan, C.; Huang, G.; Chen, Y.; Zhan, P.; Yang, J.; Luo, H.; Jian, S., and Wu, X., 2013. Vegetation restoration and conservation plans for integrated coastal management in Hengqin, China. In 2009, the Chinese government approved the use of Hengqin Island for a large-scale development that will have serious consequences for plant biodiversity and plant communities in the island ecosystem as a whole. To construct an integrated and healthy vegetation ecosystem on Hengqin Island, we investigated the current vegetation and soil and developed a plan for vegetation conservation and rehabilitation. Satellite images captured over the last 30 years show that the island's coastline has changed greatly and that the forest land, water area, farmland, and urban land has greatly increased because of reclamation. The island currently supports 896 species of vascular plants, which are distributed in nine types of community. The plantation is the dominant community, although there are several patches of secondary forest. The typical soil types are lateritic red soil, salt swamp soil, littoral sandy soil, and fill soil. The poor physical and chemical properties of the soil are considered the limiting factors for vegetation restoration and rehabilitation. We propose to protect the secondary forests and mangroves and to improve the terrestrial plantations. We also recommend that, during the process of island urbanization, vegetation in the protected areas and in the newly constructed urban areas should be spatially connected, i.e. the sea should be connected to the mountain, the remnant forests should be connected to new urban green spaces, and the aquatic plant communities should be connected to the terrestrial plant communities. Hengqin government has adopted these plans and implementation has already begun.

Foraging in highly dynamic environments: leaf‐cutting ants adjust foraging trail networks to pioneer plant availability

AbstractMajor shifts in the availability of palatable plant resources are of key relevance to the ecology of leaf‐cutting ants in human‐modified landscapes. However, our knowledge is still limited regarding the ability of these ants to adjust their foraging strategy to dynamic environments. Here, we examine a set of forest stand attributes acting as modulating forces for the spatiotemporal architecture of foraging trail networks developed by Atta cephalotes L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini). During a 12‐month period, we mapped the foraging systems of 12 colonies located in Atlantic forest patches with differing size, regeneration age, and abundance of pioneer plants, and examined the variation in five trail system attributes (number of trails, branching points, leaf sources, linear foraging distance, and trail complexity) in response to these patch‐related variables. Both the month‐to‐month differences (depicted in annual trail maps) and the steadily accumulating number of trails, trail‐branching points, leaf sources, and linear foraging distance illustrated the dynamic nature of spatial foraging and trail complexity. Most measures of trail architecture correlated positively with the number of pioneer trees across the secondary forest patches, but no effects from patch age and size were observed (except for number of leaf sources). Trail system complexity (measured as fractal dimension; Df index) varied from 1.114 to 1.277 along the 12 months through which ant foraging was monitored, with a marginal trend to increase with the abundance of pioneer stems. Our results suggest that some leaf‐cutting ant species are able to generate highly flexible trail networks (via fine‐tuned adjustment of foraging patterns), allowing them to profit from the continuous emergence/recruitment of palatable resources.

The influence of agricultural system, stand structural complexity and landscape context on foraging birds in oil palm landscapes

Functional diversity, an important element of avian biodiversity, can be examined by quantifying foraging guild composition. Understanding the ecological processes that underpin functional diversity of birds in oil palm Elaeis guineensis landscapes is important because different foraging guilds are likely to be influenced in different ways by land use practices. We surveyed birds at 55 sites within oil palm landscapes and at 20 sites within logged peat swamp forest, recording 208 species belonging to 19 foraging guilds. Oil palm landscapes supported a lower abundance of insectivorous, granivorous and omnivorous birds than did logged peat swamp forest despite the latter being severely degraded due to intensive timber extraction. However, abundances of other groups of foraging birds, such as raptors and wetland taxa, were higher in oil palm landscapes than logged peat swamp forest. Frugivorous species were more abundant in smallholdings than plantation estates, probably because of the presence of native trees. Foraging guild diversity was explained by stand‐level attributes such as stand age, vegetation cover, epiphyte persistence and canopy cover. However, each foraging guild exhibited unique responses to different oil palm management regimes and stand‐level attributes. Only arboreal omnivores and terrestrial frugivores were affected by the proximity of nearby natural forest. This diversity of responses implies that the occurrence of particular avian foraging guilds may not be a suitable ecological indicator of best‐practice palm oil production. Our study also suggests that multiple conservation measures will be needed in oil palm landscapes irrespective of management regimes, including: (1) the maintenance of ground layer vegetation cover; (2) the pruning of oil palm canopy to permit light penetration to the ground layer; (3) re‐vegetation of parts of oil palm landscapes with native trees; and (4) retention of natural and/or secondary forest patches within the boundaries of plantations.

