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A chronosequence analysis of forest recovery on abandoned agricultural fields in Nicaragua

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Abstract

Species composition, diversity and population structure of woody species recovered on three abandoned agricultural fields after 4, 9 and 14 years were characterized. Seedlings, saplings/poles and mature trees were identified and counted in 70 plots of 100 m2 in each abandoned site. A total of 13, 29 and 22 families represented by 17, 48 and 44 species were registered in 4, 9 and 14 year-old stands, respectively. There was a shift in dominant species across successional stages. Lonchocarpus acuminatus had the highest importance value in the 4-year old stand, whereas, Myrospermun frutescens, Guazuma ulmifolia and Cordia alliodora had the highest importance value in the 9-year-old-stand and Caesaeria corymbosa, Muntingia calabura, Gliricidia sepium and Tabebuia rosea in the 14-year old stand. The total stem density increased from 5011 to 9631 individuals per hectare as the age of abandonment increased from 4 to 14 years. The total basal area of individuals ≥ 1cm d.b.h. also increased with the age of abandonment. Overall, small individuals (< 10 cm dbh) contributed to more than half of the total basal area. Species diversity was the highest in the 9-year old stand followed by 14- and 4-year old stands. We concluded that floristic composition of secondary forests recovers rapidly to the mature forest level compared to structural attributes, which is consistent with the general successional trajectories of tropical dry forest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Recursos Naturales y del Ambiente, Universidad Nacional Agraria, Apartado posta 453, Managua, Nicaragua

    Guillermo Castro Marín & Benigno González-Rivas

  2. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Tropical Silviculture and Seed Laboratory, PO Box 101, SE-230 53, Alnarp, Sweden

    Mulualem Tigabu & Per Christer Odén

Authors
  1. Guillermo Castro Marín
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  2. Mulualem Tigabu
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  3. Benigno González-Rivas
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  4. Per Christer Odén
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Correspondence to Mulualem Tigabu.

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Foundation project: The study was financially supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)

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Marín, G.C., Tigabu, M., González-Rivas, B. et al. A chronosequence analysis of forest recovery on abandoned agricultural fields in Nicaragua. Journal of Forestry Research 20, 213–222 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-009-0034-y

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