Skip to main content
Log in

Evaluation of native tree species for the rehabilitation of deforested areas in a Mexican cloud forest

  • Published:
New Forests Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Four native tree species (Liquidambar styraciflua, Juglans pyriformis, Podocarpus matudae, and Carpinus caroliniana) were evaluated for their suitability in rehabilitating degraded areas of Mexican cloud forest. Plant survival and growth in height and diameter were determined in three mixed-experimental plantations with different land use histories; their performance was compared with two on-farm plantations started by landowners for forest restoration. Nearby forest fragments were controls for soil compaction. An experimental plantation with remnant trees had the highest plant survival (82%), height, basal diameter and relative growth rate. The plantation with the steepest slope had high plant survival (63%) and growth. The plantation characterized by dominance of grasses and compacted soils had the lowest survival (22%) and growth. On-farm plantations had good establishment of planted trees (5–10 species planted), and facilitated the recruitment of 9–11 woody species. Carpinus and Liquidambar appear to be suitable species for reforestation in all these areas. Podocarpus grew relatively slowly, although it performed well in two experimental sites. Juglans had high survival (76%) under the stressful conditions of the most adverse site, and therefore may be useful for rehabilitation of degraded sites. Differences among species and sites strongly suggest that species success depends on plantation site quality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aide T.M. and Cavelier J. 1994. Barriers to lowland tropical forest restoration in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Rest. Ecol. 2: 219–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett W.H. 1980. Selection and management of seed stands with special reference to conifers. FAO Forestry Paper No 20. In: FAO/DANIDA, Forest tree improvement. International Book Distributors, Dehradun, India, pp. 116–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw A.D. 1983. The reconstruction of ecosystems. J. App. Ecol. 20: 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown S. and Lugo A.E. 1994. Rehabilitation of tropical lands: a key to sustaining development. Rest. Ecol. 2: 97–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butterfield R.P. 1993. Forestry in Costa Rica: Status, research priorities and the role of La Selva Biological Station. In: McDade L.A., Bawa K.S., Hespenheide H.A. and Hartshorn G.S. (eds), La Selva. Ecology and natural history of a neotropical rain forest. University Press, Chicago, pp. 327–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butterfield R.P. and Espinoza M.C. 1995. Screening trial of 14 tropical hardwoods with an emphasis on species native to Costa Rica: fourth year results. New Forests 9: 135–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camacho-Cruz A., González-Espinosa M., Wolf J.H.D. and De Jong B.H.J. 2000. Germination and survival of tree species in disturbed forests of the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Can. J. Bot. 78: 1309–1318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carmona V.T. 1979. Características histológicas de la madera de cuatro especies del bosque caducifolio de México, Undergraduate thesis, Facultad de Ciencias UNAM, Mexico, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavelier J. 1995. Reforestation with the native tree Alnus acuminata: effects of phytodiversity and species richness in an upper montane rain forest area of Colombia. In: Hamilton L.S., Juvik J.O. and Scatena F.N. (eds), Tropical Montane Cloud Forest. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 125–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavelier J. and Santos C. 1999. Effects of abandoned exotic and native species plantations on the natural regeneration of a montane forest in Colombia. Rev. Biol. Trop. 47: 775–784.

