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Forests that regrow naturally on abandoned fields are important for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services, but can they also preserve the distinct regional tree floras? Using the floristic composition of 1215 early successional forests (≤20 years) in 75 human-modified landscapes across the Neotropic realm, we identified 14 distinct floristic groups, with a between-group dissimilarity of 0.97. Floristic groups were associated with location, bioregions, soil pH, temperature seasonality, and water availability. Hence, there is large continental-scale variation in the species composition of early successional forests, which is mainly associated with biogeographic and environmental factors but not with human disturbance indicators. This floristic distinctiveness is partially driven by regionally restricted species belonging to widespread genera. Early secondary forests contribute therefore to restoring and conserving the distinctiveness of bioregions across the Neotropical realm, and forest restoration initiatives should use local species to assure that these distinct floras are maintained.

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Enrichment plantings into secondary forest are an important option in restoring species diversity and ecosystem services. However, little attention has been given to environmental requirements for species performance. This study evaluated the effects of lightgaps and topographic position on the growth and survival of four native tree species (Pouteria caimito, Garcinia macrophylla, Dipteryx odorata and Cynometra bauhiniaefolia) planted into a 26-year old secondary forest originating from abandoned pastures in the central Amazon Basin. Artificial lightgaps and control plots under closed canopy were uniformly distributed on plateaus and bottomlands near water bodies. Seedlings were planted randomly into the plots and monitored for 28 months. Seedling survival rate was high (93%) and did not differ among species. Overall, lightgaps produced a 38% increase in seedling height relative to the controls. Although the four species naturally occur in mature forest, two of the four grew significantly more in lightgaps than in closed canopy secondary forest. Overall, bottomlands facilitated greater seedling growth in height (38%) relative to plateaus, but only one species exhibited a significant increase. This study shows the importance of the environmental variability generated with canopy openings along the topographic gradient, suggesting that both the selection of species and microsite conditions of planting sites have to be considered important criteria in the recovery of degraded areas. (AU)

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RESUMO

Enrichment plantings into secondary forest are an important option in restoring species diversity and ecosystem services. However, little attention has been given to environmental requirements for species performance. This study evaluated the effects of lightgaps and topographic position on the growth and survival of four native tree species (Pouteria caimito, Garcinia macrophylla, Dipteryx odorata and Cynometra bauhiniaefolia) planted into a 26-year old secondary forest originating from abandoned pastures in the central Amazon Basin. Artificial lightgaps and control plots under closed canopy were uniformly distributed on plateaus and bottomlands near water bodies. Seedlings were planted randomly into the plots and monitored for 28 months. Seedling survival rate was high (93%) and did not differ among species. Overall, lightgaps produced a 38% increase in seedling height relative to the controls. Although the four species naturally occur in mature forest, two of the four grew significantly more in lightgaps than in closed canopy secondary forest. Overall, bottomlands facilitated greater seedling growth in height (38%) relative to plateaus, but only one species exhibited a significant increase. This study shows the importance of the environmental variability generated with canopy openings along the topographic gradient, suggesting that both the selection of species and microsite conditions of planting sites have to be considered important criteria in the recovery of degraded areas.(AU)

O plantio de enriquecimento em florestas secundárias é uma opção para restaurar a diversidade de espécies e os serviços ecossistêmicos. No entanto, pouca atenção tem sido dada aos requerimentos ambientais para o melhor desempenho das espécies. Este estudo avaliou os efeitos de clareiras e posição topográfica sobre o crescimento e sobrevivência de quatro espécies arbóreas nativas (Pouteria caimito, Garcinia macrophylla, Dipteryx odorata and Cynometra bauhiniaefolia) plantadas em florestas secundárias oriundas de pastagens abandonadas há 26 anos na Amazônia central. Clareiras artificiais e parcelas de controle sob dossel fechado foram distribuídos uniformemente em platôs e baixios. Mudas foram plantadas aleatoriamente nas parcelas e monitoradas por 28 meses. A taxa de sobrevivência das plântulas foi alta (93%) e não houve diferenças entre as espécies. Entre todas as espécies, houve um incremento de 38% na altura das plântulas em comparação com os controles. Embora as quatro espécies ocorram naturalmente em florestas maduras, duas das quatro cresceram significativamente mais em clareiras do que sob dossel fechado. Entre todas as espécies, plântulas tiveram um maior crescimento em altura (38%) nos baixios que nos platôs, mas apenas uma espécie apresentou um aumento significativo. Este estudo mostra a importância da variabilidade ambiental gerada com aberturas do dossel ao longo do gradiente topográfico, sugerindo que, tanto a seleção de espécies como as condições microambientais deveriam ser considerados como critérios importantes na recuperação de áreas degradadas.(AU)

