Succession and management of tropical dry forests in the Americas: Review and new perspectives

Understanding tropical forest succession is critical for the development of tropical forest conservation strategies worldwide, given that tropical secondary forests can be considered the forests of the future. Tropical dry forests (TDF) are among the most threatened tropical ecosystems, there are more secondary forests and forest restoration efforts that require a better understanding of successional processes. The main goal of this synthesis for this special issue on the ecology and management of tropical dry forests in the Americas is to present a summarized review of the current knowledge of the ecology and management implications associated to TDF succession. We explore specific issues associated to tropical dry forest succession with emphasis on the use of chronosequences, plant diversity and composition, plant phenology and remote sensing, pollination, and animal–plant interactions; all under the integrating umbrella of ecosystem succession. We also emphasize the need to conduct socio-ecological research to understand changes in land-use history and its effects on succession and forest regeneration of TDF. We close this paper with some thoughts and ideas associated with the strong need for an integrating dimension not considered until today: the role of cyberinfrastructure and eco-informatics as a tool to support sound conservation, management and understanding of TDF in the Americas.     

A comparative analysis of spatial, temporal, and ecological characteristics of forest fires in seasonally dry tropical ecosystems in the Western Ghats, India

The Western Ghats in India is one of the 25 global hotspots of biodiversity, and it is the hotspot with the highest human density. This study considers variations in the regional fire regime that are related to vegetation type and past human disturbances in a landscape. Using a combination of remote sensing data and GIS techniques, burnt areas were delineated in three different vegetation types and various metrics of fire size were estimated. Belt transects were enumerated to assess the vegetation characteristics and fire effects in the landscape. Temporal trends suggest increasingly short fire-return intervals in the landscape. In the tropical dry deciduous forest, the mean fire-return interval is 6 years, in the tropical dry thorn forest mean fire-return interval is 10 years, and in the tropical moist deciduous forest mean fire-return interval is 20 years. Tropical dry deciduous forests burned more frequently and had the largest number of fires in any given year as well as the single largest fire (9900 ha). Seventy percent, 56%, and 30% of the tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical dry thorn forests, and tropical dry deciduous forests, respectively have not burned during the 7-year period of study. The model of fire-return interval as a function of distance from park boundary explained 63% of the spatial variation of fire-return interval in the landscape. Forest fires had significant impacts on species diversity and regeneration in the tropical dry deciduous forests. Species diversity declined by 50% and 60% in the moderate and high frequency classes, respectively compared to the low fire frequency class. Sapling density declined by ca. 30% in both moderate and high frequency classes compared to low frequency class. In tropical moist deciduous ecosystems, there were substantial declines in species diversity, tree density, seedling and sapling densities in burned forests compared to the unburned forests. In contrast forest fires in tropical dry thorn forests had a marginal positive effect on ecosystem diversity, structure, and regeneration.     

National assessment of the fragmentation, accessibility and anthropogenic pressure on the forests in Mexico

Forest managers and policy makers increasingly demand to have access to estimates of forest fragmentation,human accessibility to forest areas and levels of anthropogenic pressure on the remaining forests to integrate them into monitoring systems,management and conservation plans.Forest fragmentation is defined as the breaking up of a forest unit,where the number of patches and the amount of expose edge increase while the amount of core area decreases.Forest fragmentation studies in Mexico have been limited to local or regional levels and have concentrated only on specific forest types.This paper presents an assessment of the fragmentation of all forest types at the national level,their effective proximity to anthropogenic influences,and the development of an indicator of anthropogenic pressure on the forests areas.Broadleaf forests,tropical evergreen forests and tropical dry deciduous forests show the greatest fragmentation.Almost half(47%) of the tropical forests are in close effective proximity to anthropogenic influences and only 12% of their area can be considered isolated from anthropogenic influences.The values for the temperate forests are 23% and 29% respectively.Anthropogenic pressure in the immediate vicinity of anthropogenic activities is much higher in the tropical forests(75 in a scale 0-100) than in the temperate forests(30).When considering these results jointly,the tropical forests,and more specifically,the tropical evergreen forests and tropical dry deciduous forests are under the greatest pressure and risks of degradation.     

Fire Occurrence Environments in Pinus pumila Forests

In recent years, many serious forest fires occurred in precious Pinus pumila forests in Daxing'anling Mountains of Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia. But up to now, there is still a lack of proper understanding of fire occurrence environments in P. pumila forests. In present paper, we investigated and studied the fire occurrence environments. The results showed that fires in P. pumila forests had their own special fire environments. Abundant fuel, drought weather, dry thunder and high altitude terrai...     

