哀牢山湿性常绿阔叶林木质藤本植物的物种多样性及其与支柱木的关系

分别在哀牢山湿性常绿阔叶林沟谷和坡面调查了10个20m×50m的样地,研究哀牢山湿性常绿阔叶林木质藤本植物的物种多样性及其与支柱木的关系。结果表明:研究区共记录到DBH≥1cm的木质藤本植物402株(隶属于23种21属16科)和DBH≥10cm的林木1522株(隶属于47种30属15科);与其他亚热带森林比较,该森林中木质藤本植物物种较为丰富但多度较低;藤本植物的物种丰富度、密度和基面积在沟谷显著高于坡面,而林木的差异性不显著;木质藤本植物在支柱木上呈集群分布,并且不同种支柱木被藤本植物攀援的百分比间存在显著的差异(P0.001),说明藤本植物的攀援对支柱木具有选择性;云南越桔、薄叶马银花和景东冬青等树种因其树皮光滑而不易被藤本植物攀援,而腾冲栲、七裂槭、山矾和多花山矾等则易于被藤本植物攀援;大径级支柱木被藤本植物攀援的比率高于小径级支柱木;茎缠绕和钩刺攀援藤本的胸径与支柱木胸径极显著相关(P0.001),根攀援和卷须攀援藤本的胸径与支柱木胸径相关性不显著(P0.05)。     

西双版纳热带季雨林木质藤本多样性及其攀援方式

【目的】揭示西双版纳地区热带季雨林内木质藤本多样性特征,阐明木质藤本对热带季雨林共存树木的攀援方式,为研究木质藤本对热带森林更新、动态和碳固定等生态过程的影响奠定基础。【方法】参考巴拿马热带季雨林木质藤本普查规范,调查并鉴定西双版纳热带季雨林20 hm~2动态监测大样地中500块20 m×20 m样地中胸径≥1 cm的木质藤本,分析其空间分布、多样性、丰富度、径级、攀援方式及其对共生树木的攀援状况。【结果】20 hm~2大样地中胸径≥1 cm的木质藤本共有21 781株(包括分株),密度为1 089.1株·hm~(-2),其中20 611株鉴定到种,分属127种45个科;样地中木质藤本的优势科为豆科和葡萄科,分别占木质藤本物种总数的51.1%和24.4%;夹竹桃科的长节珠个体最多(2 382株),占木质藤本总株数的10.9%,其次为梧桐科的全缘刺果藤和番荔枝科的黑风藤,分别占木质藤本个体总数的10.3%和4.6%;重要值排名前三的木质藤本分别为全缘刺果藤、长节珠和阔叶风车子;样地中共有43个稀有种(密度≤1株·hm~(-2)),占总种数的33.6%,但个体数仅占个体总数的1.4%;小径级木质藤本在样地中比例较高,胸径1~5 cm的个体数占总个体数的86.6%,胸径≥10 cm的仅占总个体数的0.7%;茎缠绕是主要攀援方式,所占比例达58.0%,其次是钩刺攀援和卷须缠绕,分别占16.0%和15.0%;依靠叶卷须、花梗进行攀援或蔓生的木质藤本比例较小,各占1.0%;约10.7%的树木个体(胸径≥1 cm)被木质藤本攀援,被攀援树木种数占总树种数的68.2%;随着树木个体增大,其上攀援的木质藤本数量逐渐降低,但树木被木质藤本攀援的比例增加。【结论】西双版纳热带季雨林内木质藤本种类丰富,样地中出现豆科木质藤本葛藤等先锋木质藤本表明该热带季雨林历史上可能遭受较严重干扰,加之该地区降雨季节性比较明显,使得西双版纳热带季雨林维持了较高的木质藤本多样性。     

