Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Groves of Manipur, Northeast India: Population Structure and Regeneration Status of Woody Species

Sacred groves are forest patches conserved by the local people intertwined with their socio-cultural and religious practice. These groves harbour rich biodiversity and play a significant role in the conservation of biodiversity. Population structure and regeneration status of woody species were studied during 2001–2002 in the four sacred groves of Manipur, a state in north east India. A total of 96 woody species was recorded from the four groves, the highest being Konthoujam Lairembi sacred grove (55 species) and lowest in Heingang Marjing sacred grove having 42 species. The density–diameter distribution of woody species in the four groves showed highest stand density and species richness in the lowest girth class (30–60 cm) and decreased in the succeeding girth classes. Overall population structure of the groves based on the number of tree seedlings, saplings and adults, displayed a greater proportion of seedlings followed by saplings and adults while for the selected tree species it varied seasonally and recruitment of species increased during rainy season attaining peak during June. Regeneration status of the four sacred groves based on strength of different age groups in their population showed good regeneration. High occurrence of ‘additional species’ to the groves may be due to the invasion through dispersal from other areas. Possibly, the prevailing favourable microenvironmental conditions contributed to their establishment and growth in the groves. Absence of seedlings and saplings of some of the species in the groves may be due to their poor seed germination and establishment of seedlings in the forest.     

Structure and floristics of secondary and old-growth forest stands in lowland Costa Rica

We characterized stand structure and floristic composition of woody life forms in three, 16–18 yr old secondary stands that regenerated after pasture abandonment, and three nearby old-growth stands of tropical rain forest in lowland Costa Rica. Basal area and stem density for each of four plant size classes (seedlings, saplings, treelets, trees) were similar among stand types, but density of adult canopy palms (individuals 10 cm DBH), was lower in the secondary stands. We estimate that 15% of the basal area of stems 10 cm DBH correspond to remnant trees in our secondary stands. The observed rapid woody regrowth compared to other published studies in the lowland neotropics, can be attributed to moderate land use and possibly, to the influence of nutrient-rich volcanic soils in the study area. Overall, plant species richness was lower in the secondary stands, but this difference was less pronounced in the smallest size classes (seedlings, saplings). Median percent similarity of all pairwise stand comparisons showed that floristic composition of saplings (stems 1 m tall and 5 cm DBH) was more similar between secondary and old-growth stands than for trees (stems 10 cm DBH). Because the potential value of secondary forests in conserving woody plant diversity appears highest for the young size classes, we suggest that further studies on floristic composition, especially those addressing the dynamics of the understory component, are needed to refine our understanding of the role of this natural resource in the maintenance of plant biodiversity in disturbed landscapes.     

Woody plant diversity,composition and structure in relation to environmental variables and land-cover types in Lake Wanchi watershed,central highlands of Ethiopia

Knowledge of vegetation dynamics associated with human land-use change and environmental variables is crucial for sustainable watershed management. The objective of this study was to analyse woody plant diversity in response to the effects of anthropogenic disturbances, and topographic variables in different land-cover types. Woody plants ≥5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were recorded from 20-by-20 m plots, those <5 cm DBH were recorded from 10-by-10 m plots, and tree seedlings were recorded in 3-by-3 m plots. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling with Bray–Curtis distance was employed to analyse woody species composition. Woody species richness was analysed using generalised linear modelling. Tree diameter-class distributions were examined for population structure. The study identified 104 woody plants belonging to 52 families, where 74.5% were indigenous and 16.7% were endemic to Ethiopia. Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Rosaceae were the most species-rich families. There was evidence for the effect of anthropogenic disturbance and elevation on woody species composition. Wetlands contained the highest woody species richness, while woody species richness declined with increasing elevation and disturbance. Evidence of good regeneration was observed in wetlands. To sustain the ecological functions and services provided by the watershed, rehabilitation of the forest and shrub-cover should be a high priority for local management authorities.     

