海南霸王岭陆均松类热带山地雨林伐后林结构与物种多样性研究

霸王岭林区是海南岛最典型的热带山地雨林分布区.在该区,现存分布面积最广、资源数量最大的是热带山地雨林的各种伐后林.以霸王岭分布最广的以陆均松(Dacridium pierrii)为主的山地雨林的伐后林为对象,研究了其组成、径级、高度结构和物种多样性特征,对比分析了伐后林与原始林以及伐后林不同类型之间的异同.结果表明:原始热带山地雨林经采伐后中小乔木和灌木的优势度增大,而大乔木树种的优势度则明显下降.阳性树种的种类、数量和相对重要性随采伐破坏的程度而增加.伐后林中矮、小树木在林分中比例随采伐破坏的程度增加,而高、大树木,特别是进入主林层树木的比例则随采伐破坏的程度明显下降.从林分测树因子的变化来看,采育择伐和径级择伐的林分要优于大强度择伐和皆伐的林分.原始林的物种丰富度大于伐后林,但其多样性指数和均匀度指数大都小于伐后林.组成上与原始林相似性较大的伐后林是各种择伐后的林分,而皆伐后的林分与原始林在组成上已有很大差别.     

海南尖峰岭热带林乔灌木层物种多样性沿海拔梯度分布格局

沿海南尖峰岭林区海拔梯度设立164块25 m×25 m样地,分析乔灌木层物种多样性沿海拔梯度的变化规律,同时分析森林采伐对这种分布格局的影响.结果表明:尖峰岭物种丰富,164块625 m2样地共记录植株65 144个,分属84科253属596种;原始林的物种丰富度沿海拔梯度呈现双峰型的分布格局,主要受尖峰岭地区水热、光照、群落特性等因素控制;径级择伐后森林物种丰富度沿海拔梯度波动上升;皆伐后森林物种丰富度随着海拔梯度剧烈波动;原始林的Simpson物种多样性指数随海拔增高而缓慢上升;径级择伐森林Simpson物种多样性指数首先随海拔增高而平缓上升,海拔800 m处最高,之后缓慢下降;皆伐林中Simpson物种多样性指数随海拔增高先上升,海拔680m处达到一个峰值,然后下降,海拔850 m处又开始继续上升;和原始林相比较,径级择伐森林总体而言沿海拔梯度的Simpson物种多样性指数有所上升,而皆伐森林的Simpson物种多样性指数有所下降.     

采育择伐效果的调查报告

采育兼顾伐经过生产实践的不断充实和完善,发展成为现在的采育择伐,它是一种加快恢复森林的采伐方式。这种采伐方式在幼树较多,天然更新条件下好的复层异龄林中应用,并能切实控制好三项技术指标,其效果较为明显。通过一次采伐作业,完成两种任务,既把成过熟木、病腐木和没有生长前     

抚育措施对热带天然次生林群落结构与物种多样性的影响

[目的]通过对海南霸王岭林区的热带天然次生林抚育技术试验,了解抚育对次生林群落组成和结构的影响。[方法]通过对30个热带天然次生中龄林(60年)固定样地(50 m×50 m)进行抚育前后的森林调查数据,利用配对t检验、非维度多尺度标定(NMS)和指示种分析等统计方法,比较个体数量、物种多样性、群落物种组成、指示种、优势种和群落径级结构在抚育后的变化特征。[结果]表明:经过抚育后群落上层物种(胸径≥5 cm)和下层(1 cm≤胸径5 cm)个体密度显著减少了24.9%和59.9%,胸高断面积显著减少了13.1%和54.9%。抚育前后上层和下层树木径级分布结构均没发生显著变化,但呈随径级增加抚育比例减小的趋势。与抚育前的群落物种相比,抚育后的次生林上层和下层的物种组成无显著变化,上层树木物种密度减少了15.1%,但物种丰富度(排除密度效应后的物种密度)和香农指数无显著变化。抚育对下层树木的影响更加显著,其中,物种密度、物种丰富度、香农指数显著减少了40.3%、15.1%和11.1%。经过抚育后,上层指示种多度平均减少了85.6%,优势种多度平均减少了6.4%;下层指示种多度平均减少了85.9%,而优势种多度平均减少了35.1%。[结论]通过中幼林综合抚育措施,热带低地雨林次生林中短寿命先锋种数量显著减少,降低了抚育后先锋种对保留目的种的竞争强度,从而为加快热带次生林的生态功能恢复和实施森林经营管理奠定了重要基础。     

