Browsing by Autor "López, Cecilia L."

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Data from: Trait-based species selection for restoration: A case study from tropical landscapes dominated by bracken
(2025) Gallegos, Silvia C.; López, Cecilia L.; Naoki, Kazuya; Soliz, Andrea; Fuentes, Alfredo F.; Mayta, Cesar; Cayola, Leslie; Tello, J. Sebastian; Hensen, Isabell
Deforestation leads to non-forested areas that often need active ecological restoration to promote forest succession. Here, we developed a trait-based approach to guide the design of restoration projects and tested our approach in tropical areas deforested by fires and dominated by bracken. Deforestation caused by human-induced fires creates complex conservation problems in tropical areas. After fire, montane tropical deforested areas are often dominated by bracken fern (Pteridium spp.), which prevents the establishment of many species of trees. This means that effective ecological restoration strategies are needed for forest recovery. We explored whether a trait-based approach could be used to guide the selection of tree species in active restoration projects in deforested areas. We first tested whether traits could be used to predict which species can overcome bracken-associated filters. We then tested the relationship between the trait-based predictions for each species and their abundance in a reference old-growth forest. To identify key traits, we conducted a seed addition experiment in bracken-dominated areas that had developed 5-15 years after a fire, using 23 tree species common in the Bolivian montane forests, and monitored seedling establishment, survival, and growth for 36 months. We then related seedling performance to the functional traits of adults and seedlings. We found that six functional traits improved tree seedling performance in bracken-dominated areas, and that only one-third of the species evaluated exceeded a 25% probability of recruitment. Most of the favored traits correspond to conservative strategies. The species dispersed by birds and with large seeds were the most likely to overcome the filters created by bracken. Based on the trait predictions, we found that the species predicted to overcome bracken are not common in old-growth forests. Our results can be used by stakeholders to select the species best suited for active restoration projects in bracken-dominated areas throughout the tropical region. Furthermore, our trait-based approach, which considers seedling performance in disturbed areas, can serve as a guide for species selection in restoration programs in other disturbed systems.
Los bosques montanos húmedos de la serranía de Apa-Apa (Sud Yungas, La Paz, Bolivia): Un centro de diversidad de plantas y fuente esencial de agua
(Ecología en Bolivia, 2024) Beck, Stephan G.; Fuentes, Alfredo F.; López, Cecilia L.; Cuba-Orozco, Elmer; Gallegos, Silvia C.
El bosque montano húmedo tropical de los Andes centrales, conocido como los Yungas, alberga alta biodiversidad, pero los estudios acerca de las especies que lo componen son aún escasos. Un área de particular importancia es la serranía de Apa-Apa en Sud Yungas (La Paz, Bolivia). Los objetivos de esta reseña son a) presentar una lista taxonómicamente actualizada de las especies de plantas vasculares de los bosques montanos húmedos y áreas perturbadas de la serranía de Apa-Apa; b) cuantificar las especies endémicas y amenazadas e identificar algunas especies útiles; c) clasificar, caracterizar y cartografiar los tipos de vegetación de la zona; d) describir la flora en los diferentes tipos de vegetación; y e) resaltar la importancia de la conservación de estos bosques en términos de biodiversidad y del bienestar de las poblaciones locales. A lo largo de 40 años se realizaron colectas en la serranía, principalmente entre 1.800-2.600 m. Identificamos 1.439 especies de plantas vasculares, de las cuales 151 destacan como endémicas y 80 como nuevas para la ciencia, mostrando la alta riqueza de la serranía. Encontramos cuatro grupos vegetales principales: los bosques montanos húmedos, los bosques estacionales húmedos, los bosques estacionales subhúmedos y los bosques xéricos secos, además de la vegetación secundaria. Este estudio proporciona una base fundamental para futuras investigaciones y esfuerzos de conservación en la zona. Destacamos la importancia de promover la conservación de estos bosques tanto para mantener su gran diversidad, como para garantizar el acceso al agua a los pobladores locales.