Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
30-4-2015 9:00 AM
End Date
30-4-2015 10:55 AM
Project Type
Poster
Description
The extraction of wood for use as boxes for fruit in the region between Baos and Puyo in the provinces of Tungurahua and Pastaza in Ecuador is a large source of deforestation in the area. The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of this deforestation on the insects, birds, and seedlings to better understand the effects of small scale deforestation in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Six different sites were studied; 2 sites were cut within 2014, 1 site in 2012, 1 site is a forest of 4 to 8 years, and 2 sites are mature forest. All of the sites are located between Rio Negro, Ecuador and Mera, Ecuador. Pitfall traps were set to study the insects; bird observations were done, and 50 m transects were studied to understand the height and identity of the seedlings in the different forests. Moreover, the larger trees in the plots, or the stumps for the cut sites, were also studied using 20x20 plots. Results show that the quantity 2 of individuals of insects decreased with an increase in forest age, and that the identity of the families in the plots varied depending upon the age of the forest.The quantity of species and individuals of birds was correlated positively with an increase in forest age; however, the guild to which the birds belonged showed opposite trends to the literature, with an increase in the number of insectivores, and a decrease in the number of frugivores/nectivores. Furthermore, the height of the seedlings increased with an increase in forest age; however there was no correlation with the number of individuals of seedlings. Lastly, the identity of the dominant family varied within the different forest ages. This study shows that the cut sites under 5 hectares are able to regenerate within 4 to 8 years of a disturbance, in all of the different areas of studies.
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Biology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Natural Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
1073
Included in
Regeneration after destruction: an investigation about deforestation for fruit boxes in the provinces of Tungurahua and Pastaza, Ecuador
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
The extraction of wood for use as boxes for fruit in the region between Baos and Puyo in the provinces of Tungurahua and Pastaza in Ecuador is a large source of deforestation in the area. The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of this deforestation on the insects, birds, and seedlings to better understand the effects of small scale deforestation in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Six different sites were studied; 2 sites were cut within 2014, 1 site in 2012, 1 site is a forest of 4 to 8 years, and 2 sites are mature forest. All of the sites are located between Rio Negro, Ecuador and Mera, Ecuador. Pitfall traps were set to study the insects; bird observations were done, and 50 m transects were studied to understand the height and identity of the seedlings in the different forests. Moreover, the larger trees in the plots, or the stumps for the cut sites, were also studied using 20x20 plots. Results show that the quantity 2 of individuals of insects decreased with an increase in forest age, and that the identity of the families in the plots varied depending upon the age of the forest.The quantity of species and individuals of birds was correlated positively with an increase in forest age; however, the guild to which the birds belonged showed opposite trends to the literature, with an increase in the number of insectivores, and a decrease in the number of frugivores/nectivores. Furthermore, the height of the seedlings increased with an increase in forest age; however there was no correlation with the number of individuals of seedlings. Lastly, the identity of the dominant family varied within the different forest ages. This study shows that the cut sites under 5 hectares are able to regenerate within 4 to 8 years of a disturbance, in all of the different areas of studies.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/98