An experimental study of the impacts of understorey forest vegetation and herbivory by red deer and rodents on seedling establishment and species composition in Waitutu Forest, New Zealand

Introduced mammalian herbivores are changing the structure and composition of New Zealand’s forest ecosystems and may modify forest succession after natural disturbances. We studied how introduced ungulates (red deer and feral pigs) and rodents (rats and house mice) affected the rate of recovery (i.e. the engineering resilience) of the forest understorey following artificial disturbance. We imposed disturbances by clearing understorey vegetation dominated by Blechnum ferns in forests on relatively fertile alluvium and elevated infertile marine terraces, and recorded recovery of vegetation (seedling establishment, species composition, cover and volume) in herbivore exclosures and controls. Seedlings quickly established on cleared plots: after 2 years, numbers of woody seedlings and ground cover of vascular plants relative to initial values were similar on cleared and uncleared treatments. Volume of plant biomass <2 m remained low on cleared subplots. Ungulates significantly reduced the re-establishment of woody seedlings ≥ 10 cm tall: only one seedling reached this height outside exclosures, compared with 29 seedlings inside. The number of seedlings <10 cm tall, expressed relative to numbers present pre-clearing, was not significantly affected by ungulates. The species composition of regenerating vegetation was more similar (Jaccard index) to pre-clearing understorey vegetation inside ungulate exclosures than outside. No consistent effect of rodents (primarily house mice) on seedling establishment or species composition was detected after 2 years, and rodent exclosures did not significantly affect survival of seedlings (Griselinia littoralis and Aristotelia serrata) planted as an index of rodent herbivory pressure. No significant differences in vegetation recovery were apparent between forest types. Rapid seedling recruitment in the absence of understorey vegetation and the presence of herbivores provided evidence that understorey vegetation competes with seedlings for light. Ungulate effects were consistent with other experiments that showed herbivores reduced the rate and altered the trajectory of vegetation regrowth after disturbance.     

秦岭山地锐齿栎次生林幼苗更新特征

分析了秦岭山地锐齿栎次生林群落乔木及木本幼苗物种特征值、更新生态位宽度及不同影响因子下（包括林分密度、坡向、海拔等）乔木更新动态。结果表明,乔木层物种有25种,锐齿栎占有明显地优势,重要值为149.18%。其次为华山松(Pinus armandii)和千斤榆(Carpinus cordata)等;更新层共有木本植物41种,其中乔木种有28种,占所有木本植物总数量的68%,优势种有青蛙皮槭(Acer grosseri)、木姜子(Litsea pungens)等。林下有丰富的幼苗库,径级及龄级比较小。更新方式以实生为主;分析了10种更新优势乔木种群的生态位宽度,同种幼树种群生态位宽度均大于幼苗种群生态位宽度。幼苗种群生态位宽度从大到小依次为榛子(Corylus heterophylla)、锐齿栎、青蛙皮槭等。幼树种群生态位宽度从大到小依次为榛子、青蛙皮槭、锐齿栎等;林分密度对林下乔木幼苗和幼树数量影响不同。当林分密度（株?hm-2）从720增加到1460时,幼苗密度逐渐增大。随后随着林分密度的增加,又呈现出减少的趋势。而幼树密度随着林分密度增加一直呈现出减少的趋势。坡向对锐齿栎次生林林下乔木幼苗和幼树的影响各异,阳坡（南偏西3）均利于幼苗和幼树的更新。南偏西45林分内,幼苗密度急剧减少。随着坡向转为阴坡,幼苗密度又逐渐增加。而幼树密度逐渐减少。当海拔从1083 m增加到1547 m时,幼树密度逐渐增加。随后,随着海拔增加到1882 m,幼树密度则逐渐减小。而幼苗密度随着海拔的增高一直呈现减小的趋势。     

