Abstract

CORREA-GOMEZ, DIEGO F.  and  VARGAS-RIOS, ORLANDO. Regeneration of palms in native forests and plantations at Otún - Quimbaya Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (Risaralda, Colombia). Caldasia [online]. 2009, vol.31, n.2, pp.195-212. ISSN 0366-5232.

Because of their structural, functional and ecological importance, palms are a key group in understanding the processes of regeneration in Neotropical montane forests. We studied the regeneration of palms in the Fauna and Flora Otún-Quimbaya Sanctuary along five transects of 50x4 m (0,1 ha) in five forest types: mature native forest (MNF), secondary forest (SF), pine plantation (Pinus patula) (PP), oak plantation (Quercus humboldtii) (OP), and Chinese ash plantation (Fraxinus chinensis) (AP). We recorded all individuals of each species, including seedlings, juveniles and adults, taking as variables the diversity, frequency of occurrence and population structure by forest type. Species richness (ten species) was high compared with other studies conducted in similar mountain forests. The most abundant species was Geonoma undata, with nearly half of all individuals recorded, followed by Prestoea acuminata, Chamaedorea pinnatifrons, Ceroxylon alpinum, Wettinia kalbreyeri, Chamaedorea linearis, Geonoma jussieuana, Aiphanes simplex, Geonoma orbignyana and Aiphanes lindeniana. The MNF had the highest diversity (Shannon index H' = 1,83, Simpson's Reciprocal index 1/D = 5,43), followed by the SF, PP, OP and AP. The MNF also presented the highest richness (ten species), followed by the SF, AP, PP and OP. The high diversity and richness of palms in the MNF is associated with a longer recruitment time and persistence of species, as well as with the higher structural and functional heterogeneity. The low diversity and richness of the plantations are associated with the lower structural and functional heterogeneity, and the edaphic restrictions in the OP and PP. The presence of individuals of G. undata, C. alpinum and Ch. pinnatifrons in all types of forests, with the highest frequency of occurrence by total transects (fr = 0,88, 0,72 and 0,72 respectively), indicates that these species have a high potential to colonize different environments. The AP has the best conditions for the germination and recruitment of Ch. linearis, G. undata, Ch. pinnatifrons and C. alpinum, as evidenced by the higher percentage of seedlings and juveniles found among forest types (70,2%, 69%, 49,8% and 37,1% respectively), which is probably related to a low light variance and/or increased light availability, as well as abundant litter. Because the MNF has all palm species, with the highest percentage of adults per species, this type of forest is critical for seed production and palm regeneration in the Sanctuary.

Keywords : Arecaceae; Andes; Mountain Forests; Diversity; Seedlings; Recruitment.

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