小兴安岭红松胸高断面积生长随树龄的变化规律及主要影响因素

【目的】揭示红松胸高断面积生长随树龄的变化规律，探究其在不同生长阶段的主要影响因素，为理解树龄、环境因子和功能性状在树木生长和经营中的重要性提供科学依据。【方法】于黑龙江凉水国家级自然保护区内采集不同树龄（16～285年）红松样树65株，采用胸高断面积生长率（BAGR）表征树木径向生长，测定树木所处的环境因子（光照强度、土壤养分、土壤含水量、土壤pH）和功能性状（叶、枝、根性状），探究红松胸高断面积生长随树龄的变化规律及主要影响因素。【结果】1）红松BAGR随树龄增加呈先增大后减小的变化趋势，树龄小于220年时BAGR随树龄增加而增大，大于220年时BAGR随树龄增加而减小；2）树龄、光照强度和土壤pH对红松幼龄树（16～100年）BAGR存在正向影响，比叶面积对幼龄树BAGR存在负向影响；3）土壤氮含量和木质密度对红松中龄树（100～220年）BAGR存在显著负向影响；4）树龄显著抑制红松老龄树（大于220年）胸高断面积生长，根氮含量及多年生针叶单位质量氮和磷含量促进老龄树胸高断面积生长，且根氮含量的影响更加显著。【结论】树龄、环境因子和功能性状共同驱动红松径向生长，影响效果随树龄变...     

梧桐山森林道路边缘效应

为探讨林内公路对森林的影响,研究了深圳东部梧桐山风景区名胜区森林群落由于道路而引发的边缘效应。以梧桐山一条9 m宽道路两侧的群落为研究对象,沿上、下坡方向分别在距道路0、10、20、30 m处设置4个样带,并对样地内的乔灌木进行土壤理化性质分析。结果表明:道路边缘样地物种数、辛普森指数、土壤含水量普遍高于样地内,表现出边缘的正效应;道路边缘样地的土壤pH值显著高于样地内,其中坡下A样带土壤pH值最大,远高于其它样带,表现出边缘的负效应。土壤中全氮的含量表现出由边缘样地向样地内逐渐升高的趋势,其中坡下A样带中全氮的含量最低,表现出边缘的负效应。土壤全磷和全钾的含量没有显著性差异。总的来说,修建道路对森林的边缘效应是有影响的,只是通过不同的形式多方面的表现出来。在道路建设中要考虑土壤破坏、植被适应能力、水土保湿情况等因素进行合理规划,尽量减小修建道路对森林群落造成的负效应。     

华北落叶松人工林林缘光照度研究

林内光照环境是林分更新的基础。本试验以华北落叶松人工林为研究对象,采用30m的样带法,比较了林分内部及林缘光照度的变化规律。结果表明:华北落叶松人工林林缘相对光照度随距林缘距离的增加而减小,之后趋于稳定;密度为630株/hm2时,随林缘距离的变化不太明显;林缘相对光照度与林分边缘不同距离呈明显的二次多项式关系;相对光照度能较好地反映林缘效应;随林分密度的增加林内光照度逐渐降低,相对光照度与密度呈显著幂函数关系。     

不同经度天山云杉林分因子随海拔梯度的变化

选择新疆天山山脉从西到东处于不同经度的昭苏、巩留、乌苏、乌鲁木齐和哈密的天山云杉林进行垂直样带调查:将各地点划分为低、中和高3个海拔范围,比较不同范围内主要林分因子的差异;分析主要林分因子随海拔梯度(50 m间隔)的变化.结果表明:各地点3个海拔范围内主要林分因子呈现出不同的变化规律;天山云杉林分平均胸径和最大胸径随海拔梯度的变化差异不显著,而平均树高、最大树高、林分密度、胸高断面积和蓄积量随海拔的增加总体上呈现单峰型的变化趋势;尽管不同经度位置天山云杉林分布的海拔上下限范围不同,但各个位置天山云杉林分的平均树高、最大树高、林分密度、胸高断面积和蓄积量随海拔梯度的变化都可以用二次曲线方程进行描述.     

