Spatial and temporal variability in the structure of a tropical forest

Chapman, Colin A.; Chapman, Lauren J.; Wrangham, Richard W.; Isabirye–Basuta, Gilbert; Ben-David, Kfır

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.1997.083-89083.x

Cited by 127 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…<20dbh) in this zone was due to the problem of disturbance whereby the matured trees were removed for the purpose of charcoal burning, fuel wood collection, fruit collection and timber harvesting (personal observation of the site). According to , Chapman et al (1997) and Whitmore and Sayer (1992) disturbance through uncontrolled logging were considered as the main factors destroying mature and young trees. However, the buffer and strict nature reserve zone, dipcted the highest distribution of mature trees than younger saplings and seedlings trees.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implication of forest zonation on tree species composition, diversity and structure in Mabira Forest, Uganda

Weldemariam¹,

Jakisa²,

Ahebwe³

2017

Environ. Earth Ecol.

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The study aimed to investigate effectiveness of forest management zoning in conserving biodiversity of Mabira forest reserve. The study sites buffer, production, and strict nature reserve management zones were purposively selected. This was undertaken through investigating woody species diversity, composition and structure. A total of 60 sampling plots with a size of 20 m x10 m were used to collect vegetation data. Variables such as woody plant species identification and counts as well as diameter at breast height (DBH) of trees were done. The result depicted a total of 65 woody species; 39 in buffer, 19 in productions and 37 in strict nature reserve. Of these, only 9 trees species were found common to all zones and their Sorensen similarity coefficient was 0.2213. The population structure of the buffer and strict nature reserve zones was found to be a J -shape pattern, whereas the production zone shown an inverted J-shape pattern. Higher woody species diversity was depicted in the buffer and strict nature zones with (H'=2. 73512) and (H'=2. 68412) respectively, and lower in a production zone (H'=1. 63628). The evenness index value of a buffer zone was (J =0. 746574), strict nature (J= 0.743335) and production (J=0. 555719). The production zone had shown higher IVI values followed by buffer and strict nature reserve zone. The most important woody species identified based on their IVI value were Broussonetia papyrifera (Production), Acalypha neptunica (Buffer), Funtumia Elastica (strict nature reserve). The existing forest management is effective in conserving the biodiversity of the forest reserve. Nevertheless, the production zone was still suffering from exploitation of the surrounding community, hence serve for protecting the remaining management zones from further human interference. Further investigation is also required on the adjacent community perceptions of the forest management zoning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implication of forest zonation on tree species composition, diversity and structure in Mabira Forest, Uganda

Weldemariam¹,

Jakisa²,

Ahebwe³

2017

Environ. Earth Ecol.

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“…Also Chapman et al (1997) found variation in vegetation between the southern and northern parts of Kibale National Park. Differences in plant communities can influence the community structure of herbivorous insects (Crist et al 2006, Savilaakso et al 2009, Whitham et al 2006.…”

Section: Spatial Variation In Community Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Kibale, the climate is relatively stable but the microclimate can vary locally (Savilaakso et al 2009). Chapman et al (1997) found that in Kibale National Park average temperatures rise and precipitation decreases from north to south. Local climate changes also temporally, mostly because of unpredictable timing of the rainy seasons (Chapman et al 2005).…”

Section: Spatial Variation In Community Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Traditional diversity indices, like Simpson's diversity index and Berger-Parker dominance index, alone are not very useful for measuring the diversity of a given locality, because they do not consider changes in community composition (HornerDevine et al 2003, UeharaPrado et al 2007). The variation in density and faunal communities of herbivorous insects can be caused by among-site differences in host plant density or quality, micro-environment, or abundance of natural enemies (Chapman et al 1997, Denno et al 2005, DeVries et al 1997, Yamamoto et al 2007.…”

Section: Species Richness and Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and temporal variation in community composition of herbivorous insects on Neoboutonia macrocalyx in a primary tropical rain forest