Tropical rain-forest matrix quality affects bat assemblage structure in secondary forest patches

Abstract We studied Phyllostomidae bat assemblage structure in patches of secondary forest dominated by the pioneer tree Ochroma pyramidale, largely (>85%) or partially (<35%) surrounded by a matrix of tropical rain forest, to test 3 hypotheses: the highest bat diversity and richness is observed in the matrix rain forest in comparison to secondary forest patches; the proportion of rain forest surrounding secondary forest positively affects bat diversity and richness; and canopy openness is an important structural variable negatively affecting bat abundance. Rain-forest control sites had the highest bat species diversity and richness, and contributed more to total diversity than did secondary forest. Bat diversity was similar between secondary forest patches largely enclosed by rain forest and their controls, but higher diversity, richness, and contribution to total diversity were recorded in largely enclosed patches compared to partially enclosed patches. Partially enclosed patches were dominated by 2 sma...

The Genus Cecropia: A Biological Clock to Estimate the Age of Recently Disturbed Areas in the Neotropics

Forest successional processes following disturbance take decades to play out, even in tropical forests. Nonetheless, records of vegetation change in this ecosystem are scarce, increasing the importance of the chronosequence approach to study forest recovery. However, this approach requires accurate dating of secondary forests, which until now was a difficult and/or expensive task. Cecropia is a widespread and abundant pioneer tree genus of the Neotropics. Here we propose and validate a rapid and straightforward method to estimate the age of secondary forest patches based on morphological observations of Cecropia trees. We found that Cecropia-inferred ages were highly correlated with known ages of the forest. We also demonstrate that Cecropia can be used to accurately date disturbances and propose twenty-one species distributed all over the geographical range of the genus as potential secondary forest chronometer species. Our method is limited in applicability by the maximal longevity of Cecropia individuals. Although the oldest chronosequence used in this study was 20 years old, we argue that at least for the first four decades after disturbance, the method described in this study provides very accurate estimations of secondary forest ages. The age of pioneer trees provides not only information needed to calculate the recovery of carbon stocks that would help to improve forest management, but also provides information needed to characterize the initial floristic composition and the rates of species remigration into secondary forest. Our contribution shows how successional studies can be reliably and inexpensively extended without the need to obtain forest ages based on expensive or potentially inaccurate data across the Neotropics.

Vegetation dynamics in a corridor between protected areas after slash-and-burn cultivation in south-eastern Madagascar

Slash-and-burn cultivation is a major cause of deforestation in Madagascar, and abandonment leads to the secondary vegetation dynamics, i.e. colonization by herbaceous vegetation, shrubs and trees. The study was conducted in south-eastern Madagascar in a steep transition zone along an altitudinal and a sharp precipitation gradient between a high altitude rainforest and a lowland dry tropical forest. The restoration of gaps created by abandoned fields in this narrow, winding corridor could be essential to maintain connectivity between two areas (areas 1 and 2) of Andohahela National Park. Prior to implementing restoration, baseline ecological information is needed on the reference ecosystem and vegetation resilience must be studied to identify restoration needs. This study aims to (1) assess whether cultivation practices (irrigated rice vs. cassava, maize and sweet potato) influence vegetation dynamics after abandonment; (2) study vegetation dynamics and soils over time since abandonment, and (3) compare secondary forest vegetation and soils with those of mature forest patches. Surveys of vegetation and soil were conducted in 26 secondary forest patches abandoned from 3 to >25 years (synchronic approach) and in 19 adjacent mature forest patches (controls). No relationship between age of abandonment and vegetation species richness, composition or structure was found, but clear differences were detected between secondary and mature forest patches. Secondary forests are not colonized by species from mature forests, but instead their vegetation dynamics appear to lead to the establishment of thorny thickets dominated by Mimosa delicatula, which is absent from the mature forest.

