Journal
FORESTS
Volume 10, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/f10020089
Keywords
forest dynamics; tree mortality; tree recruitment; tree Growth; tropical forests; logging; silvicultural treatments
Categories
Funding
- CAPES (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior) [973613]
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Long-term studies of the dynamics of managed forests in tropical regions are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of a tropical forest, over a 25-year period, that was experimentally logged in 1987 and 1988 and submitted to three different cutting intensities. All trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) 10 cm have been measured annually since 1990. The three logging intensities that were applied were: light (T1)-trees harvested with DBH 55 cm; medium (T2)-DBH 50 cm; and heavy (T3)-DBH 40 cm. Control plots (T0) were also monitored. The highest mean annual mortality rates (1.82% +/- 0.38), recruitment rates (2.93% +/- 0.77) and diameter increments (0.30 +/- 0.02 cm) occurred in the T3 treatment. Shifts in dynamics of the forest were mainly caused by a striking increase in a fast-growing pioneer species and their high mortality rates. The loss in stocking caused by mortality was greater than to that of replacement by recruitment. The results demonstrated that selective logging altered the natural dynamics of the forest through increased: mortality rates, recruitment and growth rates of the residual trees.
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