scholarly journals Biogeography and conservation of the herpetofauna of the Upland Pine-Oak Forests of Honduras

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry David Wilson ◽  
Josiah Harold Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Population Status ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Environmental Threat ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitat ◽  
Isthmus Of Tehuantepec ◽  
Species Being ◽  
Stable Populations

The upland pine-oak forest herpetofauna constitutes the smallest segment distributed in the major habitat types in Honduras, due to its occurrence at moderate elevations in relatively inhospitable environments, compared to more mesic habitats in the country. This segment, however, is subject to considerable environmental threat as a consequence of annual burning and logging. Of the 356 herpetofaunal species known from Honduras, 105 are known from these habitats. These forests occur throughout much of the mountainous interior of Honduras. They are subject to the Intermediate Dry climate. Four salamanders, 27 anurans, four turtles, 29 lizards, and 41 snakes comprise the herpetofauna. These species are partitioned into restricted, widespread, and peripheral distributional categories. They can be allocated to eleven broad distributional categories, with most belonging to the category containing species whose ranges extend from somewhere in Mexico north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to somewhere in South America. The large majority are terrestrial forest inhabitants, arboreal forest inhabitants, terrestrial pondside species, or terrestrial forest pondside species. Most species are judged common, with the next largest group considered to be of infrequent occurrence, and the smallest group of rare occurrence. Upland pine-oak forest species are distributed among four ecophysiographic areas, with the greatest number of species being found in the Southeastern Uplands. Construction of a CBR diagram illustrates that the herpetofaunas of the Northwestern and Northeastern Uplands, the Northeastern Uplands and Southeastern Uplands, and the Southeastern Uplands and Southwestern Uplands are about equally related to one another. The greatest significance of the upland pine-oak forest herpetofauna lies in the relatively high percentage of members presently possessing stable populations, indicating their apparent greater ability to resist anthropogenic habitat disturbance. Few species currently have populations in decline, but about a third lack sufficient data to characterize their population status, indicating the need for considerable additional fieldwork before their conservation issues can be properly addressed.

scholarly journals Succession of Xeric Calcareous Grassland Toward Thermophilous Oak Forest: The Case of Abava Valley, West Latvia

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 268-281
Author(s):  
Māris Laiviņš ◽  
Agnese Priede ◽  
Dārta Kaupe ◽  
Andis Lazdiņš
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Succession ◽  
Natural Transformation ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Calcareous Grassland ◽  
Tree Age ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Vegetation Composition ◽  
Insufficient Knowledge

Abstract The succession of semi-natural xeric calcareous grassland plant communities toward deciduous forest communities is poorly studied in Latvia. There is insufficient knowledge on the natural transformation of dry calcareous grasslands of Festuco-Brometea into thermophilous quasi-climax oak forest communities of Quercetea pubescentis that are very rare in Latvia. In this paper, a geobotanical study is presented that included studies of soils, tree age, spatial pattern of trees, vegetation composition of different succession stages, and analysis of environmental factors. The study was conducted in the Abava Valley, West Latvia, an area that is unique with species-rich xeric calcareous Festuco-Brometea grasslands, thermophilous oak forests dominated by Quercus robur, and intermediate secondary succession stages with young to medium-aged Juniperus communis and Pinus sylvestris formations.

scholarly journals Phytocenological and edaphic characteristics of sessile oak forests on Miroc Mt in northeastern Serbia

2013 ◽  
pp. 27-55
Author(s):  
Rade Cvjeticanin ◽  
Olivera Kosanin ◽  
Milun Krstic ◽  
Marko Perovic ◽  
Marijana Novakovic-Vukovic
Keyword(s):  
Beech Forest ◽  
Quercus Petraea ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Sessile Oak ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Natural Stands

This research was carried out in natural stands of sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg. Ehrendorfer 1967) on Miroc mountain. Three comunities were investigated: Pure sessile oak forest (Quercetum montanum Cer. et Jov. 1953. s.l.), sessile oak-common hornbeam forest (Querco-Carpinetum moesiacum Rud. 1949. s.l.) and sessile oak-balkan beech forest (Querco-Fagetum Glis. 1971). Pure sessile oak forests are found on the following soils: dystric ranker and acid cambic soil on sandstone, dystric ranker and acid cambisols on phyllite, and acid cambic soil on schists. Sessile oak-hornbeam forests grow on sandstone, granite and schists. Sessile oak-beech forests are found on acid cambisol on phyllite and sandstone conglomerate. Various ecological conditions (exposition, slope, altitude, soil types and bedrock) on Mt Miroc caused the occurence of diverse sessile oak forest communities, while different states of these forest stands resulted from the implementation of management measures.

