Dynamics of treefall gaps in a harvested forest in Misiones, Northern Argentine

Abstract

This work evaluates the diameter growth of trees species of artificial gaps per ecological groups in a harvested forest considering two systems of harvest. The study was carried out in the Reserva de Biósfera Yabotí, in Misiones, Argentina. Fifteen permanent plots were established, each one with 4 hectares with effective area of measurement of one hectare. The three treatments were: conventional logging, reduced impact logging and control plot. All trees larger than 10 cm of diameter at breast height (DBH) were measured, before (1998) and after the harvest (2006). Eighty-five species were registered. The average DBH diameter growth for all species was 0.41 cm yr-1 in the gap area, and 0.31 cm yr-1 for the control plot. The average diameter growth was 0.36 cm yr-1 for the reduced impact logging and 0.42 cm yr-1 for the conventional logging. In forests with high diversity, ecological groups are an important tool for the management and conservation. The reduced impact logging would be considered a less aggressive alternative for the forests in this region. 

doi: 10.4336/2010.pfb.30.64.311