Abstract

LUNA-BAUTISTA, Lizbeth et al. Understory in the composition and diversity of managed forest areas in Santa Catarina Ixtepeji, Oaxaca. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2015, vol.21, n.1, pp.109-121. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2014.08.037.

In the present study, the effect of silvicultural practices on richness, composition and diversity of tree species, herbaceous and shrub species in a forest community of Santa Catarina Ixtepeji, Oaxaca was evaluated. To this end, the following silvicultural treatments were evaluated: selective cutting (1998), light thinning (2011) and seed tree cutting (1998 and 2011). Alpha and beta diversity indices of tree communities (shrub and herbaceous) were estimated, and also the Importance Value index (IVI) of the tree layer. The results showed that the herbaceous component is the most diverse in both stands with and without silvicultural management, followed by the shrub component. According to the IVI, Pinus oaxacana Mirov was the most important ecological species in all treatments evaluated, including unmanaged forest. The results indicate that logging modifies richness, diversity and composition of the tree strata (shrub and herbaceous), these two tree strata are the largest contributors to diversity. Therefore it is important to assess the understory, because it helps giving a better explanation of the total plant diversity of the forest.

Keywords : Silvicultural treatments; understory vegetation; stand structure; biodiversity indices.

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