不同地形条件下群落物种多样性与胸高断面积的差异分析

以浙江天日山国家级自然保护区的常绿阔叶林为例,基于DEM在群落尺度上分析不同地形条件下群落物种多样性和胸高断面积的差异.对单一地形因子分析的结果表明:在常绿阔叶林群落中,坡度过大或过小均可引起常绿阔叶林物种多样性和胸高断面积下降,中等坡度时物种多样性和胸高断面积最高;胸高断面积随坡向的变化比物种多样性敏感,自东坡经南坡过渡到西坡,胸高断面积呈降低趋势,东坡的物种多样性和胸高断面积最高,西南坡最低;物种多样性和胸高断面积随地表粗糙度增加呈降低的趋势.对组合地形因子分析结果表明:坡向和坡度的不同组合,对物种多样性的影响不大,但与胸高断面积存在较大的相关性,各坡度级中,西南坡胸高断面积均最低;坡向和粗糙度的不同组合对物种多样性的影响不大,但与胸高断面积存在一定的相关性,在各粗糙度级中,西南坡均为最低;坡度和粗糙度组合对物种多样性和胸高断面积的影响均较大,同一粗糙度级中,物种数在各坡度级表现为坡度级2＞坡度级3＞坡度级1,除坡度级1外,各粗糙度级上的胸高断面积随坡度的增加而增加.     

采伐强度对东北针阔混交林林分生长和物种多样性的短期影响

【目的】在东北次生针阔混交林开展不同强度采伐试验,探讨采伐强度对林分生长和物种多样性的影响,以期为该地区针阔混交林合理地开展营林活动提供科学依据。【方法】2011年7月在吉林省蛟河林业实验区管理局次生针阔混交林内建立4块面积1 hm~2的标准地,于2011年冬季对其进行采伐处理,采伐强度(胸高断面积强度)分别为0%(对照,CK),17.24%(弱度采伐,LT),34.74%(中度采伐,MT)和51.87%(强度采伐,HT),从每块标准地中分别选取5块20 m×20 m样地,采伐2和4年后测定并分析林分胸径、树高、胸高断面积、蓄积量、物种多样性和群落相似性,探讨采伐强度对其影响。【结果】采伐处理4年后,林分平均胸径增长量与对照相比均呈增加趋势,除LT处理显著增加外(P0.05),其他处理与CK无显著差异(P0.05);林分平均树高及其增长量与CK相比均降低,但各处理无显著差异(P0.05);林分总胸高断面积和总蓄积量均比对照小,随着采伐强度的增大而降低,但LT和MT处理提高了单株胸高断面积增长量和单株蓄积增长量,HT处理降低了单株胸高断面积增长量和单株蓄积增长量,各处理间无显著差异(P0.05);采伐2和4年后,灌木层和草本层以及总体多度均有明显增加,但HT处理降低了乔木层多度;与采伐2年后相比,采伐4年后草本层多度降低;采伐未改变乔木层物种丰富度、多样性及均匀度,但显著提高了灌木层和草本层Shannon-wiener指数和Simpson指数,其中MT处理对物种多度、丰富度和多样性的增加影响最为明显;各处理间群落相似性指数较高,为中度相似或极相似水平。【结论】短期内,采伐对林分胸径生长有一定的促进作用,但未能促进林分树高的生长;采伐虽未对林分总胸高断面积和总蓄积量的增长有促进作用,但合理的采伐强度能提高单株胸高断面积和单株蓄积增长量,同时能够促进林分灌木层和草本层物种多样性提高。综合考虑林木生长和维持物种多样性两个方面,东北近熟针阔混交林的最适宜采伐强度为34.74%。     

