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Can a fast-growing early-successional tree (Ochroma pyramidale, Malvaceae) accelerate forest succession?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

Ivar Vleut ,
Samuel Israel Levy-Tacher ,
Willem Frederik de Boer ,
Jorge Galindo-González  and
Neptalí Ramírez-Marcial
Ivar Vleut*
Affiliation:
El Colegio De La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, Barrio de María Auxiliadora, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, C.P. 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
Samuel Israel Levy-Tacher
Affiliation:
El Colegio De La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, Barrio de María Auxiliadora, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, C.P. 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
Willem Frederik de Boer
Affiliation:
Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6400 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Jorge Galindo-González
Affiliation:
Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada (INBIOTECA), Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Culturas Veracruzanas #101, Colonia E. Zapata, C.P. 91090, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Neptalí Ramírez-Marcial
Affiliation:
El Colegio De La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, Barrio de María Auxiliadora, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, C.P. 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
*
1Corresponding author. Email: ivar82@yahoo.com
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Abstract:

Species-specific traits of trees affect ecosystem dynamics, defining forest structure and understorey development. Ochroma pyramidale is a fast-growing tree species, with life-history traits that include low wood density, short-lived large leaves and a narrow open thin crown. We evaluated forest succession in O. pyramidale-dominated secondary forests, diverse secondary forests, both 10–15 y since abandonment, and rain forests by comparing height, density and basal area of all trees (> 5 cm dbh). Furthermore, we compared species richness of understorey trees and shrubs, and basal area and density of trees of early- and late-successional species (< 5 cm dbh) between forest types. We found that tree basal area (mean ± SD: 32 ± 0.9 m2 ha−1) and height (12.4 ± 1.8 m) of canopy trees were higher, and density (1450 ± 339 ha−1) lower in O. pyramidale forests than in diverse forests, and more similar to rain forest. Understorey shrub diversity and tree seedling density and diversity were lower in O. pyramidale forests than in diverse forests, but these forest types had a similar density of early- and late-successional trees. Canopy openness (> 15%) and leaf litter (> 10 cm) were both highest in O. pyramidale forests, which positively affected density of understorey trees and shrubs and negatively affected density of late-successional trees. In conclusion, O. pyramidale forests presented structural features similar to those of rain forest, but this constrained the establishment of understorey tree species, especially late-successional species, decreasing successional development.

Keywords

canopy opennessdiversityleaf litterpioneer speciesregeneration
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , March 2013 , pp. 173 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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