et al. 2013

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Spatial and temporal variation of tropical insect communities has rarely been studied, although such variation influences estimates of global species richness. Therefore, we compared spatial and temporal variation of herbivorous insect communities on Neoboutonia macrocalyx trees among seven sites over 1 y in a primary tropical rain forest in Kibale National Park, Uganda. The distance between the study sites varied from 4.8 to 31.2 km and altitudinal differences ranged from 20 to 242 m. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed significant spatial changes in community composition of the herbivorous insects and study sites differed also in insect abundance (6.9-26.2 individuals m−2 of leaf area). This is likely to be caused by differences in vegetation, altitude and microclimate among the study sites. The similarity of insect species composition was negatively correlated with geographic and altitudinal distances among sites and positively correlated with the similarity of tree community composition. Species richness varied significantly between sampling dates, ranging from 33 to 41 species. Also community compositions changed between sampling dates, which likely follows from marked seasonal changes in climate and the phenology of other host plants used by the generalist insect species also living on Neoboutonia macrocalyx. In general our study supports the idea of high variability of herbivorous insect communities in primary rain forests even at a small spatial scale. This should be considered when estimations of insect biodiversity are made. Abstract: Spatial and temporal variation of tropical insect communities has rarely been studied, although such variation influences estimates of global species richness. Therefore, we compared spatial and temporal variation of herbivorous insect communities on Neoboutonia macrocalyx trees among seven sites over 1 y in a primary tropical rain forest in Kibale National Park, Uganda. The distance between the study sites varied from 4.8 to 31.2 km and altitudinal differences ranged from 20 to 242 m. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed significant spatial changes in community composition of the herbivorous insects and study sites differed also in insect abundance (6.9-26.2 individuals m −2 of leaf area). This is likely to be caused by differences in vegetation, altitude and microclimate among the study sites. The similarity of insect species composition was negatively correlated with geographic and altitudinal distances among sites and positively correlated with the similarity of tree community composition. Species richness varied significantly between sampling dates, ranging from 33 to 41 species. Also community compositions changed between sampling dates, which likely follows from marked seasonal changes in climate and the phenology of other host plants used by the generalist insect species also living on Neoboutonia macrocalyx. In general our study supports the idea of high variability of herbivorous insect c...

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“…And the highest number of species can only be conserved when complementary areas are included in the conservation plan (Howard et al 1998). The maintenance of the high diversity of Budongo, being an isolated forest with no immediate source of additional forest species, may be more attributed to the existence of all stages of the succession gradient (Richardson-Kageler 2004;Shea et al 2004) than acquisition of more forest species from elsewhere, which, additionally, often takes a long time (Chapman et al 1997). Hence, if reforestation of Budongo Forest Reserve would continue to the extent that the woodland areas would be lost, the biodiversity of the reserve would probably decrease.…”

Section: The Effect Of Continuing Reforestation On the Biodiversity Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition of Woody Species in a Dynamicforest–woodland–savannah Mosaic in Uganda: Implications for Conservation and Management

2006

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Abstract. Forest-woodland-savannah mosaics are a common feature in the East African landscape. For the conservation of the woody species that occur in such landscapes, the species patterns and the factors that maintain it need to be understood. We studied the woody species distribution in a forest-woodland-savannah mosaic in Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda. The existing vegetation gradients were analyzed using data from a total of 591 plots of 400 or 500 m 2 each. Remotely sensed data was used to explore current vegetation cover and the gradients there in for the whole area. A clear species gradient exists in the study area ranging from forest, where there is least disturbance, to wooded grassland, where frequent fire disturbance occurs. Most species are not limited to a specific part of the gradient although many show a maximum abundance at some point along the gradient. Fire and accessibility to the protected area were closely related to variation in species composition along the ordination axis with species like Cynometra alexandri and Uvariopsis congensis occurring at one end of the gradient and Combretum guenzi and Lonchocarpus laxiflorus at the other. The vegetation cover classes identified in the area differed in diversity, density and, especially, basal area. All vegetation cover classes, except open woodland, had indicator species. Diospyros abyssinica, Uvariopsis congensis, Holoptelea grandis and all Celtis species were the indicator species for the forest class, Terminalia velutina and Albizia grandbracteata for closed woodland, Grewia mollis and Combretum mole for very open woodland and Lonchocarpus laxiflorus, Grewia bicolor and Combretum guenzi for the wooded grassland class. Eleven of the species occurred in all cover classes and most of the species that occurred in more than one vegetation cover class showed peak abundance in a specific cover class. Species composition in the study area changes gradually from forest to savannah. Along the gradient, the cover classes are distinguishable in terms of species composition and vegetation structure. These classes are, however, interrelated in species composition. For conservation of the full range of the species within this East African landscape, the mosaic has to be managed as an integrated whole. Burning should be varied over the area with the forest not being burnt at all and the wooded grassland burnt regularly. The different vegetation types that occur between these two extremes should be maintained using a varied fire regime.

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Spatial and temporal variability in the structure of a tropical forest

Cited by 127 publications

References 24 publications

Implication of forest zonation on tree species composition, diversity and structure in Mabira Forest, Uganda

Implication of forest zonation on tree species composition, diversity and structure in Mabira Forest, Uganda

Spatial and temporal variation in community composition of herbivorous insects on Neoboutonia macrocalyx in a primary tropical rain forest

Composition of Woody Species in a Dynamicforest–woodland–savannah Mosaic in Uganda: Implications for Conservation and Management

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