    Google Scholar 

  • Challenger A. 1998. Utilización y conservación de los ecosistemas terrestres de Mexico. CONABIO, UNAM and Sierra Madre, A.C. México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaverri A., ZÚñiga E. and Fuentes A. 1997. Crecimiento inicial de una plantacion mixta de Quercus, Cornus, Alnus y Cupressus en Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 45: 777–784.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuevas E. and Lugo A.E. 1998. Dynamics of organic matter and nutrient return from litterfall in stands of ten tropical tree plantation species. For. Ecol. Manag. 112: 263–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falcon S.C. 2000. Evaluación de la variación de un ensayo de procedencias de Liquidambar styraciflua L. Xalapa, Veracruz, México. Master's thesis, Instituto de Genética Forestal. Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz 48 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guariguata M.R., Rheingans R. and Montagnini F. 1995. Early woody invasion under tree plantations in Costa Rica: implications for forest restoration. Rest. Ecol. 3: 252–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haggar J., Wightman K. and Fisher R. 1997. The potential of plantations to foster woody regeneration within a deforested landscape in lowland Costa Rica. For. Ecol. Manag. 99: 55–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haggar J., Briscoe C.B. and Butterfield R.P. 1998. Native species: a resource for the diversification of forestry production in the lowland humid tropics. For. Ecol. Manag. 106: 195–203.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holl K.D. and Quiros-Nietzen E. 1999. The effect of rabbit herbivory on reforestation of abandoned pasture in southern Costa Rica. Biol. Cons. 87: 391–395.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holl K.D., Loik M.E., Lin E.H.V. and Samuels I.A. 2000. Tropical montane forest restoration in Costa Rica: obstacles and opportunities. Rest. Ecol. 8: 339–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt R. 1978. Plant growth analysis. Studies in Biology no. 96. Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamb D. 1998. Large-scale ecological restoration of degraded tropical forest lands: the potential role of timber plantations. Rest. Ecol. 6: 271–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarter P.S. and Hughes C.E. 1984. Liquidambar styraciflua L. A species of potential for the tropics. Comm. For. Rev. 63: 207–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillan C. and Winstead J.E. 1976. Adaptative diferentiation in Liquidambar styraciflua L. from eastern United States and northeastern Mexico under uniform environmental conditions. Bot. Gaz. 137: 361–367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masera O.R., Ordonez M.J. and Dirzo R. 1997. Carbon emissions from Mexican forests: current situation and long term scenarios. Climatic Change 35: 265–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murcia C. 1997. Evaluation of Andean alder as a catalyst for the recovery of tropical cloud forest in Colombia. For. Ecol. Manag. 99: 163–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nepstad D.C., Uhl C., Pereira C.A. and da Silva J.M.C. 1996. A comparative study of tree establishment in abandoned pasture and mature forest of eastern Amazonia. Oikos 76: 25–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otsamo R. 2000a. Early development of three planted indigenous tree species and natural understorey vegetation in artificial gaps in an Acacia mangium stand on an Imperata cylindrica grassland site in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. New Forests 19: 51–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otsamo R. 2000b. Secondary forest regeneration under fast-growing forest plantations on degraded Imperata cylindrica grasslands. New Forests 19: 69–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parrotta J.A. 1992. The role of plantations forests in rehabilitating degraded tropical ecosystems. Agr. Ecosyst. Environ. 41: 115–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parrotta J.A. 1995. Influence of overstory composition on understory colonization by native species in plantations on a degraded tropical site. J. Veg. Sc. 6: 627–636.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parrotta J.A., Turnbull J.W. and Jones N. 1997. Catalyzing native forest regeneration on degraded tropical lands. For. Ecol. Manag. 99: 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkash R. 1999. Forest Management. International Book Distribution, Dehra Dun, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedraza R.A. 1998. Germinación de semillas de especies arboreas colectadas en áreas boscosas de la región de Xalapa, Veracruz. Foresta Veracruzana 1: 13–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyke D.A. and Thompson J.N. 1986. Statistical analysis of survival and removal rate experiments. Ecology 67: 240–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez-Marcial N. 2002. Disturbio humano y la diversidad de árboles y arbustos del bosque mesófilo en las montañas del norte de Chiapas. Doctoral Thesis, Instituto de Ecologia, A: C, Xalapa,Veracruz 158 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiners W.A., Bouwman A.F., Parsons W.F.J. and Keller M. 1994. Tropical rain forest conversion to pasture: changes in vegetation and soil properties. Ecol. App. 4: 363–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rzedowski J. 1993. Diversity and origins of the phanerogamic flora of Mexico. In: Rammamoorthy T.P., Bye R., Lot A. and Fa J. (eds), Biological Diversity of Mexico: Origins and Distribution. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 129–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rzedowski J. 1996. Análisis preliminar de la flora vascular de los bosques mesofilos de montana de México. Acta Bot. Mex. 35: 25–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute, Cary, NC 1997. JMP User's Guide.

  • SEMARNAP. 1999. Anuario estadístico de la producción forestal 1998. Gobierno de la Republica. Talleres Gráficos, Mexico, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • SEMARNAP. 2000. Informe de labores 1999–2000. Gobierno de la República. Talleres Gráficos, México, D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sosa V. and Gómez-Pompa A. 1994. Flora de Veracruz. Lista floristica. Fascículo 82. University of California, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Riverside, Xalapa, Veracruz, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Standley W.G. and Montagnini F. 1999. Biomass and nutrient accumulation in pure and mixed plantations of indigenous tree species grown on poor soils in the humid tropics of Costa Rica. For. Ecol. Manag. 113: 91–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vázquez-Yanes C., Batis Muñoz A.I., Alcocer Silva M.I., Gual Díaz M. and Sánchez Dirzo C. 1999. Árboles y arbustos potencialmente valiosos para la restauración ecológica y la reforestación. Reporte técnico del proyecto J084. CONABIO-Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Mexico D.F.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams-Linera G. 1996. Crecimiento diamétrico de árboles caducifolios y perennifolios del bosque mesófilo de montaña en los alrededores de Xalapa. Madera y Bosques 2: 53–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams-Linera G. 2002. Tree species richness complementarity, disturbance and fragmentation in a Mexican tropical montane cloud forest. Biod. & Cons. 11: 1825–1843.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Williams-Linera.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pedraza, R., Williams-Linera, G. Evaluation of native tree species for the rehabilitation of deforested areas in a Mexican cloud forest. New Forests 26, 83–99 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024423511760

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024423511760

Navigation