Tree diversity in secondary forests of the montane and premontane strata in the province of Chanchamayo (Peru)

Rocio A.; Giacomotti J.; Reynel C.; Palacios-Ramos S.; Linares-Palomino R. · Lilloa (2024) · DOI: 10.30550/j.lil/1882

Resumen

Montane forests are found in an altitudinal range between 800 and 3500 m asl and conserve an important diversity of tree species and high levels of endemism. Many of these forests are being converted to other land uses and, in some cases, successional processes are occurring that allow the establishment of secondary forests. In order to evaluate the floristic contribution of these secondary montane forests to the arboreal flora of the Selva Central region of Peru, we analyzed the floristic composition and tree diversity in two secondary forests located in the province of Chanchamayo. For this purpose, two permanent vegetation monitoring plots were installed, the Puyu Sacha Secondary Forest Plot (P-PS) of 1 ha located in a montane forest at 2060 m asl, where 638 individuals, 52 species, 37 genera and 28 botanical families were recorded, and the Genova Secondary Forest 2 Plot (P-GS2) of 0.6 ha located in a premontane forest at 1040 m asl, where 242 individuals, 34 species, 32 genera and 21 botanical families were recorded. In P-PS (montane stratum between 1500 and 3500 m asl) the most abundant families were Urticaceae, Actinidiaceae, Melastomataceae, Cordiaceae and Rubiaceae; and the most abundant species were Cordia cylindristachya (Ruiz & Pav.) Roem. & Schult., Miconia aff. crassistigma Cogn., Saurauia biserrata (Ruiz & Pav.) Spreng., Cecropia angustifolia Trécul, Cecropia sp.2 and Saurauia glabra (Ruiz & Pav.) Soejarto. In P-GS2 (premontane stratum between 800 and 1500 m asl) the most abundant families were Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Cannabaceae, Piperaceae and Urticaceae; and the most abundant species were Sapium glandulosum (L.) Morong, Trema micrantha (L.) Blume, Cecropia polystachya Trécul, Erythrina ulei Harms and Piper aduncum L. Both plots showed low levels of diversity because they are located in secondary forests that in the past had anthropic interventions.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina