Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala

Community Forest Management in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR; Petén, Guatemala) has been recognized internationally for yielding forest conservation and socioeconomic benefits. However, the effect of current timber harvesting practices on the genetic diversity of timber species populations has not...

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Main Authors: Alarcón-Méndez, M., Maselli, S., Zonneveld, Maarten van, Loo, J., Snook, L., Oliva, A., Franco, A., Duminil, J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132024
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author Alarcón-Méndez, M.
Maselli, S.
Zonneveld, Maarten van
Loo, J.
Snook, L.
Oliva, A.
Franco, A.
Duminil, J.
author_browse Alarcón-Méndez, M.
Duminil, J.
Franco, A.
Loo, J.
Maselli, S.
Oliva, A.
Snook, L.
Zonneveld, Maarten van
author_facet Alarcón-Méndez, M.
Maselli, S.
Zonneveld, Maarten van
Loo, J.
Snook, L.
Oliva, A.
Franco, A.
Duminil, J.
author_sort Alarcón-Méndez, M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Community Forest Management in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR; Petén, Guatemala) has been recognized internationally for yielding forest conservation and socioeconomic benefits. However, the effect of current timber harvesting practices on the genetic diversity of timber species populations has not previously been documented. This study assessed the effects of timber harvesting on the genetic diversity and viability of regeneration of the most commercially important timber species in the MBR: big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King). Trees and seeds were sampled for two consecutive years in two Forest Management Units of the Multiple Use Zone (MUZ) of the MBR: Cruce a la Colorada and Carmelita. We correlated genetic diversity parameters (as measured using nuclear microsatellites) with seed germination percentages and compared genetic diversity of adults and seeds in stands that had been affected by timber harvesting and those that had not. We found a significant correlation between seed germination percentages (81–83%) and observed heterozygosity (rho=0.27), confirming that genetic diversity is important to regeneration success. No significant differences were found in allelic richness (AR), expected and observed heterozygosity (HE and HO), or inbreeding (FIS), between adults and seeds in harvested vs. undisturbed stands; or before and after timber harvesting. We found low inbreeding levels (FIS=0.040–0.094), low biparental inbreeding (0–0.01), and high outcrossing rates (0.925–0.970) in the populations of S. macrophylla analyzed. Our study therefore provides evidence that genetic diversity in big-leaf mahogany populations was not diminished by one cutting cycle under current practices of community forest management in the MUZ of the MBR.
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spelling CGSpace1320242025-12-08T09:54:28Z Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala Alarcón-Méndez, M. Maselli, S. Zonneveld, Maarten van Loo, J. Snook, L. Oliva, A. Franco, A. Duminil, J. community forestry forest management forest genetic resources sustainability timber trees regeneration swietenia macrophylla Community Forest Management in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR; Petén, Guatemala) has been recognized internationally for yielding forest conservation and socioeconomic benefits. However, the effect of current timber harvesting practices on the genetic diversity of timber species populations has not previously been documented. This study assessed the effects of timber harvesting on the genetic diversity and viability of regeneration of the most commercially important timber species in the MBR: big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King). Trees and seeds were sampled for two consecutive years in two Forest Management Units of the Multiple Use Zone (MUZ) of the MBR: Cruce a la Colorada and Carmelita. We correlated genetic diversity parameters (as measured using nuclear microsatellites) with seed germination percentages and compared genetic diversity of adults and seeds in stands that had been affected by timber harvesting and those that had not. We found a significant correlation between seed germination percentages (81–83%) and observed heterozygosity (rho=0.27), confirming that genetic diversity is important to regeneration success. No significant differences were found in allelic richness (AR), expected and observed heterozygosity (HE and HO), or inbreeding (FIS), between adults and seeds in harvested vs. undisturbed stands; or before and after timber harvesting. We found low inbreeding levels (FIS=0.040–0.094), low biparental inbreeding (0–0.01), and high outcrossing rates (0.925–0.970) in the populations of S. macrophylla analyzed. Our study therefore provides evidence that genetic diversity in big-leaf mahogany populations was not diminished by one cutting cycle under current practices of community forest management in the MUZ of the MBR. 2023-03 2023-09-27T08:58:58Z 2023-09-27T08:58:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132024 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Alarcón-Méndez, M.; Maselli, S.; van Zonneveld, M.; Loo, J.; Snook, L.; Oliva, A.; Franco, A.; Duminil, J. (2023) Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala. Trees, Forests and People 11: 100362. ISSN: 2666-7193
spellingShingle community forestry
forest management
forest genetic resources
sustainability
timber trees
regeneration
swietenia macrophylla
Alarcón-Méndez, M.
Maselli, S.
Zonneveld, Maarten van
Loo, J.
Snook, L.
Oliva, A.
Franco, A.
Duminil, J.
Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
title Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
title_full Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
title_fullStr Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
title_full_unstemmed Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
title_short Implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
title_sort implications of community forest management for the conservation of the genetic diversity of big leaf mahogany swietenia macrophylla king meliaceae in the maya biosphere reserve peten guatemala
topic community forestry
forest management
forest genetic resources
sustainability
timber trees
regeneration
swietenia macrophylla
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132024
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