Changes in tree and liana communities along a successional gradient in a tropical dry forest in south-eastern Brazil

We investigated changes in species composition and structure of tree and liana communities along a successional gradient in a seasonally dry tropical forest. There was a progressive increase in tree richness and all tree structural traits from early to late stages, as well as marked changes in tree...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Plant ecology 2009-03, Vol.201 (1), p.291-304
Hauptverfasser: Madeira, Bruno G, Espírito-Santo, Mário M, Neto, Santos D'Ângelo, Nunes, Yule R. F, Arturo Sánchez Azofeifa, G, Wilson Fernandes, G, Quesada, Mauricio
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:Volltext
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:We investigated changes in species composition and structure of tree and liana communities along a successional gradient in a seasonally dry tropical forest. There was a progressive increase in tree richness and all tree structural traits from early to late stages, as well as marked changes in tree species composition and dominance. This pattern is probably related to pasture management practices such as ploughing, which remove tree roots and preclude regeneration by resprouting. On the other hand, liana density decreased from intermediate to late stages, showing a negative correlation with tree density. The higher liana abundance in intermediate stage is probably due to a balanced availability of support and light availability, since these variables may show opposite trends during forest growth. Predicted succession models may represent extremes in a continuum of possible successional pathways strongly influenced by land use history, climate, soil type, and by the outcomes of tree-liana interactions.
ISSN:1385-0237
1573-5052
DOI:10.1007/s11258-009-9580-9