Comparison of P and cation cycling in two contrasting seasonally dry forest ecosystems

Context

Interactions of N and P cycles and those of other macro-elements in forests are scarcely known.

Aim

This study compares the P cycle in two very different forest ecosystems where soil P availability is low (tropical dry forest in Mexico and Mediterranean forest in Spain) in relation to Ca, K, and Mg cycles.

Methods

Compiled data belonging to these two forest sites are discussed, comparing the P and base cation budgets and exploring relationships among P and base cation cycles.

Results

Broad differences between input and output of base cations were observed. Analysis of the P budget indicates P retention inside both forest ecosystems. The tropical dry forest has higher nutrient contents than those found in the Mediterranean temperate forest. Chemical composition of forest leaves and litters, and base cation?CP ratios varied according to soil P availability and cation concentrations. However, P resorption is higher in the tropical dry forest than in the temperate one.

Conclusion

This study reveals the existence of P retention at the ecosystem level in both forests, but suggested P limitation at the Mediterranean forest seems to be stronger than that occurring at the tropical forest.     

尖峰岭热带林土壤微生物区系调查初报 Ⅲ.土壤放线菌的数量和组成

尖峰岭位于海南岛西南部,植物生长茂密,树种繁多,植被和土壤类型的垂直带谱明显,保存着较为完整的热带森林。因此,研究尖峰岭热带林生态系统的物质循环和了解放线菌在不同生态环境中的分布,对合理利用和开发热带森林资源,更好地发挥经济效益,具有重要意义。 1982—1983年,笔者对尖峰岭热带林三种不同森林类型土壤放线菌数量和组成特性作了调查,放线菌培养采用高泽氏一号琼脂培养基,链霉菌类群鉴定根据《链霉菌鉴定手册》,有关林地概况、土壤样品采集时间和方法见初报Ⅰ。     

Diversity and structure of regenerating tropical dry forests in Costa Rica: Geographic patterns and environmental drivers

Much of the dry tropical forest biome has been converted to agricultural land uses over the past several centuries. However, in conservation areas such as those in the Guanacaste and Tempisque regions of Costa Rica, tropical dry forests are regenerating due to management practices including fire suppression. To better understand the patterns of secondary succession occurring in Costa Rican tropical dry forest, we established 60 20 × 50 m plots in mature and regenerating forests in the Sector Santa Rosa (formerly known as Parque Nacional Santa Rosa) and Palo Verde National Park. Plots were stratified into three plant communities: tropical dry oak forest (Quercus oleoides) (SROAK), Santa Rosa tropical dry forest (SRTDF), and Palo Verde tropical dry forest (PVTDF). In these plots we measured and identified and all individuals >10 cm DBH, measured but did not identify stems <10 cm but taller than 1.3 m, counted woody seedlings (<1.3 m height) and analyzed soil chemical and physical properties.     

中国热带次生林分布、类型与面积研究

热带林的保护问题已受到世界各国的高度重视,由于占世界热带林面积约三分之一的热带次生林,其经济和生态效益通常较差,处于相对被忽视的状态,因此也往往被进一步破坏。将次生林经营纳入可持续经营的轨道,是实现热带林可持续经营目标的重要战略。通过对中国热带森林研究、经营和统计资料的分析,结合本项目实施过程的实地调研取得的结果,文章对中国热带地区次生林分布、面积和类型作了阐述。热带森林主要分布在海南、广东、广西、云南、台湾,以及福建和西藏的部分地区,包括124个县市的全部和50个县市的部分地区。据可认可的资料统计,中国热带林地面积（不含台湾省）约1125．66万hm^2。其中有林地面积1074．49万hm^2,次生林面积544万hm^2。次生林占热带地区林地面积的48．33％,占有林地总面积的50．63％。中国热带林地和次生林的实际数字估计要比这一数值大6％以上,因为中国这几年高度重视林业建设,森林植被特别是热带森林植被恢复得很快,林地和次生林一直在不断增加。热带森林类型主要有：热带雨林（包括湿润雨林、山地雨林）;热带季雨林（包括半常绿季雨林、落叶季雨林、石灰岩季雨林）;南海珊瑚岛植被;海岸红树林等。从森林经理的角度,中国热带次生林的类型可分为：（1）次生阔叶林,包括次生常绿阔叶雨林、次生季雨林和次生季风常绿阔叶林;（2）次生灌木林;（3）次生针叶林;（4）次生红树林及次生珊瑚岛林等四大类型。     

