Forest Regeneration in a Chronosequence of Tropical Abandoned Pastures: Implications for Restoration Ecology

Background

During the mid‐1900s, most of the island of Puerto Rico was deforested, but a shift in the economy from agriculture to small industry beginning in the 1950s resulted in the abandonment of agricultural lands and recovery of secondary forest. This research examines the natural regeneration patterns on these abandoned agricultural lands in four different regions of Puerto Rico.

research Goals & Methods

This research looked at secondary forest succession as well as strategies for tropical forest restoration. It examines the natural regeneration patterns on abandoned agricultural land in four different regions of Puerto Rico.  The density, basal area, aboveground biomass, and species richness were examined and compared between the sites.

Conclusions & Takeaways

The authors found that after approximately 40 years of natural regeneration, the forest structure had recuperated to pre-agricultural levels. Species richness after 35 to 40 years of regeneration was also not significantly different than that of older forest (>80 years); however, species composition did vary significantly between the two age classes. The authors suggested natural regeneration as well as enrichment planting in more degraded sites as the best methods for facilitating forest growth in abandoned pastures.