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Tree plantations used for carbon sequestration or forest restoration often support diverse plant communities. However, it is unknown how rates of successional change in tree plantations compare to secondary forests. In this study, we compared the successional trajectory of tree plantations to that of secondary forests that were between 8 and 23 years old. Censuses of woody plants (≥ 2 cm dbh [diameter at breast height]) in seven tree plantation plots and seven secondary forest plots (30 × 30 m) were conducted over three years (May 2013-July 2016) in a lowland tropical forest. Secondary forests were naturally regenerating from abandoned cattle pastures. Tree plantations were monocultures of two different native species (Vochysia guatemalensis and Hieronyma alchorneoides), planted for carbon sequestration. We measured the change in stem density, basal area, species density, rarefied species richness, and relative abundance of different growth forms and regeneration guilds. We found that differences in stem density and basal area between these two forest types were declining. Nevertheless, we did not find evidence for differences between forest types in the rate of accumulation of species richness when accounting for sample size. On the other hand, even though the successional trajectory in tree plantations was very similar to secondary forests, there were differences between forest types in species composition. The rate of change in relative abundance of different growth forms and regeneration guilds was similar in both forest types. Overall, our results suggest that structural - but not compositional differences - between tree plantations and secondary forests are converging during the second decade of succession.

Las plantaciones forestales usadas para el secuestro de carbono o restauración forestal pueden sostener comunidades de plantas de alta diversidad. Sin embargo, no se sabe si las tasas de cambio sucesionales de plantaciones forestales son comparables con las de bosques secundarios. En este estudio, examinamos las trayectorias sucesionales en plantaciones forestales y bosques secundarios que tenían entren 8 y 23 años de edad. Realizamos inventarios de plantas leñosas (≥ 2 cm dap) en siete parcelas de plantaciones forestales y siete parcelas de bosques secundarios durante un periodo tres años (mayo 2013 - julio 2016) en un bosque tropical de tierras bajas. Estos últimos se regeneraron naturalmente en potreros abandonados, mientras que las plantaciones forestales fueron monocultivos de dos especies nativas (Vochysia guatemalensis y Hieronyma alchorneoides), sembradas para el secuestro de carbono. Medimos el cambio en densidad de tallos, área basal, densidad de especies, riqueza de especies y abundancia relativa de diferentes grupos funcionales. Encontramos que las diferencias en densidad de tallos y área basal, entre los dos tipos de bosques, estaban disminuyendo. No obstante, no hubo evidencia de diferencias entre los tipos de bosques en relación con la acumulación de riqueza de especies cuando se consideró el tamaño de la muestra, aunque había diferencias en la composición de especies, entre los dos tipos de bosque. Asimismo, en ambas zonas, la trayectoria sucesional en plantaciones forestales se parecía mucho. Por otro lado, la tasa de cambio en la abundancia relativa de grupos funcionales fue similar en ambos tipos de bosque. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que la diferencia en la composición de especies entre los tipos de bosque no disminuyó durante la segunda década de sucesión.