A combination of forage species with different responses to drought can increase year-round productivity in seasonally dry silvopastoral systems

In seasonally dry environments maintaining year-round production of silvopastoral systems can be challenging due to drought effects on vegetation. Different tree species native to dry forests may show contrasting strategies to deal with drought, which could impact silvopastoral productivity. We assessed the differential effect of drought on seedlings of five tree species from a dry tropical forest with high forage potential. The species were subjected to three irrigation schemes (well-watered, mild drought, severe drought) in order to evaluate the effect of water stress on 12 growth and morpho-physiological traits involving above and below ground responses. The species comprised four species of the family Fabaceae (legumes) Albizia lebbeck, Leucaena leucocephala, Piscidia piscipula, and Lysiloma latisiliquum and one of the family Sterculiaceae, Guazuma ulmifolia. This one was the most productive species when well-watered, with the highest forage potential due to high leaf area, leaf mass and fast growth rates. This species was also the most vulnerable to drought, reducing leaf area and other growth parameters dramatically. In contrast, L. latisiliquum showed low leaf area and leaf mass, but was highly resistant to drought. An intermediate species was P. piscipula, which was the most productive of the legume species and exhibited adjustment mechanisms to drought which allowed reduced leaf excision during the severe drought. We propose that combining species with contrasting mechanisms in response to drought can promote year-round productivity in seasonally dry environments.     

Relationship between annual rainfall and tree mortality in a tropical dry forest: Results of a 19-year study at Mudumalai,southern India

Variability in rainfall is known to be a major influence on the dynamics of tropical forests, especially rates and patterns of tree mortality. In tropical dry forests a number of contributing factors to tree mortality, including dry season fire and herbivory by large herbivorous mammals, could be related to rainfall patterns, while loss of water potential in trees during the dry season or a wet season drought could also result in enhanced rates of death. While tree mortality as influenced by severe drought has been examined in tropical wet forests there is insufficient understanding of this process in tropical dry forests. We examined these causal factors in relation to inter-annual differences in rainfall in causing tree mortality within a 50-ha Forest Dynamics Plot located in the tropical dry deciduous forests of Mudumalai, southern India, that has been monitored annually since 1988. Over a 19-year period (1988–2007) mean annual mortality rate of all stems >1 cm dbh was 6.9 ± 4.6% (range = 1.5–17.5%); mortality rates broadly declined from the smaller to the larger size classes with the rates in stems >30 cm dbh being among the lowest recorded in tropical forest globally. Fire was the main agent of mortality in stems 1–5 cm dbh, elephant-herbivory in stems 5–10 cm dbh, and other natural causes in stems >10 cm dbh. Elephant-related mortality did not show any relationship to rainfall. On the other hand, fire-related mortality was significantly negatively correlated to quantity of rainfall during the preceding year. Mortality due to other causes in the larger stem sizes was significantly negatively correlated to rainfall with a 2–3-year lag, suggesting that water deficit from mild or prolonged drought enhanced the risk of death but only with a time lag that was greater than similar lags in tree mortality observed in other forest types. In this respect, tropical dry forests growing in regions of high rainfall variability may have evolved greater resistance to rainfall deficit as compared to tropical moist or temperate forests but are still vulnerable to drought-related mortality.     

世界热带林现状及发展战略(续篇)

作者认为世界工业人工林发展的基本战略趋势是:布局基地化、林工一体化、培育定向化、经营集约化、效益综合化和市场国际化。     

A national level forest resource assessment for Burkina Faso - A field based forest inventory in a semiarid environment combining small sample size with large observation plots

Even though considerable parts of the global tropical forests are located in Africa, reliable data on African forest resources is limited. While this is widely recognized for tropical moist forests, it also holds for tropical dry forests. To partially fill the gap a forest inventory was carried out in Burkina Faso, West Africa. In this paper we present a methodological approach and sample based estimates of the tree and forest resources including estimates of (1) land cover classes, (2) species composition, and (3) above ground tree carbon stocks. Following the land classification of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the forest cover of Burkina Faso was estimated as 42.6% (116,847 km²). For the classes “other wooded land”, “other land” and “other land with tree cover” the estimates were 1.6%, 53.6%, and 9.1%, respectively. We found notable differences to the estimates published by FAO, in particular when considering the classes “forest” and “other wooded land” separately, but lesser so when the two classes are combined. That points to a major issue in applying these class definitions in semiarid environments. Given the relatively small sample size (n = 46 field observed plots), relative standard errors (SE%) of area estimates are high (around 9% for the larger area classes). Aboveground tree carbon stocks were estimated to be 6.640, 5.580 and 7.222 Mg ha⁻¹ for “forest”, “other wooded land” and “other land with tree cover”, respectively (SE% around 18% for all three estimates). Availability of biomass models is very limited for all classes, in particular when it comes to shrubs. Furthermore, it was estimated that the most abundant tree species in Burkina Faso is Vittelaria paradoxa, the “shea butter tree” which is a multi-use tree species of high relevance for rural livelihoods.To our knowledge this study is the first field-based forest inventory on national level in Burkina Faso where the estimation of errors was possible on statistical grounds, and done. The results of this study revealed major issues that should be taken into account when doing similar studies, including carbon monitoring and accounting: increasing the sample size will lead to smaller standard errors (at a higher costs, of course), but will not solve the crucial points (1) of non-availability of suitable biomass models, in particular for shrub lands and (2) of implementation issues regarding the definition of land cover types.     