湘北四川桤木人工林根系空间分布特征

对湘北地区6年生四川桤木(Alnus cremastogyne)人工林不同径级根系生物量分布、根长、比根长、根长密度的空间分布特征进行研究。结果表明:四川桤木人工林大根、中根、小根、细根生物量分别占林分根系生物量总和的55%、22%、14%、9%;约66%的根系生物量集中在0～30cm土层;不同径级根系根长变化趋势是:细根小根大根中根,比根长的变化趋势是:细根小根中根大根;各径级根长密度变化趋势各不相同:垂直方向上,在0～60cm土层,大根的根长密度随土层深度的增加先增后降,中根、小根、细根的根长密度随土层深度的增加而减小,水平方向上,在0～80cm距离,大根的根长密度随距树干距离的增加而减小,细根的根长密度随距树干距离的增加而增大,中根、小根的根长密度在距树干0～60cm内逐渐减小,而在距树干60～80cm又略有增加。     

大理州云南松天然林林分直径结构动态变化研究

研究云南松天然林分的直径结构特征及动态变化规律,对于掌握云南松天然林分的测树学特征具有重要的基础性作用。基于5期云南省森林资源连续清查样地数据,以优势树种为云南松的样地为研究对象,采用偏度、峰度、变动系数、累积株数分布、径阶株数分布和每公顷胸高断面积对大理州云南松天然林林分直径结构动态变化规律及林分密度对其影响进行分析。结果表明,林分直径偏度、峰度和变动系数总体上随林分年龄的增加而下降,林分密度对林分直径变动系数无明显影响;林分直径株数累积比重随径阶的增加而增加,随林分密度的增加而增加;林分径阶株数随径阶的增加而减小,随林分年龄的增加而下降,株数集中分布在6～18 cm径阶范围;林分每公顷胸高断面积总体上随年龄的增加而增加,随林分密度的增加而增加。     

Patterns of Liana Abundance,Reproductive Traits and Liana-Tree Relationships in Relation to Forest Management in a Tropical Forest in Ghana

The study determined the impacts of three forest management regimes—logging treated (LT), tropical shelterwood system (TSS) treated, and untreated forest (UF)—on liana abundance, reproduction and climbing guilds, and liana-tree relationship patterns in the Asenanyo Forest Reserve, Ghana. The first two regimes involved liana cutting over 20 and 53 yr ago, respectively. Lianas and their hosts were sampled in 10 randomly demarcated plots (40 × 40 m²) in each regime. Liana abundance and infestation were significantly lower in the LT forest than the UF, whereas these attributes were comparable in the TSS treated and the UF. Overall, the patterns of liana reproduction and climbing guilds were similar in the treated and untreated forests. Tree diameter was positively and significantly correlated to liana load, basal area, and degree of colonization in the treated and untreated forests. Mean liana load was the same on different tree bark types in the forest management regimes. These findings suggest that the impact of liana cutting on liana abundance was still apparent in the LT forest but not in the TSS treated forest. Again, the impacts of liana cutting on patterns of liana reproduction and climbing guilds and liana-tree relationships were not noticeable in the treated forests.     

Colonisation of clearfelled coupes by rainforest tree species from mature mixed forest edges, Tasmania, Australia