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PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Pioneer species of tropical trees allocate wood specific gravity (SG) differently across the radius. Some species exhibit relatively uniform, low SG wood, whereas many others exhibit linear increases in SG across the radius. Here, we measured changes in SG across the radius of Schizolobium parahyba (Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae), a wide-ranging, neotropical pioneer, used extensively in land reclamation and forest restoration in Brazil. METHODS: Pith-to-bark radial wood cores were extracted with increment borers from 42 trees at five sites, in Central and South America. Cores were cut into 1-cm segments whose specific gravities were determined and analyzed via linear and nonlinear regression. Wood specific gravity, very low initially at 0.15-0.20, doubled or tripled across the tree radius to 0.45-0.65 for large adults. KEY RESULTS: Unlike linear increases in other tropical pioneers, the increases in Schizolobium were nonlinear (convex up). At one site with even-aged trees, the magnitude of the radial increase was similar in all trees, despite a 4-fold difference in diameter among trees, implying that the radial increases in Schizolobium were regulated by tree age, not by tree size. CONCLUSIONS: This unique pattern of development should provide an extended period of growth when SG is low, facilitating hyper-extension of the bole, at some risk of structural failure. Later in growth, the SG rate of increase accelerates, reinforcing what was a precarious bole. Overall, these results suggest a third model for xylem allocation in tropical trees, a model that may be associated with monopodial stem development and limited life span.

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Dung beetle communities have been compared across north temperate latitudes. Tropical dung beetle communities appear to be more diverse based on studies using different methodologies. Here, we present results from a standardized sampling protocol used to compare dung beetle communities across five neotropical forests in Brazil and Ecuador and two warm, north temperate forests in Mississippi and Louisiana. Species richness in the tropical forests was three to seven times higher than the temperate forests, as would be expected by studies of other taxa across tropical and temperate latitudes. Average body size in the temperate forests was larger than the tropical forests, as predicted by Bergmann's rule. Dung beetle abundance and volume per trap-day were generally higher in Ecuador than Brazil, and higher in Mississippi than Louisiana, but there were no tropical-temperate differences. Species rank-abundance curves were similar within countries and between countries. Rank-volume distributions indicated a smaller range of beetle body sizes in Ecuador versus Brazil or the USA. Community similarity was high within countries and low between countries. Community differences between Brazil and Ecuador sites may be explained by differences in productivity based on geological age of the soils.

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Dung beetle communities have been compared across north temperate latitudes. Tropical dung beetle communities appear to be more diverse based on studies using different methodologies. Here, we present results from a standardized sampling protocol used to compare dung beetle communities across five neotropical forests in Brazil and Ecuador and two warm, north temperate forests in Mississippi and Louisiana. Species richness in the tropical forests was three to seven times higher than the temperate forests, as would be expected by studies of other taxa across tropical and temperate latitudes. Average body size in the temperate forests was larger than the tropical forests, as predicted by Bergmann's rule. Dung beetle abundance and volume per trap-day were generally higher in Ecuador than Brazil, and higher in Mississippi than Louisiana, but there were no tropical-temperate differences. Species rank-abundance curves were similar within countries and between countries. Rank-volume distributions indicated a smaller range of beetle body sizes in Ecuador versus Brazil or the USA. Community similarity was high within countries and low between countries. Community differences between Brazil and Ecuador sites may be explained by differences in productivity based on geological age of the soils.

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We compared the distributions of Alouatta palliata and A. pigra in southeastern Mexico and Central America with geographic and ecological features to infer current barriers and ecological preferences. Distribution data were obtained from museum specimen localities, study sites, historic records and field surveys and integrated into digital elevation and ecosystem maps using GIS. A. pigra evidently occurs at a number of sites above 2,000 m, where temperatures can even drop below zero on some days of the year, thus indicating a broader ecological tolerance than previously reported. Both species occupy a number of vegetation types and can be found in seasonal and nonseasonal forests. We identified the highland massif of northern Central America and its associated coniferous and subalpine vegetation as a geographic barrier that separates the species. In the past, distribution maps for these species have indicated adjacent contiguous ranges, but we propose that they are largely separated by these mountains. There are two contact zones: a broad area of sympatry north of the highland massif in Mexico and a narrow zone in eastern Guatemala where parapatry is maintained by a river barrier and where only A. pigra occurs in the high elevations and cooler habitats inland. We explore an alternative biogeographic scenario for the split of the two species that accounts for the current distribution and differences in elevation and cold tolerances.

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