鄂西南亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林的自然恢复动态及其影响因素

【目的】比较环境与空间因素在群落恢复与构建中的作用,分析亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林自然恢复过程中的群落结构和物种多样性变化规律,为进一步深入了解此类森林的自然恢复机制奠定基础。【方法】在湖北木林子国家级自然保护区的老龄林、35年天然次生林(1980年采伐)和20年天然次生林(1995年采伐)中各随机选取10块森林动态固定样地(20 m×20 m),对不同恢复阶段森林群落木本植物多度、胸高断面积、物种丰富度、稀疏物种丰富度(以100个树木个体为基数)进行比较,采用冗余分析(RDA)对30块样地进行排序。将空间(PCNM)和环境变量(土壤与地形)一同作为解释变量对不同恢复群落物种组成进行方差分解,以环境和恢复时间作为解释变量对30块样地的木本植物多度、胸高断面积、物种丰富度和稀疏物种丰富度数据进行多元回归分析。【结果】群落在恢复过程中,木本植物多度(F=8.64,P0.01)、物种丰富度(F=10.24,P0.001)和稀疏物种丰富度(F=9.615,P0.01)均显著减少,胸高断面积(F=14.2,P0.001)显著增加,土壤环境则无显著变化(P0.05);土壤密度、土壤p H、坡向、坡度、海拔和坡位对研究区物种组成的解释能力显著(P0.05);方差分解显示,恢复20年次生林、恢复35年次生林和老龄林分别有31.4%,36.8%和54.1%的物种组成变异受环境影响,空间因素(PCNM变量)仅对恢复35年次生林(16.8%)和老龄林(23.2%)的物种组成变异具有显著影响(P0.05),而对恢复20年次生林无显著影响(P0.05);同步自回归结果显示,恢复时间、凋落物厚度、坡度、海拔、坡向机土壤p H对群落结构与多样性具有显著影响(P0.05)。【结论】亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林在自然恢复过程中,群落结构、物种多样性以及环境因素均会发生明显变化,环境、空间及恢复时间是决定群落组成的关键因素。种源空间扩散、优先效应等随机过程对次生林的群落构建具有决定性作用,而环境选择等确定性过程对老龄林的群落构建起主导作用。随着恢复进程的推进,次生林与老龄林的物种组成差异会逐渐减少。     

不同采伐方式对阔叶林物种多样性的影响研究

对阔叶林皆伐人促更新和择伐人促更新对物种多样性影响的研究,结果表明不同采伐方式对群落物种丰富度、物种多样性指数和物种多样性均匀度指数均有一定的影响.皆伐人促更新林分物种比择伐人促更新少10种,乔木树种少了14种;不同采伐方式对群落的物种多样性指数和物种多样性均匀度指数影响不大,但对各层片有较大的影响,皆伐人促更新的乔木层物种多样性指数和物种多样性均匀度指数均比择伐人促更新林分低,但草本和藤本层物种多样性指数和物种多样性均匀度指数均比择伐人促更新林分高.     

