Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Recruitment Patterns in Amazonian Tree Communities

Laurance, William F.; Ferreira, Leandro Valle; Merona, Judy M. Rankin-de; Laurance, Susan G.; Hutchings, Roger William; Lovejoy, Thomas Ε.

doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.1998.97175.x

Cited by 238 publications

(131 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

122

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Moreover, fragmentation elevates the rates of tree mortality (Laurance et al 1998), which influence forest diversity and species composition (Laurance et al 1998). In addition to altering the ecosystem structure, forest fragmentation can lead to changes in ecological processes such as litter production (Werneck et al 2001) and nutrient cycling (Laurance 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Produção de serrapilheira e decomposição foliar em fragmentos florestais de diferentes fases sucessionais no Planalto Atlântico do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Litterfall and litter decomposition are vital processes in tropical forests because they regulate nutrient cycling. Nutrient cycling can be altered by forest fragmentation. The Atlantic Forest is one of the most threatened biomes in the world due to human occupation over the last 500 years. This scenario has resulted in fragments of different size, age and regeneration phase. To investigate differences in litterfall and leaf decomposition between forest successional phases, we compared six forest fragments at three different successional phases and an area of mature forest on the Atlantic Plateau of Sao Paulo, Brazil. We sampled litter monthly from November 2008 to October 2009. We used litterbags to calculate leaf decomposition rate of an exotic species, Tipuana tipu (Fabaceae), over the same period litter sampling was performed. Litterfall was higher in the earliest successional area. This pattern may be related to the structural properties of the forest fragments, especially the higher abundance of pioneer species, which have higher productivity and are typical of early successional areas. However, we have not found significant differences in the decomposition rates between the studied areas, which may be caused by rapid stabilization of the decomposition environment (combined effect of microclimatic conditions and the decomposers activities). This result indicates that the leaf decomposition process have already been restored to levels observed in mature forests after a few decades of regeneration, although litterfall has not been entirely restored. This study emphasizes the importance of secondary forests for restoration of ecosystem processes on a regional scale.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Produção de serrapilheira e decomposição foliar em fragmentos florestais de diferentes fases sucessionais no Planalto Atlântico do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Tree structures and their dynamics indicated that the forest communities in the Tinguá Biological Reserve were subject to edge effects, especially along the edge of the most recently installed pipeline. Tree densities increased over the years, and were highest along the pipeline, due to greater light availability, which generally favors recruitment [28]. Canopy openness near edges (with increased wind and light flux) can therefore favor recruitment, mortality [7] [8] [28] and the growth of small plants and/or juveniles [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tree densities increased over the years, and were highest along the pipeline, due to greater light availability, which generally favors recruitment [28]. Canopy openness near edges (with increased wind and light flux) can therefore favor recruitment, mortality [7] [8] [28] and the growth of small plants and/or juveniles [29]. Their observed mortality and recruitment rates were similar, however, to other Tropical Forests [12] [30] [31].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, increases in the numbers of small pioneer trees [28] [33] [34] and changes in successional patterns due to edge effects [5] [35] resulted in higher densities of small trees along the forest edges. As small plants are generally more fragile and may exhibit higher mortality rates [36] [37] vegetation dynamics will often be accelerated along edges.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Edge Effects of Oil Pipeline Canopy Openings on Tree Community Structure and Dynamics in a Montane Atlantic Forest

Rodrigues¹,

Melo²,

Abreu³

et al. 2016

GEP

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Atlantic forest has historically been severely deforested, and only fragments currently remain that are subject to a wide variety of anthropogenic impacts, including edge effects that can cause structural and functional degradation. The Tinguá Biological Reserve-RJ comprises approximately 26,000 hectares of well-preserved Atlantic Forest, but it is subject to impacts caused by two canopy openings along oil pipelines. Comparisons were made between pipeline edges and forest interiors to evaluate edge effects on the structure and dynamics of those tree communities. Tree densities were higher along forest edges, apparently increasing over time. Tree basal areas, on the other hand, have decreased along edges due to higher mortality rates. Linear canopy opening edges showed higher densities of small trees, while the interior had more very large trees, indicating changes in successional processes and community structural patterns due to edge effects.

show abstract

“…Vegetation fragmentation affects species density and diversity (Didhamet al, 1996;Malcolm, 1994;Laurance et al, 1998;Silva et al, 2014). In general, there are fewer species in isolated small fragments than there are in larger fragments or continuous vegetation (Scariot, 1999;Wettstein and Schmid, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beetle diversity in fragmented thornscrub and isolated trees

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Due to land use change mainly for induced agriculture, Tamaulipan thornscrubin northeast Mexico has been cleared and transformed into small patches of vegetation as small as isolated trees surrounded by agricultural fields. In this study, we explored how tree isolation or growing inside a fragment of remnant vegetation influence diversity of coleopterans in two plant species (Prosopis laevigata (Humb. &Bonpl.exWilld.) M.C. Johnst. (mesquite) and Ebenopsis ebano (Berl.) Barneby (Texas ebony). We found 72 coleopteran morphospecies; fifteen occurred mainly in remnant fragments and ten mainly in isolated trees. There were more insects under isolated mesquites than under those immersed in remnant fragments, while in Texas ebony the highest beetle density for isolated trees coincided with periods of bean and maize in surrounding agriculture.Keywords: coleopterans, vegetation-patches, landscape. Diversidade de coleópteros em um fragmento do bioma thornscrub e árvores isoladas ResumoDevido a mudança de uso da terra para induzir principalmente a agricultura, o bioma thornscrub no nordeste México tem sido transformado em fragmentos pequenos como árvores isoladas rodeadas por campos agrícolas. Neste estudo exploramos como o isolamento das árvores influi na diversidade de coleópteros em duas espécies de plantas (Prosopis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl.ex Willd) M.C. Johnst. (mesquite) e Ebenopsis ebano (Berl.) Barneby (Texas ebony). Encontramos 72 morfospecies do coleópteros; quinze ocorreram principalmente em fragmentos remanescentes e dez em árvores isoladas. No estudo houve mais insetos nas "mesquite" isoladas do que nos fragmentos remanescentes do bioma thornscrub, enquanto que em "Texas ebony" a densidade alta de coleópteros para árvores isoladas coincidiu com períodos de produção de feijão e milho na agricultura ao redor.Palavras-chave: coleoptera, paisagem fragmentada, vegetação fragmentada.

show abstract

Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Recruitment Patterns in Amazonian Tree Communities

Cited by 238 publications

References 13 publications

Produção de serrapilheira e decomposição foliar em fragmentos florestais de diferentes fases sucessionais no Planalto Atlântico do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Produção de serrapilheira e decomposição foliar em fragmentos florestais de diferentes fases sucessionais no Planalto Atlântico do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Edge Effects of Oil Pipeline Canopy Openings on Tree Community Structure and Dynamics in a Montane Atlantic Forest

Beetle diversity in fragmented thornscrub and isolated trees

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About