Mixed forest, containing a eucalypt overstorey and an understorey of rainforest tree species, accounts for approximately 20% (195,000 ha) of Tasmania's wet eucalypt forest. In wood production areas it is typically clearfelled, burnt and then sown with eucalypt seed. This management removes virtually all standing seed sources within the coupe, so that recolonisation of coupes by rainforest tree species depends largely on seed sources located at the coupe edges. We quantified the influence of mature mixed forest edges on rainforest regeneration following clearfelling by modelling the change in the density of the regeneration of the four dominant rainforest tree species (Nothofagus cunninghamii, Atherosperma moschatum, Phyllocladus aspleniifolius and Eucryphia lucida) with increasing distance from forest edge. We also assessed the influence on rainforest tree regeneration of prevailing wind direction, age of regeneration, characteristics of the mature edge vegetation and of the competing regenerating vegetation within the coupe. Distance from edge and age of coupe were highly significant (p < 0.01) effects in each of the species models. We found that the abundance of regeneration declined with increasing distance from edge for all four rainforest tree species, and with the exception of A. moschatum regeneration, increased with coupe age up to the age of 15 years. The abundance of N. cunninghamii and E. lucida, which are species with restricted seed dispersal, declined most steeply with increasing distance from the edge. A. moschatum, which is a species with the potential for long distance seed dispersal by wind, was more abundant than N. cunninghamii and E. lucida at distances greater than 20 m from coupe edges. More than 500 seedlings ha⁻¹ were present at all distances from coupe edge for P. aspleniifolius, reflecting its capacity to germinate after disturbance from soil-stored and bird-dispersed seed. There were no significant differences in seedling density upwind or downwind of coupe edges, although the potential for dense regeneration of N. cunninghamii and E. lucida and for long distance dispersal of A. moschatum appeared to be greatest downwind of edges. Other variables that significantly affected the abundance of regeneration were the height of rainforest tree species in the edge vegetation (N. cunninghamii model), the cover of rainforest tree species in the edge vegetation (A. moschatum model) and the cover of competing eucalypt regeneration within the coupe (P. aspleniifolius model). The proportion of rainforest tree species that regenerated vegetatively was small (3.1%). We concluded that management which maintains mature mixed forest edges, or patches of mature forest within coupes, is likely to result in greater levels of rainforest regeneration and a more rapid shift towards pre-harvest composition following logging. We use our results to demonstrate that variable retention harvesting systems, such as aggregated retention or stripfelling, which reduce the distance to rainforest seed source, would result in a greater abundance of rainforest regeneration over a larger proportion of the coupe than current clearfell, burn and sow silviculture.     

Determining dynamics of spatial and temporal structures of forest edges in South Western Amazonia

Forest edges in the Amazon are very dynamic with ongoing deforestation adding new edges as older edges are eroded. Rates of edge erosion and the composition of edge ages, together with distance from edges, are very important factors in determining the magnitude of forest degradation such as biomass collapse and carbon flux. However, we lack an understanding of how these factors change through time and over the different stages of deforestation. In this study, we quantify the spatial and temporal structures of forest edge in Rondônia, southwestern Amazon, by analyses of 22 years of annual satellite imagery, and discuss the implications for biomass dynamics and forest degradation caused by edges. Our results from three different stages of deforestation (early, intermediate and advanced) reveal that more than 50% of forest edges were eliminated in the first four years after edge creation and only 20% of edges survived more than 10 years. High edge erosion rates in the first year imply that many edges disappear before going through the process of edge-induced biomass collapse. At the early stage of deforestation, young forest edges are predominant, while at the advanced deforestation stage more than 50% of total edges are >10 years old. Rapid erosion is more prevalent in early stages, when young forest edges dominate the landscape. Edge-related biomass collapse is substantially more advanced in heavily deforested regions where forests are mostly surrounded mostly by older edges, but relatively few edges remain at this point.     

Edge effects on soil seed banks and understory vegetation in subtropical and tropical forests in Yunnan,SW China

Human-induced forest edges are common in many forest landscapes throughout the world. Forest management requires an understanding of their ecological consequences. This study addressed the responses of three ecological groups (non-forest species, secondary forest species and primary forest species) in edge soil seed banks and edge understory vegetation, and explored the relationship between the invasion of non-forest species in edge understory vegetation and the accumulation of their seeds in edge soil seed banks. The soil seed banks and understory vegetation were sampled along transects established at the edges of a continuous subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest tract (Lithocarpus xylocarpus forest) bordering anthropogenic grasslands and three tropical seasonal rain forest fragments (Shorea wantianshuea forest) bordering fallows. Species composition in both soil seed banks and understory vegetation showed great difference among edge sites. In soil seed banks, the dominance (relative abundance and relative richness) of each ecological group did not change significantly along the edge to interior gradient. In understory vegetation, the invasion of non-forest species concentrated on the first several meters along the edge to interior gradient. The dominance of secondary forest species decreased with distance from the edge, while the dominance of primary forest species increased with distance from the edge. In forest edge zones, the invasion of a majority of non-forest species in understory vegetation lags behind the accumulation of their seeds in soil seed banks. Forest edges do not act as a good barrier for the penetration of non-forest species seeds. The lack of non-forest species in understory vegetation must then be due to conditions that are not appropriate for their establishment. Therefore, to prevent germination and survival of non-forest species further into the forest, management should focus on maintaining interior forest conditions.     