尖峰岭热带山地雨林不同更新林的群落特征

基于对尖峰岭热带山地雨林原始林、皆伐后恢复41 a的天然更新林和皆伐后恢复25 a的人工促进天然更新林的调查数据,对其物种组成、物种相似性、物种丰富度及多样性、植株密度和稳定性等进行比较分析,并通过优势种群龄级结构分析预测群落的发展趋势.结果表明:1)物种丰富度及物种多样性均以原始林最高,乔木层物种多样性表现为天然更新林>人工促进天然更新林,幼树层和下木层表现为人工促进天然更新林>天然更新林;2)天然更新林与原始林的物种相似性比其与人工促进天然更新林的高,说明天然更新林恢复程度较人工促进天然更新林好;3)植株密度表现为人工促进天然更新林>天然更新林>原始林,与干扰程度正相关,与皆伐后恢复时间负相关;4)乔木层和下木层的群落稳定性表现为原始林>天然更新林>人工促进天然更新林;5)优势种群发展趋势分析表明,原始林群落主要优势种群大部分表现为增长或稳定趋势,天然更新林群落上层阳性树种表现为衰退或稳定趋势,下木层的优势种则表现为增长趋势,人工促进更新林的栽培种和一些偏阳性树种表现出衰退或稳定趋势,林下一些优势度稍低的种群表现出逐渐增长趋势.因此,虽然天然更新林和人工促进天然更新林所在群落具有一定的稳定性,但其种类组成结构将发生较大的变化,仍处在由前期阳性树种向后期耐荫树种转变的演替进程中.     

海南霸王岭山地原始林与伐后林中木质藤本与支持木的多样性及其相互关系

研究海南霸王岭热带山地雨林原始林与伐后林的物种多样性及木质藤本与支持木的关系。结果表明:原始林中树木的物种丰富度和多度低于伐后林(P<0.05),而木质藤本的物种丰富度和多度在原始林与伐后林间无显著差异;原始林中树木的平均附藤率和平均每木附藤数均高于伐后林(P<0.05),而平均每藤攀附支持木个体数表现为伐后林高于原始林(P<0.05);在原始林中树木胸径与平均每木藤本数间呈显著的三次函数关系,伐后林中树木胸径与平均每木藤本数间呈显著的幂函数关系;树木高度与平均每木藤本数在2林型中均呈显著的三次函数关系。     

川西亚高山暗针叶林恢复过程中群落物种组成和多样性的变化

以立地条件相似的原始暗针叶老龄林作为对照,采用空间代替时间的方法,在海拔3 100～3 600 m 的阴坡、半阴坡,对50块标准地进行调查,对川西亚高山箭竹原始暗针叶老龄林和藓类原始暗针叶老龄林经采伐后形成的不同恢复系列(20、30、40 和50 年) 次生林群落物种组成和多样性动态进行研究.共记录维管植物167 种,隶属于44 科117 属;次生林物种种类差别不大,但优势种重要值随森林恢复不断发生变化,20、30、40和50年生次生林群落的优势种为红桦,而160～200 年生的原始暗针叶老龄林优势种为岷江冷杉;随着森林的恢复,物种丰富度显著增加,30～40 年之间物种丰富度上升最快,到原始暗针叶老龄林时显著下降,不同生长型物种丰富度为草本层＞灌木层＞乔木层;均匀度指数在40 年生次生林最大,箭竹红桦林40 年后均匀度指数相对稳定,藓类红桦林在50 年时有所下降,到藓类原始暗针叶老龄林略有增大,乔木与灌木层以及乔木与草本层之间均匀度指数差异显著,而灌木与草本层间差异不显著;Shannon 指数随次生林恢复时间的增加呈增大的趋势,箭竹红桦林最大值出现在50 年生的林分中,为3.796 7, 藓类红桦林最大值出现在30 年生的林分中,为3.654 3, 原始暗针叶老龄林Shannon 指数大小介于次生林之间;群落优势度指数先是随着恢复年限增加而减小,随后又逐渐增大,乔木层与群落优势度指数变化趋势相似,但变化的幅度较大,藓类红桦林比箭竹红桦林乔木层优势度提前20 年降低到最小值;除优势度指数以外,其他指数在不同恢复系列间差异显著,而在2 种次生林类型间差异均不显著;随着林龄的增大,次生林与原始暗针叶老龄林间的Bray-Curtis 指数也有增大的趋势.     

