Differentiating Structural and Compositional Attributes across Successional Stages in Chilean Temperate Rainforests

Forests

Pablo J. Donoso¹  Diego B. Ponce¹  Christian Salas-Eljatib² 

[1] Instituto de Bosques y Sociedad, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia 5090000, Chile;Laboratorio de Biometría, Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco 4780000, Chile;

关键词: Valdivian Temperate Rainforests;    forest succession;    forest conversion;    old-growth forest restoration;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f8090329

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The landscape in the lowlands of south-central Chile is dominated by agricultural lands and forestry plantations of exotic species. Natural forests are restricted to successional forests, while old-growth forests are nearly absent. The lack of old-growth forests may deprive society from some ecosystem services. Both successional and old forests differ in their ecological functions and in the ecosystem services they can provide. To promote old-growth characteristics in successional forests, it becomes necessary to know which compositional and structural attributes differentiate forests along succession. We aim at identifying the differential attributes among successional and old-growth forests in the lowlands in the northern portion of the Valdivian Rainforests. We analyzed 19 variables in seven different forests and found statistically significant differences in 13 of them. A subset of these variables illustrated major patterns that differentiate successional stages, of which a few could be more easily controlled through management. The latter include lowering tree densities (from >3000 to <1500 trees per hectare), increasing volume of large trees, especially of shade-tolerant species, and structural heterogeneity (a Gini coefficient >0.7 represents older forests). While successional forest show a rapid recovery, forest managers would need to focus in controlling these attributes to increase their old-growth characteristics.

【 授权许可】

Unknown