Journal of Ecology and Environment

The Ecological Society of Korea (한국생태학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Gap characteristics and natural regeneration in Mt. Makiling rainforest, the Philippines

  • Kim, Hyun-Ji (Department of Life Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Kim, Tae-Geun (Department of Life Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Kim, Eun-Hee (Department of Life Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Castillo, Manuel L. (Department of Forest Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines at Los Banos) ;
  • Cho, Do-Soon (Department of Life Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea)
  • Received : 2010.10.26
  • Accepted : 2011.01.03
  • Published : 2011.06.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of gaps and natural regeneration of trees on Mt. Makiling, the Philippines. Canopy gaps in or around two 1-ha permanent plots and on 3-km line transects were investigated. Most of the gaps studied were formed or affected by Typhoon Milenyo, which hit the study site in September 2006. The most frequent mode of gap maker death was snap-off, whereas uprooting was relatively less important. The most frequent gap maker was balobo (Diplodiscus paniculatus) followed by magabuyo (Celtis luzonica) and katmon (Dillenia philippinensis). In contrast, the most frequent gap filler was magabuyo (C. luzonica). At the sapling layer, the most important species was magabuyo (C. luzonica), but there was a high proportion of lianas and palms. Most of the gaps had leaf area index (LAI) values between 3 and 5. A clear trend of a decrease in gap size and an increase in LAI was observed for 2 years from 2007 to 2009. New seedlings emerged very abundantly during the same time period. The rapid changes in the gaps were partially due to the excellent capability of tropical trees to resprout after the crown or stem was damaged by the typhoon. This study on gap dynamics may contribute to a better understanding of the natural regeneration process of trees in tropical rainforests.

