Seed Bank and Seedling Recruitment Following Ten-Year Cessation of Cattle Pastures in Serrania De Los Yariguies National Park

Liliana Tinjacá Pérez and Lilia L Roa Fuentes*

Received: September 16, 2020;   Published: September 30, 2020

DOI: 10.32474/OAJESS.2020.05.000224

Full Text PDF

To view the Full Article   Peer-reviewed Article PDF

Abstract

Seed bank and seedling recruitment following cessation of cattle pastures is a neuralgic topic to clarity the natural regeneration in a tropical forest. Land-use changes are related to the reduction in tree density and biomass, as well as changes in the vegetation distribution. A little-studied consequence is an effect on the soil seed bank and seedling recruitment, which are essential for natural forest regeneration. Natural regeneration starts the ecological succession without human intervention; otherwise, the active ecological restoration will be necessary for supporting the process. Here, we were focused on the effects of ferns and abandoned pasture vegetation on tropical rain forest regeneration. We assumed that the presence of invasive species in pastures delays the recovery time of plant communities after a disturbance. In Serranía Los Yariguíes National Park in Golconda locality, exotic pastures and ferns are the typical covers in abandoned cattle pastures. We carried out seed germination assays and field experiments involving cover clearing to evaluate the effect of soil cover on the soil seed bank and seedling recruitment. Our results showed that ferns and pastures are a factor in arresting natural forest regeneration. However, in soils with fern cover, the seed bank is a source of propagules to give continuity to the ecological succession. The creation of exclusion´s micro-sites in pasture and fern showed a significant effect on the recruitment of seedlings. The response of the soil seed bank and seedling recruitment is essential in defining the more cost-effective ecological restoration activities and support the management decisions.

Keywords: Ferns, Natural regeneration, Pasture, Secondary forest, Seed bank, Seedling recruitment

Abstract| Introduction| Materials and Methods| Results| Discussion| Acknowledgment| References|