Latin America and Caribbean
The Role of Native Species Plantations in Recovery of Understory Woody Diversity in Degraded Pasturelands of Costa RicabackgroundThis study analyzes the understory recruitment success of tropical timber plantations in order to understand biodiversity recovery on degraded lands through the use of fast-growing timber plantations. The study takes place in the Atlantic humid lowlands of Costa Rica. Open access copy available |
Early Woody Invasion Under Tree Plantations in Costa Rica: Implications for Forest RestorationBackgroundThis study evaluates the regeneration of woody plants, the amount of herbaceous cover, and the light conditions in the understory of 3-year-old mixed and single-species plantations in Costa Rica. Research Goals & MethodsSingle species plots included the native species Jacaranda copaia and Vochysia guatemalensis. Available with subscription or purchase |
Influence of Overstory Composition on Understory Colonization by Native Species in Plantations on a Degraded Tropical SitebackgroundThis study evaluates forest understory regeneration in a 4.5 year-old plantation in Puerto Rico. The plantations, established in 1989, were planted on abandoned pasture in mixtures or monocultures of three exotic species: Casuarina equisetifolia, Eucalyptus robusta, and Leucaena leucocephala. Available with subscription or purchase |
Development of Floristic Diversity in 10-year-old Restoration Forests on a Bauxite Mined Site in AmazoniabackgroundThis article evaluates the diversity of species in a 10-year-old native species plantation in the Para state of Brazil. The study site was mined for bauxite in 1984 and planted in 1985 with 70 species of native forest tree species. Open access copy available |
Responses of 20 Native Tree Species to Reforestation Strategies for Abandoned Farmland in PanamaBackgroundIn the tropics, deforestation often leads to unproductive agriculture and results in degraded grasslands. This study seeks to understand why forests fail to regenerate naturally in these ecosystems. Open access copy available |
Promoting Biodiversity: Advances in Evaluating Native Species for ReforestationbackgroundThis article describes the design of a long-term species screening trial conducted at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. Research Goals & MethodsGrowth and survivability data is presented for 84 species (17 popular exotics used for timber and 67 little-known local species with timber potential) at 3 years of age. Available with subscription or purchase |
Leaf Litter Decomposition and Mulch Performance from Mixed and Monospecific Plantations of Native Tree Species in Costa RicabackgroundThis research looks at leaf litter decomposition rates and mulch performance of four native tree species in mixed and monospecific plantations at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. The four species considered were Callophylum brasiliense, Jacaranda copaia, Vochysia guatemalensis, and Strypnodendron microstachyum. The faster the decomposition, the faster the nutrient transfer from the trees into the soils for uptake by other trees or by crops when the leaves are used as mulch. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tree Management in the Northwestern Andean Cordillera of PeruBackgroundPeasant communities in the northwestern Andean Cordillera of Peru utilize many indigenous and introduced trees and shrubs to satisfy a variety of material needs. However, forest resources are over-harvested and over-grazed, contributing to soil erosion. This study aims to identify the major tree and shrub species in the region and understand their ecologies and usages, and to recommend priorities for reforestation in the region taking human usage into account. Available with subscription or purchase |
Semillas que germinan: experiencias comunitarias en la costa (Seeds that germinate: community experiences in the coast)Open access copy available |
An Evaluation of Farmers' Experiences Planting Native Trees in Rural Panama: Implications for Reforestation with Native Species in Agricultural LandscapesbackgroundThe Panamanian government has created reforestation incentive programs to encourage farmers to plant trees in order to restore ecosystem services to degraded lands. However, many farmers and landowners choose not to participate in these programs. Additionally, many such incentive programs result in large plantations of non-native species. In 2001, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute created a native species reforestation project known as PRORENA (Proyecto de Reforestación con Especias Nativas) to study strategies for successful native species reforestation in a social, economic, and scientific context. Open access copy available |
