Natural regeneration in altered areas and identification of potential forest species for water recovery in the microbasin of Jipiro river, Loja, Ecuador

Abstract

This investigation was carried out in the Jipiro micro-basin, in the Loja canton; formed by three tributaries El Volcán, Sangre and El Salado, which supply about 20 % drinking water of Loja city. This study aimed to identify the species that regenerate in the Jipiro micro-basin, after se-veral years of anthropic processes which have altered the structure and composition of the ecosystem. Three categories of natural regeneration were studied in three different successional stages: category I (2-3 years), category II (5-6 years) and category III (8-10 years). In 45 sampling plots of 10 x 10 m the floristic survey of all individuals was carried out and the structural parameters of each category were calculated. The most important species were defined from the ecological point of view, that added to phenological characteristics and habit of tree growth turns them into potential species. The potential of each species was determined considering the shape of the canopy, successional status, litter pro-duction, resistance to extreme climatic conditions, depth and root shape, soil requirement and natural distribution. Ten forest species with potential for water recovery of the Jipiro micro-basin were defined: Morella pubescens, Weinmannia pinnata, Croton rimbachii, Clethra revoluta, Clusia elliptica, Alnus acuminata, Juglans neotropica, Hedyosmum racemosum, Rhamnus granulosa, Tibouchina lepidota.