Cedrela montana
Growth of native tree species planted in montane reforestation projects in the Colombian and Ecuadorian Andes differs among site and speciesBACKGROUNDTropical Andes in Columbia and Ecuador have been affected by forest clearance and degradation for several centuries. Agriculture has been the primary driver of land use change as well as mining to a lesser extent. To restore the degraded sites, native species have been used in various projects, however with little information on growth performance of the planted tree species in relation to site and soil nutrient status. A greater part of the northern Andes has volcanic ash derived soils. Available with subscription or purchase |
Enriquecimiento de plantaciones forestales como herramienta para la rehabilitación de ambientes degradados en la region sur Ecuatoriana (Enrichment and rehabilitation of degraded environments in southern Ecuador)EspañolAntecedentesEl estudio analiza el potencial de adaptación de especies nativas a las condiciones de plantaciones de Pinus patula, en una plantación cerca de la Estación Científica San Francisco en la región sur del Ecuador. Objetivos y MetodologíaEl trabajo estudia dos micro-ambientes: claros y bajo dosel de plantación, instalando cuatro parcelas en cada uno de ellos, con un total de 648 individuos de nueve especies nativas. Open access copy available |
Directrices de restauración ecológica en cuencas hidrográficas andinas: “Plan de manejo ambiental de la cuenca hidrográfica La Floresta – La Novita” (Guidelines for ecological restoration in Andean watersheds)EspañolantecedentesEl estudio forma parte del proyecto que tiene por objetivo la realización de un Plan de Manejo Ambiental de la Cuenca Hidrográfica La Floresta – La Novita para prevenir y controlar el proceso erosivo actual y recuperar el equilibrio ecológico de los ecosistemas nativos. Open access copy available |
Light Acclimation of Four Native Tree Species in Felling Gaps within a Tropical Mountain RainforestbackgroundThis article addresses the decline of Ecuadorian mountain rainforests by evaluating the success fo enrichment planting of native tree species in forest gaps to prote native tree abundance and biodiversity. Available with subscription or purchase |
Application of Mycorrhizal Roots Improves Growth of Tropical Tree Seedlings in the Nursery: A Step Towards Reforestation with Native Species in the Andes of EcuadorbackgroundEcuador’s tropical mountain rainforests are rich in biodiversity but are facing the highest deforestation rate in South America (1.7%). Tree plantations are one method being used to restore these forests, however these plantations often use fast-growing introduced species rather than native species. To improve the success of native species in order to encourage their greater use in plantations, this study proposes inoculation of nursery seedlings with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that is associated with these native species in the forest. Open access copy available |
Reforestation of Abandoned Pastures: Silvicultural Means to Accelerate Forest Recovery and BiodiversityBackgroundDespite the 2736 native tree species in Ecuador, the majority of forestation activities in the country are based on exotic pines and eucalypts. In this book chapter, the authors describe the reason for this neglect being the lack of knowledge on the ecology and silvicultural treatment and the lack of nurseries growing these species. Available with subscription or purchase |
Forestry Project for the Basin of the Chinchiná River, an Environmental and Productive Alternative for the City and the RegionBackgroundOver the last century, Andean watershed within Colombia has faced threats of uncontrolled deforestation, which have been driven by a rapid expansion of agriculture and cattle grazing. It is imperative that these trends be halted and reversed, thus the FAO proposes the reforestation of watersheds, which will improve the regulation of hydaulic flows to populations living in and downstream from river basins. This project planning document describes one of these programs, PROCUENCA-FAO, which began in 2001 and focuses on the Chinchiná River watershed. Open access copy available |
Species-Rich but Distinct Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Communities in Reforestation Plots on Degraded Pastures and in Neighboring Pristine Tropical Mountain Rain ForestbackgroundThis study compares the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) of 4 native species saplings growing in three types of fire-degraded pasture (recently abandoned, bracken covered, and shrub covered pasture) to the AMF richness and composition of 30 adult tree species in neighboring primary forest. Research Goals & MethodsThe authors sequenced a segment of fungal 18S rDNA from the mycorrhizas; in total, 193 glomeromycotan sequences were analyzed, with 130 of them being published for the first time. Open access copy available |
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 |