Phosphorus cycling in primary and secondary seasonally dry tropical forests in Mexico

? Primary forests in the seasonally dry tropical regions of Mexico are disappearing under land-use pressure, creating a mosaic of secondary forests of different ages.

? In this study we measured the aboveground litterfall phosphorus (P) fluxes, litter-layer and soil P pools to compare the P cycles in primary and secondary seasonally dry tropical forests. Our hypothesis was that the previous agricultural land use of secondary forests would bring about a lower P flux in the litterfall, lower soil P pool, and higher nutrient resorption proficiency than in primary forests, as well as an increase of relative amounts of available P provided by the soil with forest aging.

? The expected litterfall P flux increase in the secondary forest following a previous agricultural land use did not occur. Phosphorus return to the soil by aboveground litterfall was unaffected by the succession stage of the forest. In addition, the total soil P pool did not change with forest age. However, available soil P (bicarbonate P-inorganic and P-organic pools) and hydroxide inorganic P pools were higher in primary than in secondary forest soils. Phosphorus concentration in litterfall increased significantly with forest age, suggesting that P is cycled more efficiently (by a higher nutrient resorption proficiency) when soil available P is less abundant. Despite these differences among forests, the results of our study gave evidence that P requirements by plants in primary and secondary forests are sufficiently met by the accumulation of dissolved (water extractable) P in the forest floor during the dry season and by soil bicarbonate-P pools.

? Our study on the effects of land cover change on P cycling, following the discontinuation of agricultural practices, leads to the conclusion that this ecosystem P dynamics will vary depending on the successional stage of the forests, and is strongly influenced by the seasonal rainfall pattern which determines plant-available P.

     

Bird use of logging gaps in a subtropical mountain forest: The influence of habitat structure and resource abundance in the Yungas of Argentina

Selective logging is one of the main economical activities in tropical and subtropical forests. While most of the effects of this activity on bird communities have been studied by comparing exploited vs. non-exploited areas; the use of human-created treefall gaps by birds is relatively unknown. We studied habitat structure, resource abundance (fruits, flowers and arthropods) and bird activity in logging gaps of different age (1-year-old and 10- to 20-year-old) in a mountain forest (Yungas) of northwest Argentina in both dry and wet seasons. In less than a year after creation, short herbs colonize logging gaps increasing the abundance of arthropods in the ground and the activity of understory insectivores. During dry seasons recently created gaps become an important source of resources for understory frugivores-insectivores. Later on in succession logging gaps are invaded by exotic graminoid vegetation and tall herbs (dispersed through extraction tracks) which can impede the colonization and development of pioneer trees and natural regeneration. Probably as a consequence of a high abundance of fruits and flowers in the understory and a very low abundance of these resources in the canopy, old gaps were mainly used by understory frugivores-insectivores while arboreal frugivores were rare. Because arboreal frugivores disperse most tree seeds in tropical and subtropical forests, the low activity of this guild in logging gaps contribute to the low observed regeneration. Sustainable timber harvest in tropical and subtropical forests should include gap and logging track management to minimize the invasion by exotic graminoid vegetation and facilitate natural succession.     

