Ecological restoration is a viable strategy to recover floristic, structural, and functional attributes of the very vulnerable and widely degraded tropical mountain forests. Most restoration efforts in these highly diverse and narrowly distributed systems involve unassisted forest regeneration or enrichment planting with a small number of species, usually those with commercial value and success evaluated after a few years. We assessed changes in soil attributes, forest composition and structure in four sites with plots under unassisted forest regeneration or enrichment planting. The sites are in the limestone massif of the central highlands of Chiapas (Mexico) and share geological, edaphic and climatic conditions, but differ in level of previous disturbance and the time elapsed since the enrichment planting (16–30 years). No changes in soil variables (contents of C, N, P, and K, cation exchange capacity, and pH) were detected. Total density of juveniles was not consistently related to unassisted forest regeneration or enrichment planting but was highest in the two sites that had severe disturbance level. Influence of enrichment planting on forest regeneration depended on the composition and structure of the surrounding stands, and more so when opportunistic trees like pines and other shade‐intolerant species are available. Yet long‐lived shade‐tolerant species, including oaks, which may have synergistic effects during forest recovery, were well represented in sites with original severe disturbance level.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.