Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico
Background and Aims: Agriculture in the tropics is decreasing, fragmenting and altering forests and forest landscapes. We hypothesized differences in species richness and dominance of life forms in the seed rain and in richness and survival in the recruit assemblages among mature forests, mid-succes...
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| Format: | Online |
| Jezik: | eng |
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Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
2020
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| Online dostop: | https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1618 |
| _version_ | 1799771369338044416 |
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| author | Carrillo Arreola, Fernando Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro Francisco Ramírez-Marcial, Neptalí González-Espinosa, Mario |
| author_facet | Carrillo Arreola, Fernando Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro Francisco Ramírez-Marcial, Neptalí González-Espinosa, Mario |
| author_sort | Carrillo Arreola, Fernando |
| collection | ABM |
| description | Background and Aims: Agriculture in the tropics is decreasing, fragmenting and altering forests and forest landscapes. We hypothesized differences in species richness and dominance of life forms in the seed rain and in richness and survival in the recruit assemblages among mature forests, mid-successional forests, early successional forests, pastures and milpa fields (arable lands with maize) surrounded by natural and human disturbed habitats. Methods: Samples of seeds and plants were collected during a year in Lacanjá-Chansayab and Bonampak-Bethel, in the buffer zone of the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, Mexico. We deployed 14 seed traps in 12 sites representing a gradient of vegetation succession (2 sites × 6 habitats × 14 traps; n = 168 traps). Independently, to assess changes in recruitment and early survival, we established 15 quadrats (0.5 × 2.0 m) in each of the studied forests (2 sites × 3 habitats × 15 quadrats; n = 90 quadrats). Key results: We collected ~13,600 seeds of 144 species from 48 botanical families. Mature forests had the highest seed rain species richness (60-61) and pastures (14-11) the lowest. We observed a decline in species richness and a change in dominance of life forms in the seed rain from less disturbed to most perturbed habitats. Mature forests included seeds of diverse tree species while the assemblage in pastures was dominated by seeds of few grass species. Intensive traditional milpa fields showed homogeneous seed assemblages. For the new recruits, we recorded ~3,416 individuals (<0.5 m height) of 238 morphospecies in 42 families, 129 were identified to species level. The largest number of species occurred in mature and mid-successional stands compared to early forests. Annual survival of recruits was higher in mid- and late successional forests than in early ones.Conclusions: We document species loss and widespread simplification and homogenization in community composition due to pervasive effect of humans on remnant tropical lowland forests. |
| format | Online |
| id | oai:oai.abm.ojs.inecol.mx:article-1618 |
| institution | Acta Botanica Mexicana |
| language | eng |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Instituto de Ecología, A.C. |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | oai:oai.abm.ojs.inecol.mx:article-16182022-11-25T20:10:32Z Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico Lluvia de semillas y establecimiento en comunidades sucesionales en Chiapas, México Carrillo Arreola, Fernando Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro Francisco Ramírez-Marcial, Neptalí González-Espinosa, Mario forest landscapes habitat heterogeneity human disturbance Lacandon Maya swidden agriculture tropical rainforest agricultura trashumante heterogeneidad del hábitat mayas lacandones paisajes forestales perturbación humana selva alta perennifolia Background and Aims: Agriculture in the tropics is decreasing, fragmenting and altering forests and forest landscapes. We hypothesized differences in species richness and dominance of life forms in the seed rain and in richness and survival in the recruit assemblages among mature forests, mid-successional forests, early successional forests, pastures and milpa fields (arable lands with maize) surrounded by natural and human disturbed habitats. Methods: Samples of seeds and plants were collected during a year in Lacanjá-Chansayab and Bonampak-Bethel, in the buffer zone of the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, Mexico. We deployed 14 seed traps in 12 sites representing a gradient of vegetation succession (2 sites × 6 habitats × 14 traps; n = 168 traps). Independently, to