Seedling and Sapling Dynamics of Treefall Pits in Puerto Rico1

Seedling and sapling dynamics in a Puerto Rican rain forest were compared between forest understory and soil pits created by the uprooting of 27 trees during Hurricane Hugo. Soil N and P, organic matter, and soil moisture were lower and bulk densities were higher in the disturbed mineral soils of the pits than in undisturbed forest soils ten months after the hurricane. No differences in N and P levels were found in pit or forest soils under two trees with N–fixing symbionts (Inga laurina and Ormosia krugii) compared to soils under a tree species without N–fixing sym–bionts (Casearia arborea), but other soil variables (Al, Fe, K) did vary by tree species. Forest plots had greater species richness of seedlings (<10 cm tall) and saplings (10–100 cm tall) than plots in the soil pits (and greater sapling densities), but seedling densities were similar between plot types. Species richness and seedling densities did not vary among plots associated with the three tree species, but some saplings were more abundant under trees of the same species. Pit size did not affect species richness or seedling and sapling densities. Recruitment of young Cecropia schreberiana trees (>5 m tall) 45 months after the hurricane was entirely from the soil pits, with no tree recruitment from forest plots. Larger soil pits had more tree recruitment than smaller pits. Defoliation of the forest by the hurricane created a large but temporary increase in light availability. Recruitment of C. schreberiana to the canopy occurred in gaps created by the treefall pits that had lower soil nutrients but provided a longer–term increase in light availability. Treefall pits also significantly altered the recruitment and mortality of many understory species in the Puerto Rican rain forest but did not alter species richness.     

帽儿山天然次生林内主要木本植物空间格局及更新特点

基于帽儿山次生林1 hm²样地的调查数据,将林分分为幼苗(树高H<30 cm)、幼树(H在30～130 cm或H>130 cm同时胸径DBH<5 cm)、中树(DBH 5～10 cm)、大树(DBH≥10 cm)4个大小级,运用O-ring点格局分析方法,分析帽儿山地区次生林内主要木本植物整体及树种人工补植红松、三大硬阔(水曲柳、胡桃楸、黄菠萝),以及榆树的各大小级空间格局及其关联性,探讨该地区次生林更新演替动向,为该地区森林的可持续经营提供依据.结果表明: 样地内更新幼苗2894株·hm^-2,幼树3337株·hm^-2,林分整体更新情况一般.对林分整体而言,幼苗分别与大树、中树和幼树在0～25 m、0～15 m、0～40 m的空间尺度上呈显著正相关,而在其余尺度上均呈显著负相关;幼树与大树、中树分别在0～15 m、0～25 m空间尺度上呈显著正相关,而在其余尺度上无显著关联;大树与中树则在所有尺度上均无相关性.对林分内优势树种而言,红松大树与幼树在所有尺度上主要呈负相关,而三大硬阔、榆树大树与幼树均以不相关为主.人工补植红松幼树与三大硬阔及榆树的各大小级在研究尺度上表现为以负相关为主,三大硬阔和榆树幼树与其他优势种各大小级只在20 m尺度内呈现负相关;三者两两之间在中树及大树阶段在20 m以上的尺度均不相关.帽儿山天然次生林还处于演替的进程当中,在今后的森林资源管理过程中,应当采取积极的人工干预措施促进林分更新,并适时对不合理的空间格局进行调整.     

海南岛霸王岭两种典型热带季雨林群落特征

热带季雨林为海南岛的隐域性植被类型,分布在与热带低地雨林相似的海拔范围但生境条件较差的局部地段,在旱季其大部分的乔木种类和个体都会落叶.海南岛霸王岭林区分布着海南岛最为典型且大都保存较为完好的热带季雨林原始林,按照其优势树种可划分为海南榄仁(Terminalia hainanensis)季雨林和枫香(Liquidambar formosana)季雨林两种群落类型.通过对霸王岭林区两种典型的热带季雨林老龄林群落的样地调查,比较分析了其物种组成、大小结构、多样性、季相变化等特征.结果表明:海南岛热带季雨林群落中物种优势度明显,具有明显的标志种--海南榄仁和枫香.海南榄仁群落具有较高的灌木物种丰富度、个体多度及较低的乔木物种丰富度、个体多度和多样性;海南榄仁群落在小径级和低高度级中具有较高的植物个体多度,同时在低高度级中具有较低的物种丰富度,但其它径级和高度级两个群落物种丰富度及个体多度差异均不显著;除灌木落叶物种丰富度海南榄仁群落显著高于枫香群落外,其余各生长型落叶物种丰富度及个体多度两个群落之间均无显著差异;在具刺木质藤本物种丰富度和个体多度上海南榄仁群落与枫香群落差异不显著,但乔木、灌木和木本植物具刺物种丰富度及个体多度海南榄仁群落均显著高于枫香群落.总体来看,海南榄仁群落比枫香群落的季雨林特征明显,是海南岛最为典型的季雨林群落类型.     

