Fallen Logs and Canopy Opening: Factors influencing forest regeneration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18354729Keywords:
natural regeneration, forest canopy, fallen logs, pioneer species, Amazon forestAbstract
Natural regeneration in tropical forests is a complex process resulting from the interaction of biotic and abiotic factors that influence seedling recruitment and establishment. Among these factors, tree fall, canopy opening, and the presence of fallen logs stand out for their role in altering understory microenvironmental conditions. This study aimed to analyze the influence of canopy opening and proximity to fallen logs on the functional composition of natural regeneration in a terra firme forest in the municipality of Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil. Sampling was conducted along a 400 m transect, with plots established near and far from fallen logs in areas with open and closed canopy. Seedlings were classified into pioneer and non-pioneer species. The results showed that canopy opening was the main factor determining regeneration patterns, favoring pioneer species in open areas and non-pioneer species under closed canopy conditions. Fallen logs influenced regeneration by creating more stable microhabitats, particularly when associated with advanced stages of decomposition. These findings highlight the central role of light availability in forest regeneration, modulated by the presence and age of fallen logs.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