assess changes in recruitment and early survival, we established 15 quadrats (0.5 × 2.0 m) in each of the studied forests (2 sites × 3 habitats × 15 quadrats; n = 90 quadrats). Key results: We collected ~13,600 seeds of 144 species from 48 botanical families. Mature forests had the highest seed rain species richness (60-61) and pastures (14-11) the lowest. We observed a decline in species richness and a change in dominance of life forms in the seed rain from less disturbed to most perturbed habitats. Mature forests included seeds of diverse tree species while the assemblage in pastures was dominated by seeds of few grass species. Intensive traditional milpa fields showed homogeneous seed assemblages. For the new recruits, we recorded ~3,416 individuals (<0.5 m height) of 238 morphospecies in 42 families, 129 were identified to species level. The largest number of species occurred in mature and mid-successional stands compared to early forests. Annual survival of recruits was higher in mid- and late successional forests than in early ones.Conclusions: We document species loss and widespread simplification and homogenization in community composition due to pervasive effect of humans on remnant tropical lowland forests. Antecedentes y Objetivos: La agricultura en los trópicos reduce, fragmenta y altera los bosques y los paisajes forestales. Evaluamos la riqueza de especies y la dominancia de formas de vida en la lluvia de semillas, y la abundancia y supervivencia anual de nuevos reclutas en bosques maduros, medianamente maduros, bosques tempranos, potreros y campos de cultivo en ambientes naturales y humanizados. Pronosticamos diferencias en composición y número de semillas y de reclutas en función de los diferentes hábitats y de las matrices de vegetación que los circundan. Métodos: Durante un año se colectaron muestras de semillas y plantas en Lacanjá-Chansayab y Bonampak-Bethel, ambas dentro de la zona de amortiguamiento de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Montes Azules, Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, México. Para la lluvia de semillas, instalamos 14 trampas en sitios que representan el gradiente de sucesión en la vegetación local (2 sitios × 6 hábitats × 14 trampas; n = 168). Independientemente, para evaluar los cambios en reclutamiento y supervivencia tempranas se establecieron 15 cuadros (0.5 × 2.0 m) en cada comunidad arbolada (2 sitios × 3 comunidades × 15 cuadros; n = 90). Resultados clave: Colectamos ~13,600 semillas de 144 especies pertenecientes a 48 familias botánicas. Los bosques maduros presentaron la mayor riqueza (60-61) y los potreros la menor (14-11). Observamos una reducción en la riqueza de especies y un cambio en la dominancia de las formas de vida a través del gradiente sucesional. Los bosques incluyeron principalmente semillas de árboles, mientras los potreros estuvieron dominados por unas pocas especies de gramíneas. La lluvia de semillas en las áreas agrícolas se caracterizó por un reducido número de especies generalistas. Para los reclutas de especies leñosas, se registraron ~3416 individuos (<0.5 m de altura) de 238 morfoespecies, de las cuales 129 fueron identificadas a nivel de especie en 42 familias. El mayor número de reclutas ocurrió en bosques maduros comparados con bosques tempranos y su supervivencia fue mayor en los bosques maduros. Conclusiones: Documentamos la progresiva simplificación y homogenización en la composición florística y el efecto generalizado de los humanos en las regiones tropicales. Instituto de Ecología, A.C. 2020-05-21 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion artículo evaluado por pares application/pdf application/xml application/epub+zip https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1618 10.21829/abm127.2020.1618 Acta Botanica Mexicana; No. 127 (2020) Acta Botanica Mexicana; Núm. 127 (2020) 2448-7589 0187-7151 eng https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1618/pdf https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1618/2122 https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1618/epub Derechos de autor 2020 Acta Botanica Mexicana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 |
| spellingShingle | Carrillo Arreola, Fernando Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro Francisco Ramírez-Marcial, Neptalí González-Espinosa, Mario Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico |
| title | Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico |
| title_full | Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico |
| title_short | Seed rain and establishment in successional forests in Chiapas, Mexico |
| title_sort | seed rain and establishment in successional forests in chiapas, mexico |
| url | https://abm.ojs.inecol.mx/index.php/abm/article/view/1618 |
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