PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #26: Conservation Ecology: Terrestrial.
Presiding: P. Kleintjes
Tuesday, August 6. 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Greenlee Meeting Room, TCC.
Edge effects in palm communities in forest fragments in Ecuador.
Baez, Selene*,1, Balslev, Henrik2, 1 University of Aarhus, Denmark, Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark2 University of Aarhus, Denmark, Aarhus, aarhus, Denmark
ABSTRACT- Forest edges are known to modify the structure and species composition of forest fragments. Effects of forest edges on abundances palms were studied in 51 plots at two forest fragments in the coastal plain of Ecuador. Of the 6498 palms found, comprising 12 species, only 5% were adults. Altered forest structure extended about 50 m into the forest fragment. Canopy palm trees, juveniles of Iriartea deltoidea and understory juveniles avoided edge conditions. Understory adults and canopy palm adults were not affected by edge conditions, but this may be explained by small sample size for the first group, and random variation added by seedlings in the juvenile size class. Palm diversity did not necessarily decrease in forest edges. Topography appeared to regulate edge effects on palm communities. Edge effects on forest structure and palm density were more negative on steep areas than on flat areas. Because none of the palm groups preferred edge conditions and the juveniles of some groups decreased under edge conditions it is possible that palms are decreasing or not regenerating at edges. Substantial decreases in palm density were often found 50 m inside the forest fragments, but extended to 100 m in some places. Other forest fragments with compositions similar to our study site are likely to have their palm compositions affected for at least 50 m in from the forest edge.
KEY WORDS: Fragmentation, Palm communities, Edge effects, Ecuador