Abstract

PENSADO-FERNANDEZ, José Antonio; SANCHEZ-VELASQUEZ, Lázaro Rafael; PINEDA-LOPEZ, Ma. del Rosario  and  DIAZ-FLEISCHER, Francisco. Forest plantation vs. natural regeneration: the pines case and rehabilitation on Cofre de Perote National Park. Bot. sci [online]. 2014, vol.92, n.4, pp.617-622. ISSN 2007-4476.

There is limited knowledge regarding vegetation structure and dynamics as estimators of performance of forest plantations and natural regeneration in the rehabilitation of degraded lands, and neither is well estimated the effect of extensive livestock grazing on both. The objective of this study was to compare the number of individuals and mean growth rates amongst communities of pines (Pinus patula, P. montezumae, and P. teocote) established from plantation and from natural regeneration in two different conditions of reforestation (protected and not protected from livestock). Statistically significant differences (P < 0.0001) were found in annual growth rates in height, basal stem diameter and cover diameter amongst plantations and natural regeneration in sites with and without livestock exclusion. The number of individuals per hectare set was significantly higher in the natural regeneration under cattle exclusion (1,380 ± 120 and 1,130 ± 130) than without exclusion of livestock (430 ± 250) and forest plantations with or without exclusion of livestock (995±90 and 455±125, respectively; P < 0.0001). Results suggest that natural regeneration of pines is an efficient alternative to forest plantations for the ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands, especially if protected from livestock.

Keywords : ecological rehabilitation; forest plantations; growth rate; livestock exclusion; natural regeneration.

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