人为干扰对长白山红松针阔叶混交林粗木质残体的影响

研究人为干扰(森林采伐)对长白山红松针阔叶混交林(天然林和择伐林)粗木质残体的影响.结果表明:天然林和择伐林的粗木质残体平均材积分别为78.88和41.7 m3·hm-2;天然林粗木质残体大部分径级2～40 cm,其中倒木、枯立木和伐桩分别占总材积的94%、5.8%和0.2%,择伐林粗木质残体大部分径级11～50 cm,其中倒木、枯立木和伐桩分别占总材积的41%、4%和55%.天然林和择伐林粗木质残体的覆盖面积分别为376.2和189.3 m2·5hm-2;天然林和择伐林倒木腐烂级为E的倒木分别占33.5%和14%.择伐活动明显减少了森林倒木的数量.为促使采伐后的森林能维持原始林粗木质残体的结构特征,现行的森林管理措施应进行必要的调整.     

What loggers leave behind: Impacts on big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) commercial populations and potential for post-logging recovery in the Brazilian Amazon

The sustainability of current harvest practices for high-value Meliaceae can be assessed by quantifying logging intensity and projecting growth and survival by post-logging populations over anticipated intervals between harvests. From 100%-area inventories of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) covering 204 ha or more at eight logged and unlogged forest sites across southern Brazilian Amazonia, we report generally higher landscape-scale densities and smaller population-level mean diameters in eastern forests compared to western forests, where most commercial stocks survive. Density of trees ≥20 cm diameter varied by two orders of magnitude and peaked at 1.17 ha⁻¹. Size class frequency distributions appeared unimodal at two high-density sites, but were essentially amodal or flat elsewhere; diameter increment patterns indicate that populations were multi- or all-aged. At two high-density sites, conventional logging removed 93–95% of commercial trees (≥45 cm diameter at the time of logging), illegally eliminated 31–47% of sub-merchantable trees, and targeted trees as small as 20 cm diameter. Projected recovery by commercial stems during 30 years after conventional logging represented 9.9–37.5% of initial densities and was highly dependent on initial logging intensity and size class frequency distributions of commercial trees. We simulated post-logging recovery over the same period at all sites according to the 2003 regulatory framework for mahogany in Brazil, which raised the minimum diameter cutting limit to 60 cm and requires retention during the first harvest of 20% of commercial-sized trees. Recovery during 30 years ranged from approximately 0 to 31% over 20% retention densities at seven of eight sites. At only one site where sub-merchantable trees dominated the population did the simulated density of harvestable stems after 30 years exceed initial commercial densities. These results indicate that 80% harvest intensity will not be sustainable over multiple cutting cycles for most populations without silvicultural interventions ensuring establishment and long-term growth of artificial regeneration to augment depleted natural stocks, including repeated tending of outplanted seedlings. Without improved harvest protocols for mahogany in Brazil as explored in this paper, future commercial supplies of this species as well as other high-value tropical timbers are endangered. Rapid changes in the timber industry and land-use in the Amazon are also significant challenges to sustainable management of mahogany.     

A Natural Forest of Commercial Timber Species: Logging or Not Logging

Most tropical forests outside protected areas have been or will be selectively logged because the timber industry is a main income-generating resource for many developing countries. Therefore, understanding the composition of commercial timber species and logging types is key for sustainable forest management in countries like Vietnam as they move toward fulfilling Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) agreements. Seven 1-ha plots were surveyed in the Central Highland of Vietnam, and 18 commercial tree species from these plots, whose timber is widely used by local people for housing and furniture making and timber is easily sold at local markets for high prices, were analyzed. In total, 151 tree species with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of ≥?10 cm were recorded. The 18 commercially valuable species assessed in this study accounted for 33.2% of all stems (total of 524 stems ha^?1 for all species), 47.1% of basal area (total of 34.35 m² ha^?1 for all species), and 50.8% of aboveground biomass/AGB (total of 262.68 Mg ha^?1 for all species). Practicing diameter-limit harvesting of all commercially valuable species with DBH of ≥?40 cm, which is widely performed in Vietnam, will reduce the number of stems by 7%, basal area by 31.6%, and AGB by 38.2%. Because such harvesting practices cause severe ecological impacts on the remaining forest, logged forests may require >?40 years to recover the structure status of a pre-logged forest. In addition, the recovery of the 18 commercially valuable species may require a much longer time because they comprised 33.2% of stems. Permission for logging natural forests should be given in Vietnam to sustain lives of local communities, where logging has been prohibited. However, alternative harvesting systems, such as reduced-impact logging systems, should be considered. The systems selected must simultaneously generate economic returns for local people and respect the REDD+ agreements with regard to protecting biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions.     

