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Species

Promoting Biodiversity: Advances in Evaluating Native Species for Reforestation

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This article describes the design of a long-term species screening trial conducted at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

Research Goals & Methods

Growth 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.

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Direct Seeding of Late-Successional Trees to Restore Tropical Montane Forest

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This study measures seed germination, seedling establishment, survival, growth and foliar nutrient content of five late-successional tree species which were directly seeded into three different habitats representing different stages of succession in tropical montane Costa Rica.The study also compares the costs of direct seeding with locally collected seeds with planting nursery-raised seedlings.

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The Agroforestree Database

About

The Agroforestree (AFT) Database was created in 2009 by the World Forestry Centre and provides specifics and selection guides on both native and exotic agroforestry trees. 

Open access copy available

Coffee Agroforestry Systems in Central America: I. A Review of Quantitative Information on Physiological and Ecological Processes

Background

Open access copy available

Coffee Agroforestry Systems in Central America: II. Development of a Simple Process-Based Model and Preliminary Results

Background

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Shade management in coffee and cacao plantations

Background

Shade trees reduce the stress of coffee (Coffea spp.) and cacao (Theobroma cacao) by ameliorating adverse climatic conditions and nutritional imbalances and increase the biodiversity of coffee farms, but they may also compete for growth resources. This review summarizes the literature on ecological aspects of shade-grown coffee and cacao and on management of shade trees, but does not address economic and social aspects of shade-grown coffee and cacao.

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Vinculación entre el sustento de los agricultores, los árboles y el proceso de agua y suelos en las buenas prácticas de gestión de áreas de captación (Linking farmers livelihoods, trees and soils in water catchments management practices)

Open access copy available

Patch Size Effects on Avian Foraging Behaviour: Implications for Tropical Forest Restoration Design

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This study looks at bird behavior in restoration sites in southern Costa Rica. While multiple studies examine the presence of birds in restored forest, few studies examine behavior in these sites.

Open access copy available

Migratory Bird Species in Young Tropical Forest Restoration Sites: Effects of Vegetation Height, Planting Design, and Season

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This study examines the difference in habitat preference of four migratory birds in restored forests in southern Costa Rica.

Open access copy available

Leaf Litter Decomposition and Mulch Performance from Mixed and Monospecific Plantations of Native Tree Species in Costa Rica

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Early Woody Invasion Under Tree Plantations in Costa Rica: Implications for Forest Restoration

Background

This 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.

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Screening trial of 14 tropical hardwoods with an emphasis on species native to Costa Rica: Fourth year results

Background

Commercial forestry plantations have consistently relied on a limitd number of species, often favoring exotic species over native ones. This is mainly due to a lack of information or understanding related to the silviculture of native species plantations. This article uses a long-term experiement site in Costa Rica's La Selva Biological Station to work towards filling this knowledge gap. 

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Growth of native forest species planted on abandoned pasture land in Costa Rica

Background

Reforestation programs in Costa Rica have largely utilized only four tree species. This study tests growth rates and form of eleven additional tree species native to the humid tropics, including five N-fixing species and six non-N-fixing species.

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Crecimiento de especies forestales nativas en la zona norte de Costa Rica (Growth of native forest species in the north area of Costa Rica)

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Antecedentes

El estudio evalúa el comportamiento y crecimiento de cinco especies nativas utilizadas en la reforestación de llanuras del trópico húmedo de Costa Rica.

Open access copy available

Regeneración natural de plantas leñosas en una plantación costarricense de Vochysia guatemalensis (Vochysiaceae) y el efecto de la fertilización con P y NPK

Open access copy available

Iniciativas de reforestación con especies forestales nativas de la Universidad EARTH (Reforestation efforts with native forest species)

Open access copy available

Caída de hojarasca y tasas de descomposición de las hojas de Vochysia guatemalensis en una plantación de 10 anos, Tabarcia de Mora, Costa Rica (Litterfall and decomposition rates in a Vochysia guatemalensis plantation)

Open access copy available

Amelioration of degraded rain forest soils by plantations of native trees

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While much has been studied about the ability of tree growth to improve degraded soils in temperate zones, less is known about the impacts of tree growth on degraded soils in tropical zones.

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Tree species effects on soil properties in experimental plantations in tropical moist forest

Background

Forest soil properties are influenced by the complex interactions of vegetation, soil type, geology, management, and climactic patterns. Tree species can differ in their long-term effects on soils. This study resamples one of the earliest replicated experimental sites at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, used to examine the effects of native tropical tree species on soil properties, to examine longer term effects on soil properties.

Open access copy available

Screening Trial of 14 Tropical Hardwoods with an Emphasis on Species Native to Costa Rica: Fourth Year Results

Background

A lack of silvicultural information on native timber species in the tropics has contributed to the propogation of fast-growing exotic tree species in reforestation efforts. The plantations evaluated at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica were considered marginal lands with low input of forest maintenance, reflecting the conditions of many lands that farmers would use for reforestation.

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