Abstract

LONDONO-LEMOS, Viviana; ESCOBAR-HADECHINI, Orlando; TAPASCO-GARCIA, Juan  and  MADRINAN, Santiago. Vegetation composition and structure of a vegetation plot in a Colombian Caribbean tropical dry forest relict. Biota colombiana [online]. 2022, vol.23, n.1, e402.  Epub Feb 09, 2022. ISSN 0124-5376.  https://doi.org/10.21068/2539200x.954.

The tropical dry forest (TDF) is one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide due to the historical conversion of its lands to pastures and crops. The TDF of the Cartagena Botanical Garden “Guillermo Piñeres” (JBGP), one of the last TDF relicts near Cartagena, is an isolated fragment of 3 ha located in a humid area caused by the presence of the spring of the Matute stream, one of the primary water sources of Cartagena. We built a 1 ha permanent plot to study the composition and plant structure of this forest. We measured the woody vegetation with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 2.5 cm. We recorded 1568 individuals and 2023 stems of 62 species distributed in 34 families. Of the individuals registered, 85 % were trees and shrubs, 11 % lianas and 4 % palms. The family with the highest species richness was Sapindaceae, with four, followed by Apocynaceae, Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Nyctaginaceae, and Urticaceae, each with three species. We conclude that the forest is in a late secondary state of succession. Its location and history of disturbances are essential factors in determining its composition, structure, and diversity.

Keywords : Botanical garden; Ecological succession; Permanent plot; Vegetation census; Vegetation diversity..

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