Abstract

MALDONADO OJEDA, Sandra; HERRERA HERRERA, Clemencia; GAONA OCHOA, Telmo  and  AGUIRRE MENDOZA, Zhofre. Structure and floristic composition of low montane evergreen forest in Palanda, Zamora Chinchipe, Ecuador. Arnaldoa [online]. 2018, vol.25, n.2, pp.615-630. ISSN 1815-8242.  http://dx.doi.org/http://doi.org/10.22497/arnaldoa.252.25216.

The knowledge of the structure and floristic composition of the forest is important to plan the management and conservation. In Palanda parish, Palanda canton, province of Zamora Chinchipe, a remnant of low montane evergreen forest was investigated; with the objective of determining the structure and floristic composition of the forest. Temporary plots of 20 m x 20 m (400 m²) were installed where trees larger than 5 cm D_{1,30 m} were registered. In nested form, three subplots of 5 m x 5 m (25 ^m2) were delimited for shrubs and five subplots of 1 m x 1 m (1 m²) for herbs, the shrubby and herbaceous individuals were recorded. Plots of 10 x 10 m (100 m²) nested in the floristic sampling plots were established to evaluate natural regeneration. These parameters were calculated: absolute density (D), relative density (RD), relative frequency (RF), relative dominance (RDm) and importance value index (IVI). Structural profiles were developed using a 10 x 50 m transect. There were 100 species recorded, 59 are trees, 24 shrubs and 17 herbs. The most diverse families of the arboreal stratum are Rubiaceae, Lauraceae, Clusiaceae and Euphorbiaceae; of the shrubby stratum: Piperaceae, Solanaceae and Poaceae; and of the herbaceous: Dryopteridaceae, Polypodiaceae and Araceae. The ecologically important species of the arboreal stratum are Alsophila cuspidata and Nectandra lineatifolia; of the shrubby stratum: Chamaedorea linearis and Philodendron sp., and from the herbaceous stratum: Elaphoglossum latifolium and Peperomia blanda. The species with greater regeneration are Nectandra lineatifolia, Ceroxylon amazonicum, Hedyosmum racemosum and Nectandra reticulata.

Keywords : Low montane evergreen forest; floristic composition; forest structure and natural regeneration.

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