Multiple canopy opening effects on recruited saplings in a typhoon-disturbed tropical rainforest,Taiwan

To investigate the influence of multiple canopy openings on the composition and diversity of recruited saplings in a forest frequently disturbed by typhoons. We conducted tree-by-tree censuses (diameter at breast height ≥ 1 cm) and mapped gaps (canopy height < 5 m) in 1993, 2000, 2008, and 2013 in a tropical mountain zonal foothill evergreen broad-leaved forest in Nanjenshan Nature Reserve, Taiwan. We analyzed the composition and diversity of recruited saplings within a 2.1 ha plot (840 sampling quadrats (5 m × 5 m)) with variable numbers of canopy openings recorded during the study period. Composition of recruited saplings was dissimilar between quadrats that stayed opened and those that stayed closed throughout the study period (pairwise similarity estimates C₀₂ = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.38–0.66). The quadrats under closed canopy had high diversity when weighting rare species (species richness), whereas quadrats with one or two gap opening records during the past 20 years had high diversity when weighting the abundance of species. Although canopy openings provided establishment conditions for saplings of some shade-intolerant species, due to the nature of small gap size, such habitats do not favor the dominance of shade-intolerant species. Even in a frequently disturbed forest, species composition and richness of recruited saplings were mainly contributed by shade-tolerant species. Although multiple canopy openings facilitated the establishment of shade-intolerant species, species diversity in the study forests is possibly mainly mediated by coexistence mechanisms of those shade-tolerant species rather than light-gap-related species strategies.     

Comparison of seedling recruitment under arborescent palms in two Neotropical forests

Certain overlying strata in forests may disproportionately reduce seedling density and species richness. For eight arborescent palm species, we quantified the relative restriction of seedling recruitment under individual palms versus non-palm sites and extended to the landscape scale by quantifying the total area covered by arborescent palms at Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama and La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We also examined whether differences among palm species in restricting seedling recruitment were associated with differences in crown architecture, litter depth, and light availability. Woody seedlings had lower mean density/m² and mean number of species/m² under individual palms than at non-palm sites for all four palm species at BCI, but for none at La Selva. Estimated species richness for woody seedlings, derived via rarefaction, was lower under palm than non-palm microsites at both BCI and La Selva, but not for non-woody seedlings. Differences in seedling density corresponded to some key architectural characters that differed among the palm species. Light availability was lower under palm than non-palm microsites at both BCI and La Selva, but only estimated species richness of woody seedlings at BCI was strongly correlated with % canopy openness. The coverage of arborescent palms was much lower at BCI than La Selva. Therefore, at BCI, the relative restriction of woody seedling recruitment under individual palms does not accumulate greatly at the landscape scale. At La Selva, for woody seedlings, only estimated species richness was relatively limited under palms, and non-woody seedlings had relatively lower mean density/m² and mean number of species/m² under only one palm species. Therefore, the relative restriction of seedling recruitment by arborescent palms at La Selva is limited at both individual and landscape scales.     

Early post-fire regeneration of a Pinus halepensis forest on Mount Párnis,Greece

Abstract. The post-fire regeneration of a 45-yr-old Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine) forest, burned in July 1989, has been studied on Mount Párnis, Attiki, Greece. Four experimental plots at various slopes and exposures were established at altitudes of 400 - 450 m, and monitored for 3 yr at 3-month intervals. Early regeneration took place abundantly, through both resprouting and seed germination of mostly hard-seeded herbs and shrubs; the floristic richness was high with 80 taxa. Pine seedling emergence took place during the winter of the first post-fire year. The mean pine seedling density by the end of the recruitment period (March 1990) was 5–6 seedlings/m². This density decreased slightly during late spring and considerably during summer. During the second post-fire year only a relatively slight decline was observed; thereafter the density was stabilized to 1 - 2 seedlings/m². Mortality follows a negative exponential curve that levels off at ca. 20 %. Height distributions throughout the three post-fire years were all positively skewed as a result of the presence of few very tall saplings. A considerable fraction (20 %) of very short (5–15 cm) saplings were still alive 39 months after the fire; these may constitute the sapling bank. Based on the analysis of height distribution curves, it is concluded that the taller seedlings survived significantly better than the shorter ones.     