Secondary edge effects in regenerating forest landscapes: vegetation and microclimate patterns and their implications for management and conservation

Forest regrowth is expected to gradually mitigate edge effects in forest landscapes fragmented by timber harvest, but our understanding of edge effect persistence and dynamics over time is still incomplete. Our main objective was to take a critical look at the role of forest regrowth in mitigating the initial edge effects on microclimate and understory vegetation in northern hardwood forests of the eastern United States. We compared canopy closure, hourly air temperature, soil moisture, and understory vegetation at increasing distances from forest edges (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 m) along twelve transects placed across new and older forest edges (3–4 or 16–19 years old) created by forest harvest. Open, new forest edges exhibited pronounced edge effects on microclimate and shade-intolerant plants, but these were almost completely moderated by forest regrowth on the cleared side of older edges where dense young forest developed with a new canopy comparable in cover to adjacent mature forest. There were no initial edge effects on shade-tolerant vegetation across new forest edges, but the shade-tolerant vegetation declined in mature forest near old forest edges adjacent to dense young forest that supported only sparse understory vegetation. These delayed secondary edge effects of young dense forests on adjacent mature forests have not been previously documented and they should be more explicitly included in forest management considerations. We suggest an integrated system for managing and mitigating both the immediate primary and delayed secondary edge effects in those working forest landscapes where biodiversity conservation is of high priority.     

Long-term changes in two boreal landscapes with different management histories

Abstract

Forest fragmentation increases the amount of edge habitats in landscape. Despite the profound ecological influences that edges may have, the patterns and processes of edge formation have largely remained unexplored. The aim of this study was to find answers to three questions: (1) How have the landscape structure and composition, as measured by different successional stages, changed over a period of about 50years in forested landscapes in southern Finland? (2) What are the differences in the amount of edge and interior habitat between successive years? (3) How does the forest ownership, state or private, affect the prevalence of edges? Digitized aerial photographs taken in 1941 and 1944 (period1), 1969 (period2) and 1997 (period3) were used to study the prevalence of different successional stages, area of interior mature forest and edge habitats in two nearby 10km² forest areas with private and state ownership, respectively. The forest composition was similar in the two forest areas, with mature forests being replaced by younger development stages. The area of interior mature forest decreased dramatically from period1 to period2. Assuming an edge width of 100m, the proportion of edge habitat increased from 30% to 61% in the state forest and from 26% to 76% in private forest. The detected changes and their possible consequences to species suggest that management of different types of edges and converging edges should receive considerable attention in the future.     

Forest edge structure as a shaping factor of understorey vegetation in urban forests in Finland

We investigated the effects of edge structure (i.e. side-canopy openness based on tree, sapling and shrub characteristics, and the composition of tree species) on the understorey vegetation at mesic urban conifer-dominated forest edges in southern Finland. Forest edge structure had an effect on understorey vegetation, and on the spatial extent of the edge effect into the forests. At open edges the edge effect (in terms of the abundances of understorey vegetation) penetrated at least up to 30 m into the forest patches whereas closed edges may prevent these effects. A multilayered canopy with saplings and shrubs at the edge is important to alleviate the effects of the edge. We found that 225–250 m³ ha⁻¹ of trees (diameter at breast height (dbh) > 5 cm) is adequate to restrict the edge effect near the edge. However, the number of broad-leaved trees may be high at edges which, in turn, diminishes the abundance of mosses and favours herb species, thus changing the original natural understorey vegetation composition. Therefore we recommend that conifers be favoured at the edges of mesic conifer-dominated forest patches if the purpose is to restrict the extent of the effects of habitat edges. The appropriate proportion of conifers at these edges should be 80% or more.     