Silvicultural treatments enhance growth rates of future crop trees in a tropical dry forest

Silvicultural treatments are often needed in selectively logged tropical forest to enhance the growth rates of many commercial tree species and, consequently, for recovering a larger proportion of the initial volume harvested over the next cutting cycle. The available data in the literature suggest, however, that the effect of silvicultural treatments on tree growth is smaller in dry forests than in humid forest tree species. In this study, we analyze the effect of logging and application of additional silvicultural treatments (liana cutting and girdling of competing trees) on the growth rates of future crop trees (FCTs; i.e., trees of current and potentially commercial timber species with adequate form and apparent growth potential). The study was carried out in a tropical dry forest in Bolivia where a set of 21.25-ha plots were monitored for 4 years post-logging. Plots received one of four treatments that varied in intensity of both logging and silvicultural treatments as follows: normal (reduced-impact) logging; normal logging and low-intensity silviculture; increased logging intensity and high-intensity silviculture; and, unlogged controls. The silvicultural treatments applied to FCTs involved liberation from lianas and overtopping trees. Results showed that rates of FCT stem diameter growth increased with light availability, logging intensity, and intensity of silvicultural treatments, and decrease with liana infestation degree. Growth rate increment was larger in the light and intensive silvicultural treatment (22–27%). Long-lived pioneer species showed the strongest response to intensive silviculture (50% increase) followed by total shade-tolerant species (24%) and partial shade-tolerant species (10%). While reduced-impact logging is often not sufficient to guarantee the sustainability of timber yields, application of silvicultural treatments that substantially enhanced the growth rates of FCTs will help move the management of these forests closer to the goal of sustained yield.     

Beyond reduced-impact logging: Silvicultural treatments to increase growth rates of tropical trees

Use of reduced-impact logging (RIL) techniques has repeatedly been shown to reduce damage caused by logging. Unfortunately, these techniques do not necessarily ameliorate the low growth rates of many commercial species or otherwise assure recovery of the initial volume harvested during the next cutting cycle. In this study, we analyze the effect of logging and application of additional silvicultural treatments (liana cutting and girdling of competing trees) on the growth rates on trees in general and on of future crop trees (FCTs) of 24 commercial timber species. The study was carried out in a moist tropical forest in Bolivia, where we monitored twelve 27-ha plots for 4 years. Plots received one of four treatments in which logging intensity and silvicultural treatments were varied: control (no logging); normal (reduced-impact) logging; normal logging and low-intensity silviculture; and, increased logging intensity and high-intensity silviculture. Tree growth rates increased with intensity of logging and silvicultural treatments. The growth rates of FCTs of commercial species were 50–60% higher in plots that received silvicultural treatments than in the normal logging and control plots. Responses to silvicultural treatments varied among functional groups. The largest increase in growth rates was observed in FCTs belonging to the partially shade-tolerant and the shade-tolerant groups. These results indicate that silvicultural treatments, in addition to the use of RIL techniques, are more likely to result in a higher percentage of timber volume being recovered after the first cutting cycle than RIL alone.     