Plant biodiversity inventory and conservation of two tropical dry evergreen forests on the Coromandel coast, south India

Species diversity, population structure, abundance and dispersion patterns of all woody plants 10cm gbh were inventoried in two 1-ha plots of tropical dry evergreen (sacred grove or temple) forests at Kuzhanthaikuppam (KK) and Thirumanikkuzhi (TM) on the Coromandel coast of south India. Site KK is a stunted forest (average tree height ca 6 m) and TM a tall forest (average tree height ca 10 m). A total of 54 species (in 47 genera and 31 families) were recorded. Species richness and stand density were 42 and 38 species and 1367 and 974 individuals ha–1 respectively for the sites KK and TM. About 50% of the total species were common to both the sites. Site TM is twofold more voluminous (basal area 29.48 m2 ha–1) than KK (basal area 15.44 m2 ha–1). Nearly one third of the individuals are multi-stemmed in the low-statured site KK whereas one fourth of the tree density is multi-stemmed in TM. Species abundance pattern varied between the two sites. The abundance of three species in KK and two species in TM is pronounced. Memecylon umbellatum, the most abundant species contributing to one third of total stand density in KK, is least represented in TM. Species richness, density and diversity indices decreased with increasing girth threshold. Most species exhibited clumped dispersion of individuals both at 0.25 and 1-ha scales. Population structure for girth frequency is an expanding one for both the sites, except for basal area distribution in KK. Variations in plant diversity and abundance are related to site attributes and human impacts. In the light of habitat uniqueness, species richness and sacred grove status, the need for conservation is emphasized.     

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) Invasion of a Natural Forest Stand: Understory Consequence and Regeneration Pattern

Norway maple (Acer platanoidesis) is invasive in a natural stand in suburban Ithaca, NY. To determine the understory pattern and consequences of a Norway maple invasion, I compared density and species richness under Norway maples and sugar maples (Acer saccharum). Mean sapling density was significantly lower (P<0.0027) under Norway maples (3.64/100 m²±1.6 SE) than under sugar maples (19.4/100 m²±4.4 SE). Mean sapling species richness was significantly lower (P<0.0018) under Norway maples (0.7/32 m²±0.18 SE) than under sugar maples (2.6/32 m²±0.48 SE). Likewise, Norway maple regeneration is more frequent under sugar maples than sugar maple regeneration: 57% of sugar maple plots had Norway maple saplings while 0% of Norway maple plots had sugar maple saplings. Two significant plot effects were found for presence–absence: Norway maple saplings grow under Norway maples with a significantly lower frequency (P<0.03) than under sugar maples; sugar maple saplings grow under Norway maples with a significantly lower frequency (P<0.000) than under sugar maples. Across the site, Norway maple saplings were the most abundant (29 saplings for 480 m²). The success of Norway maple regeneration and the reductions in total stem density beneath Norway maples is most likely the result of its strong competitive abilities, notably its high shade tolerance and abundant seed crops.     

Species and structural diversity of church forests in a fragmented Ethiopian Highland landscape