scholarly journals Unveiling the conservation status of the sessile oak forest for their protection and management in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e70549
Author(s):  
Jordi Bou ◽  
Lluís Vilar
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Current Conservation ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Sessile Oak ◽  
Characteristic Species

The sessile oak forests found on the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula are ascribed to the Lathyro-Quercetumpetraeae association and play a key role in understanding the ecology of this habitat, as this region represents its xeric limit. For this reason, we analysed the biodiversity patterns and current conservation status of the sessile oak forests in the region. To do so, we collected Braun-Blanquet inventories of 34 plots randomly distributed throughout the sessile oak forests. The results showed a relationship between the climatic conditions and the biodiversity variables. While the richness of the community increased with decreasing temperatures, the characteristic species found within the community decreased at these same temperatures. This result was due to the presence of most companion species in the cool zones at high elevations.Sessile oaks are found close to other communities, such as silver birches and Scot pine forests.On the other hand, in the warm areas at low elevations, the sessile oak community was more established, with plants typical of this type of forest. These slightly warmer zones with sessile oaks are very important in terms of conservation and more vulnerable to climate change and the thermophilization of the community, as has been studied. As such, protecting and managing these forests is key to conserving this community. Nevertheless, as current protection measures do not safeguard most of these forests, it is essential to define a conservation strategy to preserve them. Using the conservation status, we have established criteria to improve the conservation strategy for sessile oak forest on the NE Iberian Peninsula.

scholarly journals Habitat exploitation by landbirds in the changing Western Samoan environment

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Evans ◽  
F. J. C. Fletcher ◽  
P. J. Loader ◽  
F. G. Rooksby
Keyword(s):  
Urban Life ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Urban Habitats ◽  
Severe Loss ◽  
Western Samoa ◽  
Native Birds ◽  
Species Being ◽  
Increased Pressure

SummaryThe avifauna of Western Samoa is dominated by indigenous species, including several endemic ones. They are primarily birds of the rainforest and, since the islands have already suffered severe loss of this habitat and there is likely to be increased pressure on it in the future, their long-term prospects are not good. At present, introduced, non-native birds are not a threat to indigenous species, being confined largely to urban habitats, and there is little interaction with forest species. Several indigenous species exploit manmodified habitats, however, and it is possible that, as has occurred elsewhere, some of them may adapt fully to urban life.

scholarly journals Sessile oak forest plant community changes on the NE Iberian Peninsula over recent decades

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 894-906
Author(s):  
Jordi Bou ◽  
Lluís Vilar
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sessile Oak ◽  
Ne Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Coastal Range

AbstractAimsOur aims were 3-fold: (i) to determine whether global change has altered the composition and structure of the plant community found in the sessile oak forests on the NE Iberian Peninsula over the last decades, (ii) to establish whether the decline in forest exploitation activities that has taken place since the mid-20th century has had any effect on the forests and (iii) to ascertain whether there is any evidence of impact from climate warming.MethodsWe assess changes in the plant community by comparing a current survey of sessile oak forest with a historical data set obtained from previous regional studies dating from 1962 to 1977. We analyse the regional changes in the community in terms of biodiversity variables, species composition and plant traits. Furthermore, plants traits such as plant life forms and chorological groups are used to discern any effects from land-use changes and climate warming on the plant community.Important FindingsThere has been a loss of diversity in the community and, in the hottest region, there is also a loss of species richness. The composition of the community suggests that, although significant changes have taken place over recent decades, these changes differ between regions as a result of the low impact global change has had in the western regions. For instance, while the tree canopy cover in the western sessile oak forests remains stable, the eastern sessile oak forests are still recovering from the former exploitation that led to a loss of their rich and abundant herbaceous stratum. In fact, the recovery process in the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range has constituted an increase in the Euro-Siberian plants typical to this community. Moreover, in the eastern forests, there is evidence that climate warming has impacted the thermophilization of the sessile oak forests found on the Coastal Range.

scholarly journals BIOMASS ACCUMULATION IN FORESTS WITH HIGH PRESSURE OF FUELWOOD EXTRACTION IN CHIAPAS, MEXICO

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deb Raj Aryal ◽  
Roldan Ruiz Corzo ◽  
Alonso López Cruz ◽  
Carlos Velázquez Sanabria ◽  
Heriberto Gómez Castro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Biomass Accumulation ◽  
Pine Forest ◽  
The Other ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Southern Mexico

