Recovery of Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don) Florin forest after antropogenic disturbance in the Valdivian Costal Range, Chile

Abstract

The loss and decline of one ecosystem can be triggered by continuous changes in structure made by frequent and/or severe disturbances. Therefore we quantify the structural losses and the posteriori recovery after man-made disturbances of two fragments of P. uviferum in the Reserva Nacional Valdivia (RNV; 40°S) by studying the evidence of human disturbance and forest structure. Our results indicate frequent burned trees and stumps, indicating that slash and burn are the main factor shaping the present structure of these forest fragments. In both cases 86% of the basal area was represented by dead tress, and 14% of basal area by living individuals. The results show a severe past disturbance and the recovery of those P. uviferum forests by the abundant recruitment with a very high flora richness which is characteristic of this forest ecosystem. Nevertheless we found that some human-made disturbances can alter the successional patchways of this endangered ecosystem in the Cordillera de la Costa Valdiviana.