Passive restoration as a strategy for the recovery of floristic composition and forest structure in the premontane forests of southern Ecuador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54753/blc.v15i1.2340Keywords:
ecological restoration, pasive restoration, secondary succesion, promenotane forestAbstract
Tropical forests, which cover 45% of the global forest area, harbor high biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services at both local and global scales. In Ecuador, the forests of the Amazon region possess significant floristic diversity and are critical for biodiversity conservation, as well as for climate and hydrological regulation. However, these ecosystems are threatened by deforestation and degradation due to human activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, and logging. To mitigate these impacts, ecological restoration strategies, both active and passive, have been implemented globally. These strategies aim to restore biodiversity, increase forest cover, and improve ecosystem structure and composition while conserving ecosystem services. In this study, four 2 500 m² plots were established in passive restoration areas, where all trees with a DBH greater than 5 cm were measured. The evaluated passive restoration areas showed significant recovery of floristic composition and structure for an early successional stage, potentially reaching medium diversity levels and recovering at least 34% of the basal area compared to old-growth forests. Passive restoration promotes the emergence of fast-growing species and the recruitment of seed dispersers, making it an efficient and cost-effective option for ecosystem restoration. At the landscape level, passive restoration is crucial for reconnecting forest fragments and promoting biodiversity, contributing to the sustainability and resilience of ecosystems in landscapes altered by human activities."Metrics
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