Diversity and composition of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region

Florian Hofhansl; Eduardo Chacon Madrigal; Albert Morera-Beita; Fernando Silla; Werner Huber; Anton Weissenhofer; Wolfgang Wanek

Diversity and composition of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region

Titel in Übersetzung: Diversität und Zusammensetzung tropischer Pflanzengesellschaften in der Golfo Dulce Region

Florian Hofhansl, Eduardo Chacon Madrigal, Albert Morera-Beita, Fernando Silla, Werner Huber, Anton Weissenhofer, Wolfgang Wanek

Veröffentlichungen: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Artikel › Peer Reviewed

Abstract

Die Golfo Dulce-Region im Südwesten von Costa Rica ist einer der letzten globalen Biodiversitäts-Hotspots mit dem größten verbliebenen tropischen Wald im pazifischen Tiefland in Mittelamerika. Jüngste biogeografische Analysen der taxonomischen
Baumartenzusammensetzung zeigten eine enge Beziehung zu den Pflanzengesellschaften Südamerikas. Die zugrundeliegenden Faktoren, die zu dem außerordentlichen taxonomischen Reichtum der Region führten, sind jedoch bislang schwer fassbar. In dieser Studie haben wir die Zusammensetzung der tropischen Vegetation (Bäume, Lianen
und Palmen mit einem Durchmesser in Brusthöhe ≥ 10 cm) auf 20 Inventarflächen von
jeweils 1ha Größe (5 geografische Standorte mit jeweils 4 Habitatstypen in Kamm-,
Hang- und Schlucht- Position, sowie einem Sekundärwald) analysiert. Unsere Studie
beschreibt die Dominanz häufiger tropischer Pflanzenarten und legt nahe, dass die Zusammensetzung der Vegetation mit der Topographie, der Störungsgeschichte und den
edaphischen Eigenschaften zusammenhängt. Die Feststellung, dass die Zusammensetzung von sowohl häufig vorkommenden als auch eher seltenen, Großteils endemischen
Arten von denselben Umweltfaktoren beeinflusst wird, birgt interessante Erkenntnisse
über wichtige Ökosystemfunktionen wie die Kohlenstoffspeicherung und die Produktivität des Ökosystems und könnte somit helfen Strategien zur Erhaltung und Bewirtschaftung der Artenvielfalt in tropischen Ökosystemen zu entwickeln.

Titel in Übersetzung	Diversität und Zusammensetzung tropischer Pflanzengesellschaften in der Golfo Dulce Region
Originalsprache	Englisch
Seiten (von - bis)	31-46
Fachzeitschrift	Acta ZooBot Austria
Jahrgang	156
Publikationsstatus	Veröffentlicht - 25 Juni 2019

ÖFOS 2012

106026 Ökosystemforschung

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https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/VZBG_156_0031-0046.pdf

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@article{c431222563724eeaa8751fc68131e123,

title = "Diversity and composition of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region",

abstract = "The Golfo Dulce region located in southwestern Costa Rica represents one of the remnant global biodiversity hotspots containing the largest Pacific lowland tropical forest in Central America. Recent biogeographical analyses revealed a close relation of taxonomic tree species composition to northern South America. However, the underlying factors leading to the extraordinary taxonomic richness of the region have so far remained elusive. In this study, we analyzed the composition of tropical forest plant communities (trees, lianas and palms with a diameter at breast height ≥10 cm) occurring in one-hectare permanent forest inventory plots. To that end, we established 20 forest sites across the Golfo Dulce region, i.e. 5 geographic locations each comprising 4 forest habitat types in ridge, slope and ravine positions, as well as in secondary forest stands. Our study highlights the oligarchic dominance of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region, and further suggests that plant species composition is associated with topography, disturbance history and edaphic properties. The finding that oligarchic and rare species are affected by environmental filtering has important implications for assessment and modeling of important ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage and productivity, as well as nutrient cycling and trophic interactions and thus could potentially improve biodiversity conservation and management strategies.",

keywords = "biodiversity, biogeography, Costa Rica, Golfo Dulce, tropical plant comunities",

author = "Florian Hofhansl and \{Chacon Madrigal\}, Eduardo and Albert Morera-Beita and Fernando Silla and Werner Huber and Anton Weissenhofer and Wolfgang Wanek",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

day = "25",

language = "English",

volume = "156",

pages = "31--46",

journal = "Acta ZooBot Austria ",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Diversity and composition of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region

AU - Hofhansl, Florian

AU - Chacon Madrigal, Eduardo

AU - Morera-Beita, Albert

AU - Silla, Fernando

AU - Huber, Werner

AU - Weissenhofer, Anton

AU - Wanek, Wolfgang

PY - 2019/6/25

Y1 - 2019/6/25

N2 - The Golfo Dulce region located in southwestern Costa Rica represents one of the remnant global biodiversity hotspots containing the largest Pacific lowland tropical forest in Central America. Recent biogeographical analyses revealed a close relation of taxonomic tree species composition to northern South America. However, the underlying factors leading to the extraordinary taxonomic richness of the region have so far remained elusive. In this study, we analyzed the composition of tropical forest plant communities (trees, lianas and palms with a diameter at breast height ≥10 cm) occurring in one-hectare permanent forest inventory plots. To that end, we established 20 forest sites across the Golfo Dulce region, i.e. 5 geographic locations each comprising 4 forest habitat types in ridge, slope and ravine positions, as well as in secondary forest stands. Our study highlights the oligarchic dominance of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region, and further suggests that plant species composition is associated with topography, disturbance history and edaphic properties. The finding that oligarchic and rare species are affected by environmental filtering has important implications for assessment and modeling of important ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage and productivity, as well as nutrient cycling and trophic interactions and thus could potentially improve biodiversity conservation and management strategies.

AB - The Golfo Dulce region located in southwestern Costa Rica represents one of the remnant global biodiversity hotspots containing the largest Pacific lowland tropical forest in Central America. Recent biogeographical analyses revealed a close relation of taxonomic tree species composition to northern South America. However, the underlying factors leading to the extraordinary taxonomic richness of the region have so far remained elusive. In this study, we analyzed the composition of tropical forest plant communities (trees, lianas and palms with a diameter at breast height ≥10 cm) occurring in one-hectare permanent forest inventory plots. To that end, we established 20 forest sites across the Golfo Dulce region, i.e. 5 geographic locations each comprising 4 forest habitat types in ridge, slope and ravine positions, as well as in secondary forest stands. Our study highlights the oligarchic dominance of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region, and further suggests that plant species composition is associated with topography, disturbance history and edaphic properties. The finding that oligarchic and rare species are affected by environmental filtering has important implications for assessment and modeling of important ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage and productivity, as well as nutrient cycling and trophic interactions and thus could potentially improve biodiversity conservation and management strategies.

KW - biodiversity

KW - biogeography

KW - Costa Rica

KW - Golfo Dulce

KW - tropical plant comunities

M3 - Article

SN - 2409-367X

VL - 156

SP - 31

EP - 46

JO - Acta ZooBot Austria

JF - Acta ZooBot Austria

ER -

Diversity and composition of tropical forest plant communities in the Golfo Dulce region

Abstract

ÖFOS 2012

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