云南省集体人工商品林采伐管理改革思考

随着集体林权制度改革的不断深入，传统的林木采伐管理制度已越来越不能适应现代林业发展的需要，必须进一步优化限额管理机制，逐步建立与集体林权制度改革相配套、与发展现代林业相适应的林木采伐管理机制。针对现行集体人工商品林在采伐限额管理、采伐指标分配、采伐申请审批等方面存在的一些问题，提出实行森林采伐分类管理，推行伐区资格审查制度和伐区简易设计等对策与建议。     

Contributions of root and stump sprouts to natural regeneration of a logged tropical dry forest in Bolivia

A major impediment to the sustainable management of tropical dry forests in Bolivia is the scarcity of natural regeneration of commercial timber tree species. Where regeneration is present, true seedlings of many species are outnumbered by vegetative sprouts from roots, broken stems, and the stumps of felled trees. This study evaluates the importance of resprouts promoted by logging operations for the regeneration of commercially important canopy tree species. The objectives of the study were: (1) to characterize stump and root sprouting behaviors of canopy tree species harvested for timber; (2) to quantify the effect of logging on relative abundances and growth rates of stump sprouts, root sprouts, and true seedlings; (3) to relate the species-specific probabilities of stump sprouting to stump diameter and stump height; and (4) to explore how sprouting varies with the ecological requirements of canopy tree species. The study was carried out 1–5 years after logging of a privately owned land in a Bolivian tropical dry forest. Twenty-seven of the 31 species monitored resprouted at least occasionally, among which Centrolobium microchaete (Leguminosae-Fabaceae) and Zeyheria tuberculosa (Bignoniaceae) were the most frequent stump sprouters, and Acosmium cardenasii (Leguminosae-Fabaceae) and C. microchaete were the most frequent root sprouters. In all species the number of sprouts declined with increasing stump diameter and stump height. The probability of stump resprouting differed among species but did not vary consistently with stump diameter, except in Z. tuberculosa in which it declined. Approximately 45% of juveniles <2 m tall of canopy tree species originated from root or stem sprouts. Light-demanding species tended to regenerate more from seeds and root sprouts than from stumps. Seedling densities were higher in microsites opened by logging, while root and stem sprouts were equally common across microsites. Given their abundance and the fact that root and stem sprouts at least initially grew faster than true seedlings, we conclude that vegetative regeneration in this tropical dry forest is an important mode of post-logging regeneration especially for species that regenerate poorly from seed. Resprout management should be considered as a potentially effective strategy for the procurement of regeneration following logging, especially for species that do not readily recruit from seed.     

Effects of selective logging on tree diversity and some soil characteristics in a tropical forest in southwest Ghana

We investigated the effects of selective logging disturbances on tree diversity and soil characteristics in the Bia Conservation Area in southwest Ghana.The study was conducted in unlogged,29-35 years post-logged and swamp forests using ten 25 m×25 m plots.In total,we identified 310 individual trees belonging to 87 species.Mean ShannonWeiner index was highest in the post-logged forest but there were no significant differences in tree density,dominance,or DBH size class distributions between these forests.Soil physical properties such as pH and bulk density up to 30 cm depth were similar in the two of forests In terms of soil nutrient status,available P,exchangeable K and total N contents were all similar in the unlogged and post-logged forests.Our findings suggest that the effects of logging on tree diversity are comparatively long-term,in contrast to its short-term effects on some top soil physical and chemical characteristics.     

Centuries-old logging legacy on spatial and temporal patterns in understory herb communities

Understory herb communities in the Southern Appalachians are among the highest biodiversity plant communities in North America. In the mid-1990s, a debate began over whether understory herb communities recover to their pre-disturbance states following logging. Studies showing reduced herb-layer diversity in previously logged forests were criticized for not accounting for intersite environmental heterogeneity. More recent studies have addressed environmental heterogeneity, but have neglected long-term recovery by using “mature forests” as young as 80 years old as the benchmark for diversity comparison, even though old growth stands have disturbance return intervals exceeding 500 years. Here we address concerns clouding previous studies of high-diversity Appalachian herb communities and investigate their long-term recovery by comparing paired sites of old growth forest and forest logged 100–150 years ago. We found that species richness and individual abundance is greater in old growth forests than mature forests and that species composition differed significantly between the two. Turnover in species among old growth and mature forests accounted for 11% of the total species richness and was significantly greater than expected. Species turnover at intermediate (5–50 m) and landscape-scales (>10 km) contributed the most towards total species richness. Herb communities in rich cove forests have successional trajectories that exceed 150 years, with important community changes still occurring long after the forest returns to what has been previously termed a “mature” state. To conserve the diverse herb layer, we conclude that mature forest stands are too young to serve as baselines for recovery, landscape-scale preservation of multiple forest stands is needed to maximize species richness, and maintaining 100–150-year logging rotations will likely lead to loss of biodiversity.     

