Early seedling establishment of two tropical montane cloud forest tree species: The role of native and exotic grasses

Siembra directa de Brosimum alicastrum Sw. (Moraceae) y Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. (Mimosaceae) en diferentes habitats en el trópico seco del centro de Veracruz

“…Some Enterolobium seedlings even resprouted after being cut by machete in 2007 in the AP habitat and grew to a height of over 1 m by 2010. Protection from herbivory during the first years of seedling growth would drastically increase survival, therefore the use of fences, exclosures or other devices that deter herbivores is highly recommended in forest restoration efforts (Holl & Quiros-Nietzen, 1999;Griscom et al, 2005;Ortega-Pieck et al, 2011). Our results also show that Enterolobium seedlings were more drought resistant than those of Brosimum.…”

“…The seeds could be heavily preyed upon by the granivorous animals that are abundant in abandoned pastures (Doust et al, 2006;García-Orth & Martínez-Ramos, 2008) or the emerged seedlings might be eaten by a variety of herbivores (Holl & Quiros-Nietzen, 1999;Griscom et al, 2005). Those seedlings that escape predators will have to compete with fast-growing grasses and other herbaceous plants, which might easily out-compete them (Hooper et al, 2002;Griscom et al, 2005;Ortega-Pieck et al, 2011). In addition to these two biotic barriers, tree seeds and their seedlings also have to cope with the harsh micro-environmental conditions prevalent in pastures that might hinder recruitment (Aide & Cavelier, 1994;Holl, 1999;Hooper et al, 2002;Janzen, 2002;Chazdon, 2003).…”

Does crotalaria (Crotalaria breviflora) or pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) inter-row cultivation in restoration plantings control invasive grasses?

“…Brachiaria and other invasive fodder grasses have been considered one of the most important biological barriers to restoring tropical forests worldwide (García-Orth and Martínez-Ramos, 2011;Ortega-Pieck et al, 2011, and references therein), and their effective control is essential to support the fast development of the forest under restoration (Campoe et al, 2010). As a result, we may have a trade-off between the use of alternative methods of grass control and the development of the forest community under restoration.…”

“…Of these barriers, the dominance of exotic fodder grasses is considered a critical ecological barrier to the restoration of tropical forest (García-Orth and Martínez-Ramos, 2011;Ortega-Pieck et al, 2011), by blocking seeds from reaching the soil and competing with young trees (Aide et al, 1995;Campoe et al, 2010Hooper et al, 2005. Therefore, the control of such grasses is crucial for the success of restoration projects around the world.…”

Dispersión de semillas por aves en un paisaje de bosque mesófilo en el centro de Veracruz, México: Su papel en la restauración pasiva

“…Muñiz-Castro et al (2006, 2011 estudiaron una cronosecuencia de pastizales en el centro de Veracruz y encontraron que para que las especies primarias dispersadas por aves aparezcan en la sucesión, es necesaria la previa colonización de especies pioneras de rápido crecimiento que son facilitadoras de germinación y establecimiento de otras especies de plantas, ya que confor man sufi cientes perchas y generan la conectividad necesaria para que otras aves fr ugívoras, propias de bosques maduros y que dispersan especies primarias, perchen y utilicen los potr er os abandonados. Debido al poco tiempo de abandono del sitio (cuatro años), posiblemente aún se encuentre en una fase de reclutamiento de especies pioneras que pueden competir con el pasto exótico y los helechos invasores que dominan muchas áreas (Ortega-Pieck et al 2011); sin embargo, se espera que con el paso del tiempo se generen las condiciones para que se dé el reemplazo florístico, en el cual las aves también podrían tener un papel relevante. De aquí surge la importancia de realizar estudios a largo plazo para monitorear los posibles cambios en la composición tanto fl orística como …”