Diversidad y estructura en bosques secundarios andinos del cantón Cuenca, provincia del Azuay

Abstract

The abandonment of lands disturbed by human activities has led to the formation of secondary forests. These ecosystems possess great ecological attributes. The objectives of the present investigation were: 1) Identify types of forests at the local level and their relationship with environmental variables and, 2) Quantify the richness, floristic diversity, tree and shrub structure in different types of Andean secondary forests located in three sites of water supply (Pillachiquir, Gañadel and Irquis). To identify forests, multivariate methods were applied using the parameters of the vegetation as the composition of the species and the value of importance (IVI). The variables of climate and altitude were related to the identified forests through the analysis of main components. In the plots corresponding to the identified forests, the individuals of the arboreal, shrub and tree fern species greater than ≥ 5,0 cm of DBH were evaluated. Parameters of diversity, species richness and vegetation structure were analyzed. These parameters were compared at the forest level by means of analysis of ANDEVAs (P <0.05). According to the results, three types of forests were identified, floristically different. The forest three (B3) to level of fustales present higher values of species richness, abundance, basal area and shade tolerant species compared the forest one and two (B1 and B2). In these last forest is recorded greater wealth of heliophilous durable and ephemeral species so they were considered early successional. We conclude that, based on the parameters of wealth, these micro-basins constitute of high ecological importance in the areas of water interest