19个地区种子植物区系数量分类的初步研究

运用最小距离聚类法及主成分分析法对全国 19个地区种子植物区系的种类组成和地理成分进行分析 ,结果表明 ,19个地区可划分为 5类 :第 1类是以泛热带植物区成分为主的亚热带常绿阔叶林区系类型 ,包括闽、赣、浙、皖、湘、鄂 6省的15个地区 ;第 2类是山东泰山 ,是以温带落叶阔叶林为主的植物区系 ;广西大瑶山属于第 3类 ,是古热带植物区成分为主的亚热带常绿阔叶林区系类型 ;元谋干热河谷属于第 4类 ,是热带稀树草原—亚热带常绿阔叶林组合的特殊类型 ;长白山归于为第 5类 ,是典型的温带性植物区系类型     

Transport,storage and mobilization of nitrogen by trees and shrubs in the wet/dry tropics of northern Australia

Xylem sap from woody species in the wet/dry tropics of northern Australia was analyzed for N compounds. At the peak of the dry season, arginine was the main N compound in sap of most species of woodlands and deciduous monsoon forest. In the wet season, a marked change occurred with amides becoming the main sap N constituents of most species. Species from an evergreen monsoon forest, with a permanent water source, transported amides in the dry season. In the dry season, nitrate accounted for 7 and 12% of total xylem sap N in species of deciduous and evergreen monsoon forests, respectively. In the wet season, the proportion of N present as nitrate increased to 22% in deciduous monsoon forest species. These results suggest that N is taken up and assimilated mainly in the wet season and that this newly assimilated N is mostly transported as amide-N (woodland species, monsoon forest species) and nitrate (monsoon forest species). Arginine is the form in which stored N is remobilized and transported by woodland and deciduous monsoon forest species in the dry season. Several proteins, which may represent bark storage proteins, were detected in inner bark tissue from a range of trees in the dry season, indicating that, although N uptake appears to be limited in the dry season, the many tree and shrub species that produce flowers, fruit or leaves in the dry season use stored N to support growth. Nitrogen characteristics of the studied species are discussed in relation to the tropical environment.     

欧亚大陆地上森林凋落物的研究

根据一个包括471个林分的森林凋落物数据库,本文对欧亚大陆森林生态系统的凋落物产量进行了估计。结果表明:欧亚大陆森林生态系统凋落物产量为每年6.53 Pg (1 Pg = 1015g),其中二分之一发生在热带和亚热带森林,三分之一发生在寒带森林,剩余的发生在温带森林。因此,在欧亚大陆森林生态系统中,森林凋落物每年从森林植被转移大约2.94 Pg 碳到土壤亚系统。表3参18。 关键词:碳流动;欧亚大陆森林;森林凋落物     

Calibration and assessment of seasonal changes in leaf area index of a tropical dry forest in different stages of succession

A simple measure of the amount of foliage present in a forest is leaf area index (LAI; the amount of foliage per unit ground surface area), which can be determined by optical estimation (gap fraction method) with an instrument such as the Li-Cor LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer. However, optical instruments such as the LAI-2000 cannot directly differentiate between foliage and woody components of the canopy. Studies investigating LAI and its calibration (extracting foliar LAI from optical estimates) in tropical forests are rare. We calibrated optical estimates of LAI from the LAI-2000 with leaf litter data for a tropical dry forest. We also developed a robust method for determining LAI from leaf litter data in a tropical dry forest environment. We found that, depending on the successional stage of the canopy and the season, the LAI-2000 may underestimate LAI by 17% to over 40%. In the dry season, the instrument overestimated LAI by the contribution of the woody area index. Examination of the seasonal variation in LAI for three successional stages in a tropical dry forest indicated differences in timing of leaf fall according to successional stage and functional group (i.e., lianas and trees). We conclude that when calculating LAI from optical estimates, it is necessary to account for the differences between values obtained from optical and semi-direct techniques. In addition, to calculate LAI from litter collected in traps, specific leaf area must be calculated for each species rather than from a mean value for multiple species.     

中国热带林资源和利用现状及2000年发展前景

中国热带林资源和利用现状及２０００年发展前景朱敏慧（中国林科院科信所,北京１０００９１）１中国热带林资源概况中国的热带林处于热带北缘,属干湿交替型的热带向干热带过渡地带,按区域划分大体可分为３个地带：（１）东部过渡性热带季雨林、雨林区,包括福建东南部...     

我国黄竹天然竹林资源现状和保护策略分析

黄竹在我国生长于热带北缘湿热地区,在澜沧江中下游河谷地区形成大面积的天然林分,是我国面积最大、最具代表性的天然热带性大型丛生竹林。由于我国绝大部分天然黄竹林不属于自然保护区和天然林保护范围,其资源的开发和利用没有科学的规划,近年来天然黄竹林群落和以黄竹林为基础的植被环境破坏严重,亟需对其资源进行保护研究。本文对黄竹的资源现状和面临的问题进行了调查和分析,提出了黄竹种质资源的保护建议。