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Downed wood in Micronesian mangrove forests

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Abstract

Dead, downed wood is an important component of upland forest and aquatic ecosystems, but its role in wetland ecosystems, including mangroves, is poorly understood. We measured downed wood in ten sites on the western Pacific islands of Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap, all located within the Federated States of Micronesia. Our goals were to examine patterns of variability in the quantity of downed wood in these mangrove ecosystems, provide a general characterization of downed wood in a region with no previously published accounts, and investigate the relationship between harvesting practices and the amount of downed wood. The overall mean volume of downed wood at our study sites was estimated to be 60.8 m3 ha−1 (20.9 t ha−1), which is greater than most published data for forested wetlands. There were significant differences among islands, with the sites on Kosrae (104.2 m3 ha−1) having a much greater mean volume of downed wood than those on Pohnpei (43.1 m3 ha−1) or Yap (35.1 m3 ha−1). Part of the difference among islands may be attributable to differences in stand age and structure, but the most important factor seems to be the greater amount of wood harvesting on Kosrae, coupled with a low efficiency of use of cut trees. Of a total of 45 cut trees examined on Kosrae, no wood had been removed from 18 (40%); these are believed to be trees cut down because other, more valuable, trees were caught on them as they were felled. Of the other 27 trees, only 24 to 42% of the stem volume (to a 10 cm top) was removed from the forest, the amount varying by species. The impacts of current harvesting practices are unknown but may include important effects on tree regeneration and the abundance and species composition of crab populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 323, 96813, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    James A. Allen & Katherine C. Ewel

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, 700 Cajundome Boulevard, 70506, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

    Bobby D. Keeland

  3. Kosrae State Department of Agriculture and Land Forestry Section, P.O. Box 82, 96844, Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia

    Tara Tara

  4. U.S. Geological Survey, Florida/Caribbean Science Center, c/o SERC, OE-148, Florida International University, 33199, Miami, Florida, USA

    Thomas J. Smith

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  1. James A. Allen
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  2. Katherine C. Ewel
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Correspondence to James A. Allen.

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Allen, J.A., Ewel, K.C., Keeland, B.D. et al. Downed wood in Micronesian mangrove forests. Wetlands 20, 169–176 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1672/0277-5212(2000)020[0169:DWIMMF]2.0.CO;2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1672/0277-5212(2000)020[0169:DWIMMF]2.0.CO;2

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