Keywords

References

  1. ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Unit. 2002. Restoration of Degraded Forest Ecosystem in the Southeast Asian Tropical Region. ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Unit, Seoul.
  2. Augspurger CK. 1984. Light requirements of neotropical tree seedlings: a comparative study of growth and survival. J Ecol 72: 777-795. https://doi.org/10.2307/2259531
  3. Babaasa D, Eilu G, Kasangaki A, Bitariho R, McNeilage A. 2004. Gap characteristics and regeneration in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Afr J Ecol 42: 217-224. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2004.00519.x
  4. Bellingham PJ. 1991. Landforms influence patterns of hurricane damage: evidence from Jamaican montane forests. Biotropica 23: 427-433. https://doi.org/10.2307/2388262
  5. Boose ER, Foster DR, Fluet M. 1994. Hurricane impacts to tropical and temperate forest landscapes. Ecol Monogr 64: 369-400. https://doi.org/10.2307/2937142
  6. Brokaw NVL. 1985. Treefalls, regrowth, and community structure in tropical forests. In: The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and Patch Dynamics (Pickett STA, White PS, eds). Academic Press, New York, NY, pp 53-69. https://doi.org/10.2307/2937142
  7. Brown WH. 1919. Vegetation of Philippine Mountains. Bureau of Science, Manila.
  8. Cho DS. 1992. Disturbance regime and tree regeneration in Kwangneung natural forest. Korean J Ecol 15: 397-403.
  9. Clark DA, Clark DB. 1992. Life history diversity of canopy and emergent trees in a neotropical rain forest. Ecol Monogr 62: 315-344. https://doi.org/10.2307/2937114
  10. Connell JH. 1979. Diversity in tropical rain forests and coral reefs. Science 199: 1302-1310. https://doi.org/10.2307/2937114
  11. Corlett RT. 2009. The Ecology of Tropical East Asia. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  12. Denslow JS. 1980. Gap partitioning among tropical rainforest trees. Biotropica 12(Suppl): 47-55. https://doi.org/10.2307/2388156
  13. De Steven D, Kline J, Matthiae PE. 1991. Long-term changes in a Wisconsin Fagus-Acer forest in relation to glaze storm disturbance. J Veg Sci 2: 201-208. https://doi.org/10.2307/3235952
  14. Devoe NN. 1992. Regeneration from seed under a range of canopy conditions in tropical wet forest, Puerto Rico. In: The Ecology and Silviculture of Mixed-Species Forests (Kelty MJ, Larson BC, Oliver CD, eds). Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp 101-122. https://doi.org/10.2307/3235952
  15. Fernando ES, Suh MH, Lee J, Lee DK. 2008. Forest Formations of the Philippines. ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Unit, Seoul.
  16. Fernando ES, Sun BY, Suh MH, Kong HY, Koh KS. 2004. Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mt. Makiling. ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Unit, Seoul.
  17. Foster DR. 1988. Disturbance history, community organization and vegetation dynamics of the old-growth Pisgah Forest, south-western New Hampshire, U.S.A. J Ecol 76: 105-134.
  18. Gale N, Barfod AS. 1999. Canopy tree mode of death in a western Ecuadorian rain forest. J Trop Ecol 15: 415-436. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467499000929
  19. Gruezo WS. 1997. Floral diversity profile of Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve, Luzon, Philippines. In: The Condition of Biodiversity Maintenance in Asia: The Policy Linkage between Environmental and Sustainable Development (Dove MR, Sajise PE, eds). Khon Kaen and East-West Center, Honolulu, pp 153-175. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467499000929
  20. Hartshorn GS. 1980. Neotropical forest dynamics. Biotropica 12(Suppl): 23-30.
  21. Hubbell SP, Foster RB, O'Brien ST, Harms KE, Condit R, Wechsler B, Wright SJ, de Lao SL. 1999. Light-gap disturbances, recruitment limitation and tree diversity in a neotropical forest. Science 283: 554-557. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.283.5401.554
  22. Huston MA. 1994. Biological Diversity: The Coexistence of Species on Changing Landscapes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.283.5401.554
  23. Johns JS, Barreto P, Uhl C. 1996. Logging damage during planned and unplanned logging operations in the eastern Amazon. For Ecol Manag 89: 59-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(96)03869-8
  24. Lawton RO, Putz FE. 1988. Natural disturbance and gap-phase regeneration in a wind-exposed tropical cloud forest. Ecology 69: 764-777. https://doi.org/10.2307/1941025
  25. Lertzman KP. 1992. Patterns of gap-phase replacement in a subalpine, old-growth forest. Ecology 73: 657-669. https://doi.org/10.2307/1940772
  26. Luna AC, Osumi K, Gascon AF, Lasco RD, Palijon AM, Castillio ML. 1999. The community structure of a logged-over tropical rain forest in Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve, Philippines. J Trop For Sci 11: 446-458. https://doi.org/10.2307/1940772
  27. MacDougall A, Kellman M. 1992. The understory light regime and patterns of tree seedlings in tropical riparian forest patches. J Biogeogr 19: 667-675. https://doi.org/10.2307/2845708
  28. Montgomery RA, Chazdon RL. 2001. Forest structure, canopy architecture, and light transmittance in tropical wet forests. Ecology 82: 2707-2718. https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2001)082[2707:FSCAAL]2.0.CO;2
  29. Pickett STA. 1983. Differential adaptation of tropical tree species to canopy gaps and its role in community dynamics. Trop Ecol 24: 64-84. https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2001)082[2707:FSCAAL]2.0.CO;2
  30. Popma J, Bongers F, Martínez-Romos M, Veneklaas E. 1988. Pioneer species distribution in treefall gaps in neotropical rain forest: a gap definition and its consequences. J Trop Ecol 4: 77-88. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400002534
  31. Runkle JR. 1981. Gap regeneration in some old-growth forests of the eastern United States. Ecology 62: 1041-1051. https://doi.org/10.2307/1937003
  32. Runkle JR. 1982. Patterns of disturbance in some old-growth mesic forests of eastern North America. Ecology 63: 1533-1546. https://doi.org/10.2307/1938878
  33. Runkle JR. 1998. Changes in southern Appalachian canopy tree gaps sampled thrice. Ecology 79: 1768-1780. https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(1998)079[1768:CISACT]2.0.CO;2
  34. Runkle JR, Stewart GH, Veblen TT. 1995. Sapling diameter growth in gaps for two Nothofagus species in New Zealand. Ecology 76: 2107-2117. https://doi.org/10.2307/1941685
  35. Swaine MD, Lieberman D, Putz FE. 1987. The dynamics of tree populations in tropical forest: a review. J Trop Ecol 3: 359-366. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400002339
  36. Uhl C, Clark K, Dezzeo N, Maquirino P. 1988. Vegetation dynamics in Amazonian treefall gaps. Ecology 69: 751-763. https://doi.org/10.2307/1941024
  37. West DC, Shugart HH, Botkin DB. 1981. Forest Succession: Concepts and Application. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.2307/1941024
  38. Whitmore TC. 1989. Canopy gaps and the two major groups of forest trees. Ecology 70: 536-538. https://doi.org/10.2307/1940195

Cited by

  1. Temporal Changes in Tree Species and Trait Composition in a Cyclone-prone Pacific Dipterocarp Forest vol.19, pp.6, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-016-9983-0