Question: Thousands of small isolated forest fragments remain around churches (“church forests”) in the almost completely deforested Ethiopian Highlands. We questioned how the forest structure and composition varied with altitude, forest area and human influence. Location: South Gondar, Amhara National Regional State, Northern Ethiopia. Methods: The structure and species composition was assessed for 810 plots in 28 church forests. All woody plants were inventoried, identified and measured (stem diameter) in seven to 56 10 m x 10‐m plots per forest. Results: In total, 168 woody species were recorded, of which 160 were indigeneous. The basal area decreased with tree harvest intensity; understorey and middle‐storey density (<5 cm DBH trees) decreased with grazing; overstorey density (>5 cm DBH trees) increased with altitude. The dominance of a small set of species increased with altitude and grazing intensity. Species richness decreased with altitude, mainly due to variation in the richness of the overstorey community. Moreover, species richness in the understorey decreased with grazing intensity. Conclusions: We show how tree harvesting intensity, grazing intensity and altitude contribute to observed variations in forest structure, composition and species richness. Species richness was, however, not related to forest area. Our study emphasizes the significant role played by the remaining church forests for conservation of woody plant species in North Ethiopian Highlands, and the need to protect these forests for plant species conservation purposes.     

森林采伐对尖峰岭海南特有种子植物多样性的影响

特有种子植物是热带森林植物区系的一个重要组成部分,且很容易受到人为干扰的影响,但是森林采伐对特有种子植物的影响少有报道。本文基于164个25m×25m植被公里网格样地数据,分析了海南岛尖峰岭地区海南特有种子植物(以下简称特有种子植物)的组成结构、样地内特有种子植物物种数与总物种数之间的关系;并从种-面积曲线、累积种-个体关系和物种多度分布3个方面比较了原始林、径级择伐林和皆伐林样地中特有种子植物的物种多样性变化规律。结果显示:尖峰岭地区特有种子植物种类丰富,共有158种,占全岛(397种)的40%;其中木本特有种子植物达98种(藤本除外),在164个样地内共记录到胸径≥1.0cm的52种,占整个尖峰岭地区的53%,以樟科、壳斗科、茜草科种类为主。样地内特有种子植物的物种数与总物种数成正相关关系。采伐后特别是径级择伐后特有种子植物物种数略微增加,但增加的种类大多仅在1-2个样地中出现;而且种群也比较小,表现为较稀有且不稳定的种群结构特征,在后续的更新中消失的可能性较大。但是,采伐后一些特有种子植物仍具有中等大小的种群,例如毛荔枝(Nephelium topengii)、海南紫荆木(Madhucaha inanensis)和尖峰岭锥(Castanopsis jianfenglingen-sis)等。     

Rainforest fragmentation and the demography of the economically important palm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oenocarpus bacaba</Emphasis> in central Amazonia

We summarize a long-term study of the effects of edge creation on establishment of the economically important arboreal palm Oenocarpus bacaba in an experimentally fragmented landscape in central Amazonia. Recruitment and mortality of large individuals (≥10 cm diameter-at-breast-height) were recorded within 21 1-ha plots in fragmented and intact forests for periods of up to 22 years. In addition, 12 small (0.7 × 14 m) sub-plots within each 1-ha plot were used to enumerate the abundance of seedlings and saplings (5–400 cm tall). On average, the recruitment of large trees was over two times faster near forest edges, leading to a sharp (90%) increase in the mean population density of large individuals near forest edges, whereas the density of larger trees remained constant in the forest interior. Overall seedling and sapling density was significantly lower in edge than interior plots, but edge plots had a much higher proportion of larger (>100 cm tall) saplings. Our findings demonstrate that forest edges can have complex effects on tree demography and that one must consider all tree life stages in order to effectively assess their effects on plant populations.     

Differences in insect species richness and faunal composition of birch seedlings, saplings and trees: the importance of plant architecture

Abstract. 1. Data are presented on the species richness and faunal composition of herbivorous insects on birch seedlings, saplings and trees at one site in Northern England.
2. Species richness of insect herbivores in equal-sized samples from birch seedlings and trees was similar through most of the season.
3. Effects of plant architecture were confined to the first sampling date, when seedling faunas were species poor compared with trees – possibly due to safe overwintering sites on the extensive bark, twigs and buds of trees.
4. The faunal composition of birch seedlings, saplings and trees was also similar. Out of a total of 112 recorded species of herbivores, only one aphid species was confined to seedlings.
5. Similarly, no evidence for clear-cut vertical stratification of insects within trees was found.
6. Species turnover as host plants mature ('horizontal' stratification) and vertical stratification within trees add little to the high overall species richness of birch-feeding insects in Britain, contrary to the predictions of Lawton (1983).     

