Overcoming Ecological Barriers to Tropical Lower Montane Forest Succession on Anthropogenic Grasslands: Synthesis and Future Prospects

Overcoming Ecological Barriers to Tropical Lower Montane Forest Succession on Anthropogenic Grasslands: Synthesis and Future Prospects

Background

This review attempts to address the difficulty in restoring grasslands to secondary tropical forest through reforestation. Proposed strategies are discussed for future recruitment methods for woody vegetation.

Research Goals & Methods

This study examines work conducted in Knuckles Forest Reserve (KFR) in the lower montane tropical rainforest and grasslands of Sri Lanka.

Conclusions & Takeaways

Difficulty in seed dispersal exists due to lack of dispersers that are willing to enter the grasslands. Birds and bats, for example, should be incentivized. It was also found that seedling establishment is much more successful in forest gaps. Exclusion of herbivorous animals can promote regeneration, decreasing root competition with grasses, suppressing disturbance, and proximity to forest can all have profound effects on germination and growth of progeny. The authors uggest selecting species that are of social value to local communities to incentivize promotion of restoration to inhibit further degradation of these lands.

 

Reference: 

Gunaratne AMTA, Gunatilleke CVS, Gunatilleke IAUN, Madawala HMSP, Burslem DFRP. Overcoming ecological barriers to tropical lower montane forest succession on anthropogenic grasslands: Synthesis and future prospects. Forest Ecology and Management. 2014;329:340–350. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2014.03.035.

Affiliation: 

  • Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
  • Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK