*
 

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry

*

Fragmentation of Araucaria araucana forests in Chile: quantification and correlation with structural variables

Juan Ramón Molina (1)   , Ángela Martín (2), Fernando Drake (3), Luis Miguel Martín (4), Miguel Ángel Herrera (1)

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, Volume 9, Issue 2, Pages 244-252 (2015)
doi: https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor1399-008
Published: Aug 28, 2015 - Copyright © 2015 SISEF

Research Articles


Landscape fragmentation is one of the main threats to South American temperate forests due to population growth, conversion of native forests to plantations of exotic species and non-sustainable timber harvesting. The lack of forest connectivity can interfere with pollination, seed dispersal, biodiversity and landscape quality. Species with relatively limited seed dispersal are potentially more sensitive to the landscape fragmentation. Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch is a long-lived, slow-growing, relict conifer in South America’s temperate forests with large seeds possessing a limited dispersal range. The objective of the study was to identify priority areas for Araucaria conservation based on fragmentation quantification and correlation with structural variables and regeneration conditions. Results from the FRAGSTATS® and CONEFOR® software indicated that Araucaria connectivity has increased in sites located in the central Andean Range in comparison to other sites, because of reduced human and livestock pressure as well as the relative absence of commercial plantations. The proximity index ranged from 6.01 m to 34834.2 m, and the probability of connectivity has significantly increased (175663 ha) in the central Andean Range. Significant relationships were found between the Simpson’s index (or the probability of connectivity) and basal area, and between the mean largest patch index and crown diameter. The largest patch index (r = 0.6; p < 0.05) and the area-weighted mean proximity index (r = 0.767; p < 0.05) were the most important landscape metrics influencing Araucaria regeneration. Furthermore, the integration of spatial pattern analysis obtained from satellite images and aerial photographs with forest and regeneration characterization from field sampling allowed to identify the most vulnerable areas. The methodology presented here can assist in the identification of target areas for spatial conservation, including management needs under the current budget restrictions.

  Keywords


Landscape Conservation, Landscape Metrics, Landscape Connectivity, Spatial Pattern Indicators

Authors’ address

(1)
Juan Ramón Molina
Miguel Ángel Herrera
Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y de Montes, Edificio Leonardo Da Vinci, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3), Universidad de Córdoba, ES-14071 Córdoba (Spain)
(2)
Ángela Martín
Departamento de Ingeniería del Medio Agronómico y Forestal, Avda. Virgen del Puerto 2, Centro Universitario de Plasencia, Universidad de Extremadura, ES-10600 (Spain)
(3)
Fernando Drake
Departamento de Manejo de Bosques y Medioambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción (Chile)
(4)
Luis Miguel Martín
Departamento de Genética, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y de Montes, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3),Universidad de Córdoba, ES-14071 Córdoba (Spain)

Corresponding author

 
Juan Ramón Molina
o92momaj@uco.es

Citation

Molina JR, Martín Á, Drake F, Martín LM, Herrera MÁ (2015). Fragmentation of Araucaria araucana forests in Chile: quantification and correlation with structural variables. iForest 9: 244-252. - doi: 10.3832/ifor1399-008

Academic Editor

Matteo Garbarino

Paper history

Received: Jul 14, 2014
Accepted: May 04, 2015

First online: Aug 28, 2015
Publication Date: Apr 26, 2016
Publication Time: 3.87 months

Breakdown by View Type

(Waiting for server response...)

Article Usage

Total Article Views: 45474
(from publication date up to now)

Breakdown by View Type
HTML Page Views: 37961
Abstract Page Views: 2441
PDF Downloads: 3925
Citation/Reference Downloads: 28
XML Downloads: 1119

Web Metrics
Days since publication: 3331
Overall contacts: 45474
Avg. contacts per week: 95.56

Article Citations

Article citations are based on data periodically collected from the Clarivate Web of Science web site
(last update: Feb 2023)

Total number of cites (since 2016): 9
Average cites per year: 1.13

 

Publication Metrics

by Dimensions ©

Articles citing this article

List of the papers citing this article based on CrossRef Cited-by.

 
(1)
Aagesen DL (1998a)
On the northern fringe of the South American temperate forest. The history and conservation of the monkey puzzle tree. Environmental History 3: 64-85.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(2)
Aagesen DL (1998b)
Indigenous resource rights and conservation of the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana, Araucariaceae): a case study from southern Chile. Economic Botany 52: 146-160.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(3)
Aguayo M, Pauchard A, Azocar G, Parra O (2009)
Land use change in the south central Chile at the end of the 20th century. Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of the landscape. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 82 (3): 361-374.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(4)
Almeyda AE, Saez SF (1958)
Recopilación de datos climáticos de Chile y mapas sinópticos respectivos [Climate data collection of Chile and their respective synoptic maps]. Ministerio de Agricultura. Santiago, Chile, pp. 195. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(5)
Altamirano A, Echeverría C, Lara A (2007)
Efecto de la fragmentación forestal sobre la estructura vegetacional de las poblaciones amenazadas de Legrandia concinna (Myrtaceae) del centro-sur de Chile [Effect of forest fragmentation on vegetation structure of Legrandia concinna (Myrtaceae) threatened populations in south-central Chile]. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 80: 27-42. [in Spanish]
CrossRef | Gscholar
(6)
Becerra P, Simonetti J (2013)
Patterns of exotic species richness of different taxonomic groups in a fragmented landscape of central Chile. Bosque 34 (1): 45-51.
Gscholar
(7)
Boots B (2006)
Local configuration measures for categorical spatial data: binary regular lattices. Journal of Geography System 8: 1-24.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(8)
Burns BR (1993)
Fire-induced dynamics of Araucaria araucana-Nothofagus antarctica forest in the southern Andes. Journal of Biogeography 20 (6): 669-685.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(9)
Bustamante R, Castor C (1998)
The decline of an endangered temperate ecosystem: the ruil (Nothofagus alessandrii) forest in central Chile. Biodiversity and Conservation 7: 1607-1626.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(10)
Caro M (1995)
Producción y dispersión de semillas de Araucaria araucana (Mol.) C. Koch. en Lonquimay [Seed production and dispersal of Araucaria araucana (Mol.) C. Koch. in Lonquimay]. PhD Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile, pp. 66. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(11)
Chuvieco E (1996)
Fundamentos de teledetección espacial [Fundamentals of remote sensing]. Ediciones RIALP, Madrid, Spain, pp. 447. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(12)
CONAF (1999)
Catastro y evaluación de los recursos vegetacionales nativos de Chile. Informe nacional con variables ambientales [Land registry and evaluation of native vegetation resources of Chile. National Report with environmental variables]. CONAF, CONAMA, BIRF, Universidad Austral de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Ministerio de Agricultura, Santiago, Chile, pp. 88. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(13)
Donoso C (1998)
Bosques templados de Chile y Argentina. Variación, estructura y dinámica. Ecología forestal [Temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. Variation, structure and dynamics. Forest Ecology]. Edición Universitaria, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, pp. 484. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(14)
Donoso C (2006)
Las especies arbóreas de los bosques templados de Chile y Argentina. Autoecología [Tree species in temperate forests of Chile and Argentine. Autecology]. Marisa Cúneo Ediciones. Valdivia, Chile, pp. 678. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(15)
Donoso D, Grez A, Simonetti J (2003)
Effects of forest fragmentation on the granivory of differently sized seeds. Biological Conservation 115: 63-70.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(16)
Drake F (2004)
Uso sostenible en bosques de Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch. Aplicación de modelos de gestión [Sustainable Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch management. Management model alternatives]. PhD Thesis, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain, pp. 318. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(17)
Drake F, Herrera MA, Acuña E (2005)
Propuesta de manejo sustentable de Araucaria araucana (Mol. C. Koch) [Sustainable proposal management of Araucaria araucana (Mol. C. Koch)]. Bosque 26 (1): 23-32. [in Spanish]
CrossRef | Gscholar
(18)
Drake F, Martín MA, Herrera MA, Molina JR, Drake-Martín F, Martín LM (2009)
Networking sampling of Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch in Chile and the bordering zone of Argentina: implications for the genetic resources and the sustainable management. iForest 2: 207-212.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(19)
Drake F, Molina JR, Herrera MA (2012)
An ecophysiographic approach for Araucaria araucana regeneration management. Ciencia e Investigación Agraría 39 (1): 159-176.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(20)
Echeverría C, Coomes D, Salas J, Rey-Benayas JM, Lara A, Newton A (2006)
Rapid deforestation and fragmented of Chilean temperate forests. Biological Conservation 130 (4): 481-494.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(21)
Echeverría C, Newton A, Lara A, Rey-Benayas JM, Coomes D (2007)
Impacts of forest fragmentation on species composition and forest structure in the temperate landscape of southern Chile. Global Ecology and Biogeography 16: 426-439.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(22)
Echeverría C, Newton A, Nahuelhual L, Coomes D, Rey-Benayas JM (2012)
How landscapes change: integration of spatial patterns and human processes in temperate 60 landscapes of southern Chile. Journal of Applied Geography 32(2): 822-831.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(23)
Enright NJ, Ogden J, Rigg LS (1999)
Dynamics of forests with Araucariaceae in the western Pacific. Journal of Vegetation Science 10: 793-804.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(24)
ERDAS (2009)
What is the new? ERDAS Software 2009, version 9.3.2. Erdas Inc, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, pp. 12.
Gscholar
(25)
ESRI (2008)
Arc GIS 9. Arc Map Tutorial, New York, USA, pp. 90.
Gscholar
(26)
Finckh M, Paulsch A (1995)
The ecological strategy of Araucaria araucana. Flora 53: 365-366.
Gscholar
(27)
González ME, Veblen T, Sibold JS (2005)
Fire history of Araucaria-Nothofagus forests in Villarrica Nacional Park, Chile. Journal of Biogeography 32: 1187-1202.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(28)
González M, Veblen T (2006)
Climatic influences on fire in Araucaria araucana-Nothofagus forests in the Andean cordillera of south-central Chile. Ecoscience 13 (3): 342-350.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(29)
González ME, Cortés F, Izquierdo F, Gallo L, Echeverria C, Bekkesy S, Montaldo P (2006)
Araucaria araucana (Molina) K. Koch; Araucaria, Pehuén, Piñonero, Pino Araucaria, Pino chileno, Pino del Neuquén, Monkey puzzle tree. In: “Las especies arbóreas de los Bosques Templados de Chile y Argentina. Autoecología” [Tree species in temperate forests of Chile and Argentine. Autecology]. Marisa Cúneo Ediciones. Valdivia, Chile, pp. 36-53. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(30)
Grez A, Simonetti J, Bustamante R (2006)
Biodiversidad en ambientes fragmentados de Chile: patrones y procesos a diferentes escalas [Biodiversity in Chilean fragmented habitats: patterns and different scales]. Editorial Universitaria, Santiago, Chile, pp. 228. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(31)
Gustafson EJ (1998)
Quantifying landscape spatial pattern. What is the state of the art? Ecosystems 1: 143-156.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(32)
Herrmann TM (2005)
Knowledge, values, uses and management of the Araucaria araucana forest by the indigenous Mapuche Pewenche people: a basis for collaborative natural resource management in southern Chile. Natural Resources Forum 29: 120-134.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(33)
Herrmann TM (2006)
Indigenous knowledge and management of Araucaria araucana forest in the Chilean Andes: implications for native forest conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 647-662.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(34)
IUCN (1996)
World list of threatened trees. International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland, pp. 628.
