Altitudinal zonation of montane Quercus forests along two transects in Chirrip� National Park, Costa Rica

Abstract

Abiotic and vegetation data were collected along two altitudinal transects through mature montane Quereus forests on the Pacific and Atlantic slopes of Costa Rica's Chirrip6 Massif. Between 2000 and 3200 m asl twenty-four 0.05 ha forest plots were selected at altitudinal intervals of 100 m, and eight soil profiles were described at intervals of 200 m. A TWINSPAN classification aided in the determination of eight zonal forest communities on the basis of their floristic composition. They are grouped in two sets of four: (i) the palm-rich lauraceous-fagaceous Lower Montane Mollinedia-Quercus Forests (20(0)-2600 m asl) and (ii) the bamboo-rich myrsinaceous-fagaceous Upper Montane Schefflera-Quercus

Relief influence on the spatial distribution of the Atlantic Forest cover on the Ibiúna Plateau, SP

“…The expected effects in the montane forests would be a decrease in the number of species and a reduction in the size of plants (Gentry, 1988;Sanchez, 2001;Wang et al, 2003). In principle the changes occurring with the increase in altitude, in particular a lower decomposition rate, should also reduce the rate of the regeneration process at higher altitudes, as compared with similar forests of the same age at lower altitudes (Kappelle et al, 1995;Pendry and Proctor, 1996;Sanchez, 2001). This, however, contradicts what was observed at Caucaia, where there were more forests at higher altitudes.…”

“…In spite of the great diversity of approaches and analysis scales, several studies have shown that the richness and the composition of plant communities are influenced by relief characteristics such as slope orientation (Killingbeck and Wali, 1978), slope position (Oliveira Filho et al, 1994), altitude (Kappelle et al, 1995;Pendry and Proctor, 1996), and slope (Volpato, 1994). The heterogeneity of the topographic conditions can also affect the floristic composition (Swanson et al, 1988) as well as the richness and diversity of tree species (Everson and Boucher, 1998;Burnet et al, 1998).…”

Altitudinal Zonation of Montane Oak Forests Along Climate and Soil Gradients in Costa Rica

“…Additionally, at each altitudinal interval of 100 m, temperatures were measured in top and sub-soils at intervals of 10-cm soil depth, using a digital Consort T 550 thermometer. Averages of hourly recordings (7 days) of air temperature and relative humidity were plotted in diurnal thermo-hygrograms following Ellenberg (1975), and presented in Kappelle et al (1995a).…”

“…and Atlantic slopes of Costa Rica's Talamancan mountain range (Kappelle et al 1989(Kappelle et al , 1991(Kappelle et al , 1995a(Kappelle et al , b, 2000Kappelle 1991Kappelle , 1996Kappelle and Zamora 1995;Oosterhoorn and Kappelle 2000;Chaps. 10, 15 and 17).…”

“…10, 15 and 17). Twenty-four of those plots were located in old-growth oak-bamboo forest at 2,000-3,200 m along the slopes of the 3,819-m-high massif of the Chirripó National Park, which is part of the Amistad Biosphere Reserve and has been declared a World Heritage Site, a Center of Plant Diversity, and an Endemic Bird Area (Kappelle and Zamora 1995;Kappelle et al 1995a;Kappelle 1996). Results from the analysis of these 24 plots are presented here.…”