ABSTRACT Tropical forests plays a vital role in mitigating atmospheric CO2 but the retention capacity of such ecosystems has changed greatly due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, of which firewood extraction is the main one activity in rural areas. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the biomass stocks of pine and oak forests with different pressure of fuelwood extraction in Chiapas, Mexico. The study was carried out in four locations in the state of Chiapas, southern Mexico; two of them with high extraction levels and the other two with lower extraction levels. Pine and Oak forests are the predominant forest types in the region. A total of sixteen plots of 400 m2 were established to measure the biomass stocks of the trees with > 7.5 cm DBH. Published allometric equations were used to quantify the biomass stocks. The average biomass of the pine forest with low fuelwood extraction was 213.4 Mg ha-1, and that of the oak forest was 189.5 Mg ha-1. On the other hand, the biomass stocks of the pine forest with high fuelwood extraction was 138.2 Mg ha-1, and that of the oak forest was 92.0 Mg ha-1. Communities with agricultural diversification like apiculture and agroforestry practices were found more effective in forest biomass conservation when compared to those who are only dedicated to Milpa cultivation and extensive bovine livestock production. The adoption of silvopasture systems, the use of crop residues and the use of ecological cooking stoves can be the alternatives to reduce forest fuelwood extraction.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal pattern of wild boar rooting in a Central European dry oak forest

2019 ◽  
Vol 139 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-418
Author(s):  
D. Sütő ◽  
J. Farkas ◽  
S. Siffer ◽  
G. Schally ◽  
K. Katona
Keyword(s):  
Wild Boar ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Spatiotemporal Pattern ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Special Importance ◽  
Central European ◽  
The Third ◽  
Wild Boar Rooting

AbstractWild boar (Sus scrofa) density has significantly increased worldwide. In Europe, oak acorns are basic diet items for the species. However, regeneration of temperate oak forests has become excessively low. Thus, better understanding of the patterns and dynamics of wild boar rooting and the spatiotemporal relationship between the acorn density and the rooting has special importance. In our study, the acorn density, the presence and intensity of the rooting were measured monthly in a 28-ha oak forest stand between 2016 October and 2019 April. Study site was divided to 400 m2 grid cells to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of the rooting. Comparing the acorn densities, we stated that in the first 2 years, but not in the third one, the oaks were masting. During the acorn-rich periods (October–April), significant inter-annual differences were found in the proportions of the disturbed area between the non-mast and the other two mast years. Throughout our observations, 9.12% of the cells stayed undisturbed. On average, in 12.59% of the cells new rooted patches appeared, and 15.6% of them was repeatedly disturbed. Rooting were mainly litter disturbances in 71.75% of cases. Throughout acorn fall periods (September–November), the most intensively rooted sites were the poorest in acorns, while the unrooted sites were the richest. Our results demonstrate that wild boars have a great effect on acorn density and on the whole forest by rooting almost the entire ground surface at least once, but also the masting of the oaks has a crucial role in their rooting dynamics.

The structural characteristics and climatic and human impacts of deciduous oak forests in China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoping Chen ◽  
Qiong Cai ◽  
Wenjing Fang ◽  
Yuhao Feng ◽  
Jiangling Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Aims Deciduous oak forest is one of the typical vegetation types in temperate and subtropical mountain zones in China. However, the patterns and determinants of the structural characteristics of these forests remain poorly understood. Methods We investigated 682 oak forest plots across China to characterize the community structures of the oak forests and analyze the underlying factors controlling their spatial patterns. Important Findings Across all plots, the overall mean values were 13.7 cm, 10.0 m, 1468 stems/ha, and 24.3 m 2/ha for the diameter at breast height (DBH), height, stem density and total basal areas (TBA) of trees, respectively. The average species richness was 6 species/600 m 2, 10 species/100 m 2, and 4 species/1 m 2 for the tree, shrub and herb layers, respectively. As latitude increased, the mean tree height, stem density, TBA, tree species richness and shrub species richness decreased, and the mean DBH did not show a significant trend, while species richness of herbs increased significantly. Climatic and anthropogenic variables could explain more variations in mean DBH, mean tree height, TBA, tree species richness, shrub species richness than those in stem density and herb species richness. Further analysis showed that precipitation-related climatic factors were major factors shaping the spatial patterns of community structures. Our findings provide a basis for recognizing the biogeographic patterns of oak forest structures and their responses to global change in China.

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