Forest site: influence of edaphic, climatic and topographic factors on the adaptability of forest species

Villena-Velasquez J.J. · Scientia Agropecuaria (2026) · DOI: 10.17268/sci.agropecu.2026.49

Resumen

The forest site, defined as the interaction of climatic, edaphic, and topographic factors, conditions the productivity, stability, and resilience of forest ecosystems. The objective of this review has been to compile and systematize the state of knowledge on the forest site and the factors that condition the adaptability of forest species. The influence of edaphic factors is described: 11 physical properties, 20 chemical properties, six biological properties, as well as eight climatic factors and six topographic factors. Climate and its factors: temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit, and wind control the fundamental physiological processes of trees, including photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, cambial growth, and reproduction. Forest soil is a dynamic biogeochemical system, where texture, depth, structure, organic matter, pH, and nutrients regulate root development, water retention, and plant nutrition, while microbial activity and mycorrhizal associations play a key role in nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, and climate stress mitigation. Topography modifies the local climate and soil properties, generating microclimates and spatial heterogeneity that explain differential patterns of growth, regeneration, and species composition within the forest landscape. It is concluded that climate acts as the main determinant of species distribution and adaptability at the regional scale, while soil and topography modulate these responses at the local and microsite levels, thus determining the adaptability of forest species.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Chota