Abstract

NAVA-CRUZ, Yolanda; MAASS-MORENO, Manuel; BRIONES-VILLAREAL, Oscar  and  MENDEZ-RAMIREZ, Ignacio. Evaluation of the edge effect on two arboreal species of the tropical dry forest of Jalisco, México. Agrociencia [online]. 2007, vol.41, n.1, pp.111-120. ISSN 2521-9766.

In the management of fragmented ecosystems, it is of great relevance to understand the repercussions that the edge effect has on the remnant vegetation of these fragments. In this experiment, an analysis was made of how seedlings of Caesalpinea platyloba and cuttings of Spondias purpurea respond to the environmental gradient generated on the edge of two fragments of tropical dry forest bordering on grasslands. Thirty individuals of C. platyloba, 8 months of age, and the same number of cuttings of S. purpurea, were transplanted along 5 corridors of 5 by 50 m parallel to the edge, at distances of 0-5, 30-35 and 75-80 m from the edge toward the inner forest, and at 0-5 and 35-40 m toward the pasture. Measurements were taken of the height increase of each plant, and its survival was registered during 14 months after transplanting. It was found that the survival of the plants was differential among species, with different thresholds of tolerance to disturbance. C. platyloba showed a higher percentage of survival in the corridors of the inner forest, although the heterogeneity of the micro-environmental conditions appears to have greater influence than the effect of the distance with respect to the edge. C. platyloba showed a greater response to the factors of the quality of the site that regulate its height increase.

Keywords : Caesalpinea platyloba; Spondias purpurea; Chamela; fragmentation.

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