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Dynamics of a dry forest fragment after the exclusion of human disturbance in southeastern Brazil.
- Source :
- Plant Ecology; Oct2004, Vol. 174 Issue 2, p339-348, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- Changes in the structure and composition of a dry forest fragment were described for a 4-yr period (1994-1998) in the southeastern Brazil (19°12′05″ S and 47°08′02″ W). This is the first dynamic study of a vanishing type of dry forest, which grows on base-rich soils originating from the basalt bedrock of western Minas Gerais State. A survey of trees ≥ 3.2 cm dbh (diameter at breast height, or 1.30 m) was conducted in 26 transects of 50 m × 6 m (0.78 ha). The species were classified into three regeneration guilds – pioneer, light-demanding and shade-tolerant – on the basis of others studies and personal observation. There was a decrease of 10.1% in the number of trees between 1994 and 1998. However, the basal area had an increase of 1.5% in the same period. Size class distributions in 1994 and 1998 were significantly different. The smallest trees (diameter < 10 cm) had the highest mortality rates. Although stand composition showed little change, a few species showed significant imbalance between recruitment and mortality. The studied fragment had mortality (2.3% yr<superscript>–1</superscript>) and recruitment (1.6% yr<superscript>–1</superscript>) rates similar to other tropical rain forests for trees ≥ 10 cm dbh. The present fragment of forest (turnover time = 39.5 yr, at cut level 10 cm dbh) lies among the most dynamic tropical forests. The main compositional changes were the increase of shade-tolerant trees and decline of pioneer species. The changes in composition and structure over the survey period may reflect the recovery of the forest after 4 yr of conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- FOREST dynamics
FOREST ecology
ECOLOGY
FORESTS & forestry
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13850237
- Volume :
- 174
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Plant Ecology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 15155627
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1023/B:VEGE.0000049112.06259.4c