Earticle

초록

영어

Studies that relate the structure of tropical regrowth vegetation to soil properties are generally lacking in the literature. This study proposes three indices for assessing the structural regeneration of secondary forests. They are: (1) the tree diameter class, (2) the plant life form and (3) the woody/herbaceous plants ratio indices. They were applied to assess the regeneration status of forest regrowth vegetation (aged 1-10 years), derived savanna regrowth vegetation in south western Nigeria, and to secondary forests in different stages of succession in Columbia and Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico in South and Central America and semi-arid savanna in Ethiopia and seasonal deciduous forest successional stages in India. In all the cases, the indices increased with increasing age of regrowth vegetation and hence, with increasing structural complexity of regenerating vegetation. The tree diameter class index increased from 32.1% in a 9-year secondary forest to 69.0% in an 80-year-old secondary forest in Columbia and Venezuela and from 0.4% in a 1-year fallow to 20.9% in 10-year regrowth vegetation in southwestern Nigeria. In semi-arid savanna in northern Ethiopia, the woody/herbaceous plants ratio index increased from 18.1% in a 5-year protected grazing enclosure to 75.1% in 15-year protected enclosure, relative to the status of 20-year enclosure. The indices generally had correlations of 0.6-0.90 with species richness and Simpson’s/Margalef’s species diversity, implying that they are appropriate measures of ecosystem development over time. The proposed indices also had strong and positive correlations with soil organic carbon and nutrients. They are therefore, significant indicators of fertility status.

목차

Abstract
Introduction
Materials and Methods
The study area
Measurement of vegetation characteristics
Statistical analysis
Results and Discussion
The proposed indices
Index based on tree size
Index based on plant life form composition
Index based on the ratio of woody plants to herbaceous plants
Application of the indices to successional fallow vegetation
Correlation of the indices with soil properties
Correlation of the indices with species diversity
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References

키워드

저자

• Albert Orodena Aweto [ Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria ] Corresponding Author

참고문헌

발행기관

간행물

표지보기 관심저널 등록

• 간행물명

  Journal of Forest and Environmental Science [산림과학연구]

• 간기

  계간

• pISSN

  2288-9744

• eISSN

  2288-9752

• 수록기간

  1981~2026

• 등재여부

  KCI 등재

• 십진분류

  KDC 526 DDC 634