Impact of logging on tree,liana and herb assemblages in a Bornean forest

In the present study, the impact of logging was assessed on the forest structure, richness, and composition of trees, lianas, and ground herbs in Indonesian Borneo. There were no significant differences in tree height, diameter, basal area, or abundance between unlogged and logged forest. Liana abundance was higher in logged than unlogged forest, but the difference was marginally nonsignificant. There was also no significant difference in the percentage cover of ground herbs. Tree species richness was similar between unlogged and logged forest, while liana species richness was higher in logged forest and herb species richness between unlogged forest. Tree and liana compositions differed significantly between unlogged and logged forest, but logging explained only a small part (<7%) of the variance in composition. In contrast to trees and lianas, ground herb composition did not differ significantly between unlogged and logged forest. Our findings indicate that the modest extraction intensity practiced did not have a severely adverse impact on forest structure or plant composition. This highlights the important role that logged forests may play in conserving biodiversity and the need to protect these forests from further disturbance.     

Gradual forest edges can mitigate edge effects on throughfall deposition if their size and shape are well considered

For the protection and promotion of biodiversity in forest edges and interiors, forest edge management practices are put forward like the creation of gradual forest edges (i.e., edges with a gradual increase of vegetation height from open area to forest, e.g., by means of a fringe, a belt, and a mantle). In this study, we tested the mitigating effect of gradual forest edges on the atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen (N) and the potentially acidifying pollutants SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, and NH₄⁺ (N + S). We conducted field experiments at three exposed forest edges in Flanders and the Netherlands and compared throughfall deposition at steep edges (i.e., edges with an abrupt transition from open area to forest) and at adjacent gradual edges. Along transects perpendicular to the edges, during three months in both winter and summer, throughfall deposition of Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, and NH₄⁺ was monitored in the forest between 0 and 64 m from the edges and in the gradual edge vegetation. At the smoothest and best fitting gradual edge, the extra N + S throughfall deposition the forest received due to edge effects was lower than at the adjacent steep edge, with on average 80 and 100% in winter and summer, respectively. This was due to a halving of the depth of edge influence and an almost full reduction of the magnitude of edge influence. This decrease in throughfall deposition in the forest was not compensated by the additional throughfall deposition on the gradual edge vegetation itself, resulting in a final decrease in throughfall deposition in the forest edge by 60% in winter and 74% in summer. While this result confirms that gradual edges can mitigate edge effects on atmospheric deposition, the results of the other sites indicate the importance of size and shape of the gradual edge vegetation in mitigating edge effects on deposition: due to insufficient height (‘size’) or inadequate shape of the gradual edge vegetation, only small or insignificant decreases in throughfall deposition were observed. Hence, for mitigating edge effects on N + S and N deposition, our results support the recommendation of creating gradual edges at forests with poorly developed, abrupt edges, but it stresses the importance of a thorough consideration of the shape and size of the gradual edge vegetation in the design and management of gradual forest edges.     

Factors controlling the abundance of lianas along an altitudinal transect of tropical forests in Ecuador

In the light of putatively increasing liana abundances in present-day tropical forests and a persistent lack of understanding of liana abundance patterns and the responsible factors, we attempt to identify the key factors controlling liana abundance along an altitudinal transect in NE Ecuador. At four elevational levels (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 m), each represented by 10 plots of 400 m², the abundance and diameters of all lianas (dbh ≥ 1 cm) and trees (dbh ≥ 10 cm) were recorded in old-growth forest stands in the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (SBR). Results were analysed with available data on soil chemical properties and canopy structure.