Growth dynamics of forest species in the Andean forest of the "Francisco Vivar Castro" University Park, Loja, Ecuador

Abstract

The ecological processes of the vegetation provide valuable information for its management. The research was carried out with the purpose of determining the dynamism and growth of forest species in the Andean forest in the Loja basin, Ecuador, over a period of five years. Work was carried out in a permanent plot of 100 x 100 m2 installed in 2017. The new measurement of D 1.30 m and total height of the woody individuals registered in 2017 and of those that have entered was made. The new plants were labeled and a red ring was painted where the D 1.30 m was measured. The dynamism was calculated based on mortality and recruitment, growth and annual periodic increase in diameter, height, basal area and volume. By 2022, 1,214 individuals of 44 species, 38 genera, and 29 families have been recorded; the mortality rate is 4.68% and the recruitment rate is 0.13%, with an annual dynamism of 2.41 %. The average growth in diameter is 0.0137 ± 0.0021 m, in height is 0.8 ± 0.1 m, in basal area is 0.0028 ± 0.0004 m2 ha-1 and in volume is 0.020 ± 0.003 m 3 ha-1 . The species with the highest average diameter growth is Critoniopsis pycnantha, in height it is Morrela interrupta, in basal area and volume Alnus acuminata. The Andean forests of the Loja basin are dynamic, there are more deaths than recruitments. They have uniform growth, and also, species that grow more than others.