IDENTIFICATION OF EIGHT SPECIES WITH DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL POTENTIAL IN WHITE SAND FORESTS OF JENARO HERRERA, LORETO, PERU

Tello E.N.M.; Peña J.L.M.; Muro R.M.; Custodio M.C. · Folia Amazonica (2025) · DOI: 10.24841//fa.v34i1.806

Resumen

Amazonian white-sand forests (varillales), characterized by high floristic endemism and extremely oligotrophic soils, remain poorly studied regarding the formation of growth rings and the dendrochronological potential of their tree species. This study evaluated the dendrochronological potential of 30 tree species from white-sand forests in Jenaro Herrera, Peru. Wood samples were obtained using a non-destructive method with a metallic increment borer. All 30 species were examined macroscopically, and only those with visible ring boundaries were analyzed microscopically. Results show that only 8 of the 30 species (27%) exhibited anatomically verifiable growth rings, with fiber-wall thickening being the predominant delimiting feature. Agreement between macroscopic descriptions and microscopic verification allowed the exclusion of species with apparent but non-functional ring boundaries, as observed in Humiria balsamifera. The anatomical characteristics recorded reflect adaptations to seasonal water stress and a high degree of structural variability among species. In conclusion, only these eight species demonstrate real potential for dendrochronological studies, representing reliable sources for climate reconstructions and analyses of forest dynamics in white-sand ecosystems.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina; Universidad Nacional de Jaén