Selective logging in public pine forests of the central Iberian Peninsula: Effects of the recovery process on ant assemblages

Pine forests on the northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula have a long history of use, exploitation, and management. Current management practices consist of selective logging with relatively short periods of time between logging events. The main objective of this study is to detect changes in ant assemblages in the short time periods between selective logging activities. Ants were sampled at 44 sites considering three grouping categories of time periods after the last timber extraction: short (<4 years), medium (4-8 years) and long (>8 years). After selective logging the number of ant species increases as the forest recovers. A look at the differences between the assemblages when the analysis shifts from the species-specific level to functional groups showed differences between the short and long categories. This indicates that in certain circumstances the functional groups may be more informative of the functional restructuring of the ant assemblages in a disturbed habitat. Ant species from three functional groups display significant indicative values (Opportunist, Hot Climate Specialists and Subordinate Camponotini) in the medium- and long-time-after-logging categories: Messor capitatus (HCS) for medium-time category sites; and Aphaenogaster iberica (Op), Camponotus cruentatus (SC) and, Cataglyphis velox (HCS) for long-time category sites. No indicator species were found for the early stages of recovery. This information may also be of interest to managers because it reduces the number of data elements of the recovery status of these forests, and can be translated into monitoring protocols. The continued exploitation of these forests leads to an ant fauna that reflects this change. The results show that ant assemblages need at least 8 years to recover since only after that much time there is an emergence of Subordinate Camponotinae, a behaviorally dominant and low stress-tolerant functional group. This selective logging maintains the relative diversity and structure of ant assemblages.     

How rare is too rare to harvest?: Management challenges posed by timber species occurring at low densities in the Brazilian Amazon

Tropical forests are characterized by diverse assemblages of plant and animal species compared to temperate forests. Corollary to this general rule is that most tree species, whether valued for timber or not, occur at low densities (<1 adult tree ha⁻¹) or may be locally rare. In the Brazilian Amazon, many of the most highly valued timber species occur at extremely low densities yet are intensively harvested with little regard for impacts on population structures and dynamics. These include big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), ipê (Tabebuia serratifolia and Tabebuia impetiginosa), jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril), and freijó cinza (Cordia goeldiana). Brazilian forest regulations prohibit harvests of species that meet the legal definition of rare – fewer than three trees per 100 ha – but treat all species populations exceeding this density threshold equally. In this paper we simulate logging impacts on a group of timber species occurring at low densities that are widely distributed across eastern and southern Amazonia, based on field data collected at four research sites since 1997, asking: under current Brazilian forest legislation, what are the prospects for second harvests on 30-year cutting cycles given observed population structures, growth, and mortality rates? Ecologically ‘rare’ species constitute majorities in commercial species assemblages in all but one of the seven large-scale inventories we analyzed from sites spanning the Amazon (range 49–100% of total commercial species). Although densities of only six of 37 study species populations met the Brazilian legal definition of a rare species, timber stocks of five of the six timber species declined substantially at all sites between first and second harvests in simulations based on legally allowable harvest intensities. Reducing species-level harvest intensity by increasing minimum felling diameters or increasing seed tree retention levels improved prospects for second harvests of those populations with a relatively high proportion of submerchantable stems, but did not dramatically improve projections for populations with relatively flat diameter distributions. We argue that restrictions on logging very low-density timber tree populations, such as the current Brazilian standard, provide inadequate minimum protection for vulnerable species. Population declines, even if reduced-impact logging (RIL) is eventually adopted uniformly, can be anticipated for a large pool of high-value timber species unless harvest intensities are adapted to timber species population ecology, and silvicultural treatments are adopted to remedy poor natural stocking in logged stands.