Factores que afectan el peso promedio de la “tórtola coquita” o “mukuy” (Columbina passerina) en la reserva de Dzilam, Yucatán

En este trabajo evaluamos algunos factores que influyen en el peso corporal de Columbina passerinahabitando en diferentes etapas sucesionales de la selva baja caducifolia del estado de Yucatán. Colectamos muestras, de diciembre de 2004 a diciembre de 2005, en fragmentos de selva baja con cuatro diferentes edades de abandono: (1) &gt;10 años, (2) ≥5 y ≤10 años, (3) &lt;5 años y (4) pastizal en uso para ganadería. Empleamos diez redes de niebla durante 12/mes/sitio, acumulando un esfuerzo de muestreo de 1,440 horas/red por sitio. Pesamos 56 individuos. No encontramos diferencias significativas entre sexos. Analizamos la influencia del tiempo de abandono y la estacionalidad en la variación del peso de C. passerina usando una ANDEVA factorial. El peso promedio fue de 39 g. La estacionalidad tuvo un efecto en la diferencia de pesos, pero la edad de abandono no. En las parcelas con menos años de abandono capturamos el 96% de los individuos, lo que quizá se deba a que la abundancia de especies de plantas con semillas pequeñas se presente en las primeras etapas sucesionales. Los mayores pesos se encontraron en la época de lluvias, cuando casi todas las especies de plantas producen semillas, ya que éste es un ecosistema estacional. En ecorregiones altamente productivas de Centroamérica se encontraron pesos de entre 30 y 35 g para la especie, lo que sugiere que los ecosistemas más productivos no necesariamente tienen más recursos para esta especie.

Bird surveys for REDD+: avian communities indicate forest degradation in a Peruvian coffee landscape

AbstractShade coffee cultivation in the Peruvian Andes assists in reducing emissions from deforestation because it avoids conversion to non-forest land uses such as coca and sun grown coffee farming. REDD+ is a potential finance mechanism which may provide incentives for local coffee cooperatives to maintain high shade tree cover. REDD+ has potential multiple benefits other than carbon sequestration, including the conservation of biodiversity. When monitoring for REDD+, surveys of bird biodiversity may prove to be particularly valuable: apart from their high intrinsic value and their value as essential ecosystem service providers, birds inhabiting forest habitats are extremely sensitive to forest loss and forest degradation and are therefore potential useful indicators for the impact of habitat and climate disturbances on biodiversity and environmental health.We analyzed the impact of coffee cultivation on the conservation of birds and assessed what can be learned from bird surveys when monitoring the Peruvian mountain forests for REDD+. Using twelve day-long transect walks, bird species were recorded in two sites in the buffer zone of the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park in SE Peru. The two sites had contrasting human pressure: one site an intimate mixture of shade coffee plantations, orchards, secondary forest patches and coca plantations and the other site secondary forest with patchily distributed shade coffee, fruit and coca plantations. An indirect gradient approach (non-metric multidimensional scaling and multi-response permutation procedure tests) was used to detect differences in forest degradation between sites.In a two-dimensional ordination space, individual counts of the less disturbed site were separated from the other counts, but sites did not differ significantly at the community-level. Observed birds were indicative for one habitat type. The bird assemblage was dominated by species of forest edges and second growth habitat (78%). The majority of species (68%) had a wide range covering Amazonia and the east slopes of the Andes; only 25 species (29%) were more or less restricted to Andes and the outlying ridges.The current state of the forest, in both sites with contrasting human influence, can be described as disturbed secondary montane evergreen forest of the transition zone between the Andes and the Amazon. Despite severe human impact, several forest specialists (22%) of both Andean montane and Amazonian forest persisted –including the enigmatic Andean cock-of-the-rock and Military macaw. For such species, REDD+ projects should not only focus on the sustainable management of the shade coffee stands but also aim to conserve the remaining old-growth secondary forest patches.

