Relación entre el manejo forestal, variables ambientales y edáficas con el crecimiento y productividad en plantaciones de pinus patula, en Los Andes del sur del Ecuador

Abstract

Reforestation programs have been executed some years ago and have been driven with great intensity in the Ecuadorian highlands. They provide ecosystem services and wood. The area has been mainly reforested with exotic species. In the forestry potential this research was conducted with the following objectives: 1) To estimate the growth, production and productivity on plantations of Pinus patula managed and unmanaged in three altitudinal in the provinces of Azuay and Cañar 2) To determine the relationship between environmental, topographic and soil variables associated with an altitudinal gradient on the growth, production and productivity in managed and unmanaged P. patula plantations Methodologically nine plantations, three for each altitude level (3200 m, 3500 m and 3700 m). To answer the first object two factors were analyzed: 1) the altitudinal gradient and 2) the forest management represented by pruning; by combining these two factors which were obtained six treatments were–compared ANDEVA, LSD - Fisher (p < 0,05). To answer the second objective Pearson correlations (p <0.05) between environmental, physiographic and soil variables with the variables of growth, production and productivity were performed. The results show that the variables of growth, production and productivity show significant differences in altitude (3200, 3500, 3700 meters), and not present show significant differences in management