MARIN-SPIOTTA, E. ; OSTERTAG, R.; SILVER W. L. 2007. Long-term, patterns in tropical reforestation: plant community composition and aboveground biomass accumulation.. Ecological Applications, 17(3), :828-839.
Abstract:
Primary tropical forests are renowned for their high biodiversity and carbon
storage, and considerable research has documented both species and carbon losses with
deforestation and agricultural land uses. Economic drivers are now leading to the
abandonment of agricultural lands, and the area in secondary forests is increasing. We know
little about how long it takes for these ecosystems to achieve the structural and compositional
characteristics of primary forests. In this study, we examine changes in plant species
composition and aboveground biomass during eight decades of tropical secondary succession
in Puerto Rico, and compare these patterns with primary forests. Using a well-replicated
chronosequence approach, we sampled primary forests and secondary forests established 10,
20, 30, 60, and 80 years ago on abandoned pastures. Tree species composition in all secondary
forests was different from that of primary forests and could be divided into early (10-, 20-, and
30-year) vs. late (60- and 80-year) successional phases. The highest rates of aboveground
biomass accumulation occurred in the first 20 years, with rates of C sequestration peaking at
6.7 6 0.5 Mg Cha1yr1. Reforestation of pastures resulted in an accumulation of 125 Mg
C/ha in aboveground standing live biomass over 80 years. The 80 year-old secondary forests
had greater biomass than the primary forests, due to the replacement of woody species by
palms in the primary forests. Our results show that these new ecosystems have different species
composition, but similar species richness, and significant potential for carbon sequestration,
compared to remnant primary forests.