The effect of altitude,patch size and disturbance on species richness and density of lianas in montane forest patches

The species richness and density of lianas (woody vines) in tropical forests is determined by various abiotic and biotic factors. Factors such as altitude, forest patch size and the degree of forest disturbance are known to exert strong influences on liana species richness and density. We investigated how liana species richness and density were concurrently influenced by altitude (1700–2360 m), forest patch size, forest patch location (edge or interior) and disturbance intensity in the tropical montane evergreen forests, of the Nilgiri and Palni hills, Western Ghats, southern India. All woody lianas (≥1 cm dbh) were enumerated in plots of 30 × 30 m in small, medium and large forest patches, which were located along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1700 to 2360 m. A total of 1980 individual lianas were recorded, belonging to 45 species, 32 genera and 21 families, from a total sampling area of 13.86 ha (across 154 plots). Liana species richness and density decreased significantly with increasing altitude and increased with increasing forest patch size. Within forest patches, the proportion of forest edge or interior habitat influenced liana distribution and succession especially when compared across the patch size categories. Liana species richness and density also varied along the altitudinal gradient when examined using eco-physiological guilds (i.e. shade tolerance, dispersal mode and climbing mechanism). The species richness and density of lianas within these ecological guilds responded negatively to increasing altitude and positively to increasing patch size and additionally displayed differing sensitivities to forest disturbance. Importantly, the degree of forest disturbance significantly altered the relationship between liana species richness and density to increasing altitude and patches size, and as such is likely the primary influence on liana response to montane forest succession. Our findings suggest that managing forest disturbance in the examined montane forests would assist in conserving local liana diversity across the examined altitudinal range.     

Colonization of Tubú (Montanoa guatemalensis,Asteraceae) Windbreaks by Woody Species1

Tubú (Montanoa guatemalensis, Asteraceae) is a popular tree used in windbreaks in the San Luis valley near the Monteverde cloud forests of Costa Rica. Seventy‐eight woody taxa from 32 families were found in the understory of 19 tubú windbreaks (five 4‐yr‐old, eight 12‐yr‐old, and six 20‐yr‐old). Mean size of tubú increased with stand age, but tubú was neither replacing itself nor spreading from the windbreaks. Density of other trees and shrubs ≥1 m was higher in 4‐yr‐old plots than in 20‐yr‐old plots, but density of other trees <1 m tall did not vary with windbreak age. Whereas richness of species ≥1 m was higher for 12‐ and 20‐yr‐old plots than for 4‐yr‐old plots, species richness of trees <1 m tall did not vary with windbreak stand age. Higher proportions of the woody colonists in 12‐ and 20‐yr‐old plots were animal dispersed than in 4‐yr‐old plots. Tubú windbreaks may undergo major changes in woody species composition, with Daphnopsis americana, Inga punctata, and Trichilia havanensis likely to predominate in the future.     

Vegetation Structure,Composition, and Species Richness Across a 56‐year Chronosequence of Dry Tropical Forest on Providencia Island,Colombia1

We compared vegetation structure and species richness across a 56‐yr chronosequence of six replicated age classes of dry tropical forest on the island of Providencia, Colombia, in the Southwest Caribbean. Stand age classes were determined using sequential, orthorectified panchromatic aerial photos acquired between 1944 and 1996 and Landsat 7 ETM + satellite imagery from 2000. Along the chronosequence we established 59 plots of 2 × 50 m (0.01 ha) to document changes in species richness, basal area, tree height, stem density, and sprouting ability. All woody trees and shrubs >2.5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were censused and measured. Although woody species density reached a peak in stands from 32 to 56 yr old, rarefaction analysis showed that species richness increased linearly with stand age and was highest in stands 56 yr old or greater. Nonparametric, abundance‐based estimators of species richness also showed positive and linear associations with age. Basal area and mean tree height were positively associated with age since abandonment, while sprouting ability showed a negative relationship. Our results indicate rapid recovery of woody species richness and structural characteristics along this tropical dry forest chronosequence.