Análisis del paisaje y de su relación con la regeneración del roble (Quercus Humboldtii Bonpl.) en el Municipio de Popayán, Departamento del Cauca

La revista Colombia Forestal publica manuscritos originales en temáticas del campo forestal y diversos aspectos de los recursos naturales y del medio ambiente, los cuales se discriminan en las categorías de artículo de investigación, de revisión, de reflexión y notas técnicas de acuerdo con lo estipulado por COLCIENCIAS para las publicaciones científicas. De acuerdo a la clasificación de áreas científicas de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE), la revista Colombia Forestal pertenece al gran área de Ciencias Agrícolas(4), área de Agricultura, Silvicultura y Pesca(4A) y a la disciplina Forestal (4A02).

Net precipitation and soil water dynamics in clearings, old secondary and old‐growth forests in the montane rain forest belt of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

AbstractThe montane rain forest belt on Mt Kilimanjaro forms an important water source for northern Tanzania that is threatened by both logging and fire. The aim of this study was to investigate the consequences of forest fragmentation on various aspects of the water cycle. Soil properties, rainfall, throughfall and soil water suction were analysed for mature forest, secondary forest patches and large clearings. A total of 10 plots located on the south‐western slopes of the mountain between 2100 and 2300 m.a.s.l. were monitored from May 2000 to June 2002. Annual rainfall amounts ranged from 2000 to 2600 mm with high spatial and inter‐annual variability. Rainfall interception ranged from 3 to 9% of incident rainfall in clearings, to a maximum of 32% in forests. In general, soils under mature forest were wettest and showed only minor moisture fluctuations throughout the year. Soils of secondary forest sites were driest and soil water suction exhibited the largest fluctuations. Additionally, the finer texture of soils under mature forest compared to secondary forest sites allowed higher amounts of soil water to be stored for similar soil water suction levels. Ventilation and radiation penetration, which influence the magnitude of interception, evaporation from the forest floor and transpiration, were probably higher in fragmented secondary than in closed mature forests. In clearings, higher throughfall and presumably lower transpiration rates led to moister conditions compared to adjacent secondary forest sites. Thus, soil conditions under mature forest were most suitable for optimum water storage on Mt Kilimanjaro. The transformation of closed mature forest to a mosaic of forests in different stages of regeneration led to increased spatio‐temporal variability in soil moisture. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Análise da dinâmica de fragmentos florestais no município de Carandaí, MG, para fins de restauração florestal

A busca de conhecimento sobre fragmentos florestais nas propriedades rurais permite a aplicação de uma correta gestão agroambiental, favorecendo a sua conservação e restauração em áreas degradadas. Utilizando os softwares SPRING e FRAGSTATS, caracterizou-se a paisagem, com ênfase nos fragmentos de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual Secundária, localizada no Município de Carandaí, MG, e região de entorno, considerando sua evolução durante o período de 1984 a 2007. Concluiu-se que ocorreu aumento de quase 8% na área total de floresta nativa devido ao surgimento de 46 novos fragmentos, e a área individual de cada fragmento apresentou tendência de redução (31,9 para 30,6 ha), o que proporcionou aumento da densidade de borda (17,1 para 19,7 m/ha), diminuindo a porcentagem de cada fragmento, que é a área central (33,8 para 30,2%) durante o intervalo de tempo avaliado. Apesar da vantagem de predominância de fragmentos de forma geométrica simples (índice de forma médio de 1,738), com redução do efeito de borda, a qualidade da paisagem apresentou-se comprometida, por ser constituída predominantemente por pequenos fragmentos. Os fragmentos florestais mostraram-se ainda muito distanciados entre si (mais que 200 m), apresentando pequena tendência de aglomeração (reflexo do aumento no número de fragmentos), porém ainda insuficiente. Portanto, apesar de a cobertura de floresta nativa ter apresentado aumento de área total, de modo geral esta perdeu em qualidade no intervalo de tempo estudado. Essas informações podem ser utilizadas para uma gestão ambiental correta quanto ao manejo florestal nessa região.