Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes

Although tropical dry forests are among the most degraded and fragmented biomes in the world, we still have a poor understanding of their basic ecological features and conservation status, particularly in the Neotropics. Here, we assess the diversity, composition, structure and conservation value of...

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Main Authors: Lanuza Lanuza, Oscar R, Espelta, Josep Maria, Peñuelas, Josep, Peguero, Guille, y otros dos autores más
Format: Artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Journal of Plant Ecology 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://repositorio.catie.ac.cr/handle/11554/12231
id RepoCATIE12231
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spelling RepoCATIE122312023-01-28T16:39:06Z Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes Lanuza Lanuza, Oscar R Espelta, Josep Maria Peñuelas, Josep Peguero, Guille y otros dos autores más FABACEAE BOSQUE TROPICA TROPICAL FORESTS TROPICAL DRY FORESTS FRAGMENTATION HILL NUMBERS MATRIX COMPOSITION IMPORTANCE VALUE INDEX RIVER CORRIDOR BOSQUE TROPICAL SECO Sede Central Although tropical dry forests are among the most degraded and fragmented biomes in the world, we still have a poor understanding of their basic ecological features and conservation status, particularly in the Neotropics. Here, we assess the diversity, composition, structure and conservation value of tropical dry forests in a highly fragmented landscape in Nicaragua. We established 31 plots and transects in and along river corridors, secondary forests, living fences and pasture-woodlands. We recorded all trees with diameters at breast height ≥ 2.5 cm using Hill numbers (qD, where q = 0, 1 or 2) and estimated the richness and diversity of trees in each forest type. We calculated the Importance Value Index (IVI) to species and family levels and, finally, performed a Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) ordination and an Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM) using the Bray–Curtis index of similarity. Diversity (1D, 2D) but not species richness (0D) differed between forest types (P= 0.01 and 0.66, respectively). IVI was highest for the legume family Fabaceae, followed by the Moraceae and Malvaceae (27.8, 11.1 and 10.5, respectively). Vachellia pennatula, Guazuma ulmifolia and Bursera simaruba had IVIs >30%, the former two being the most abundant trees in all forest types. An analysis of community similarity revealed that each forest type had a distinct composition (P < 0.01, R2 = 0.30), thereby underlining the importance of conserving all these different types of land cover. 2023-01-27T20:23:48Z 2023-01-27T20:23:48Z 2022-03-09 Artículo https://repositorio.catie.ac.cr/handle/11554/12231 openAccess en Journal of Plant Ecology https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtac046 14 páginas application/pdf Journal of Plant Ecology
institution Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza
collection Repositorio CATIE
language Inglés
topic FABACEAE
BOSQUE TROPICA
TROPICAL FORESTS
TROPICAL DRY FORESTS
FRAGMENTATION
HILL NUMBERS
MATRIX COMPOSITION
IMPORTANCE VALUE INDEX
RIVER CORRIDOR
BOSQUE TROPICAL SECO
Sede Central
spellingShingle FABACEAE
BOSQUE TROPICA
TROPICAL FORESTS
TROPICAL DRY FORESTS
FRAGMENTATION
HILL NUMBERS
MATRIX COMPOSITION
IMPORTANCE VALUE INDEX
RIVER CORRIDOR
BOSQUE TROPICAL SECO
Sede Central
Lanuza Lanuza, Oscar R
Espelta, Josep Maria
Peñuelas, Josep
Peguero, Guille
y otros dos autores más
Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
description Although tropical dry forests are among the most degraded and fragmented biomes in the world, we still have a poor understanding of their basic ecological features and conservation status, particularly in the Neotropics. Here, we assess the diversity, composition, structure and conservation value of tropical dry forests in a highly fragmented landscape in Nicaragua. We established 31 plots and transects in and along river corridors, secondary forests, living fences and pasture-woodlands. We recorded all trees with diameters at breast height ≥ 2.5 cm using Hill numbers (qD, where q = 0, 1 or 2) and estimated the richness and diversity of trees in each forest type. We calculated the Importance Value Index (IVI) to species and family levels and, finally, performed a Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) ordination and an Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM) using the Bray–Curtis index of similarity. Diversity (1D, 2D) but not species richness (0D) differed between forest types (P= 0.01 and 0.66, respectively). IVI was highest for the legume family Fabaceae, followed by the Moraceae and Malvaceae (27.8, 11.1 and 10.5, respectively). Vachellia pennatula, Guazuma ulmifolia and Bursera simaruba had IVIs >30%, the former two being the most abundant trees in all forest types. An analysis of community similarity revealed that each forest type had a distinct composition (P < 0.01, R2 = 0.30), thereby underlining the importance of conserving all these different types of land cover.
format Artículo
author Lanuza Lanuza, Oscar R
Espelta, Josep Maria
Peñuelas, Josep
Peguero, Guille
y otros dos autores más
author_facet Lanuza Lanuza, Oscar R
Espelta, Josep Maria
Peñuelas, Josep
Peguero, Guille
y otros dos autores más
author_sort Lanuza Lanuza, Oscar R
title Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
title_short Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
title_full Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
title_fullStr Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
title_full_unstemmed Structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
title_sort structure, diversity and the conservation value of tropical dry forests in highly fragmented landscapes
publisher Journal of Plant Ecology
publishDate 2023
url https://repositorio.catie.ac.cr/handle/11554/12231
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AT espeltajosepmaria structurediversityandtheconservationvalueoftropicaldryforestsinhighlyfragmentedlandscapes
AT penuelasjosep structurediversityandtheconservationvalueoftropicaldryforestsinhighlyfragmentedlandscapes
AT pegueroguille structurediversityandtheconservationvalueoftropicaldryforestsinhighlyfragmentedlandscapes
AT yotrosdosautoresmas structurediversityandtheconservationvalueoftropicaldryforestsinhighlyfragmentedlandscapes
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