Online | Gscholar
(35)
Jha S, Bawa KS (2006)
Population growth, human development, and deforestation in biodiversity hotspots. Conservation Biology 20 (3): 906-912.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(36)
Ladio AH (2001)
The maintenance of wild edible plant gathering in a Mapuche community of Patagonia. Economy Botany 55 (2): 243-254.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(37)
Lindenmayer DB, Fischer J (2006)
Habitat fragmentation and landscape change: an ecological and conservation synthesis. Island Press, Washington, DC, USA, pp. 352.
Online | Gscholar
(38)
Long J, Nelson T, Wulder M (2010)
Characterizing forest fragmentation: distinguishing change in composition from configuration. Journal of Applied Geography 30: 426-435.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(39)
Loo R (2002)
The Delphi method: a powerful tool for strategic management. International Journal of Police Strategies and Management 25 (4): 762-769.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(40)
Martín MA, Mattioni C, Lusini I, Molina JR, Cherubini M, Drake F, Herrera MA, Villani F, Martin LM (2014)
New insights into the genetic structure of Araucaria araucana forests based on molecular and historic evidences. Tree Genetics and Genomes 10: 839-851.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(41)
McGarigal K, Marks BJ (1995)
FRAGSTATS: spatial pattern analysis program for quantifying landscape structure. General Technical Report PNW-GTR 351, Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, USA, pp. 122.
Gscholar
(42)
Metzger JP (2000)
Tree functional group richness and landscape structure in a Brazilian tropical fragmented landscape. Ecological Applications 10: 1147-1161.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(43)
Montaldo PR (1974)
La bio-ecología de Araucaria araucana (Mol.) Koch [Bioecology of Araucaria araucana (Mol.) Koch]. Boletín del Instituto Forestal Latino-Americano de Investigación y Capacitación 46-48: 1-55. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(44)
Nasi R, Koponen P, Poulsen J, Buitenzorgy M, Rusmantoro W (2007)
Impact of landscape and corridor design on primates in a large-scale industrial tropical plantation landscape. Biological Conservation 17 (5): 1105-1126.
Gscholar
(45)
Pauchard A, Alaback P (2006)
Edge types defines alien plant species invasions along Pinus contorta burned, highway and clearcut forest edges. Forest Ecology and Management 223 (1-3): 327-335.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(46)
Peña E, Hidalgo M, Langdon B, Pauchard A (2008)
Patterns of spread of Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. invasion in a Natural Reserve in southern South America. Forest Ecology and Management 256: 1049-1054.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(47)
Peralta PM (1980)
Geomorfología, clima y suelos del tipo forestal Araucaria en Lonquimay [Geomorphology, climate and soils of Araucaria forest type in Lonquimay]. Boletín Técnico no 55, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, pp. 117. [in Spanish]
Gscholar
(48)
Piotti A (2009)
The genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation: the case of forests. iForest 2: 75-76.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(49)
Rojas I, Becerra P, Gálvez N, Laker J, Bonacic C, Hester A (2011)
Relationship between fragmentation, degradation and native and exotic species richness in an Andean temperate forest of Chile. Gayana Botanica 68 (2): 163-175.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(50)
Sanguinetti J, Kitzberger T (2009)
Araucaria araucana temporal and spatial seedling establishment patterns: masting, seed predation and understory vegetation effects. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 82: 319-335.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(51)
Sanguinetti J, Kitzberger T (2010)
Factors controlling seed predation by rodents and non-native Sus scrofa in Araucaria araucana forests: potential effects on seedling establishment. Biological Invasion 12: 689-706.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(52)
Saura S, Torné J (2009)
Conefor Sensinode 2.2: a software package for quantifying the importance of habitat patches for landscape connectivity. Environmental Modelling and Software 24: 135-139.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(53)
Saura S, Estreguil C, Mouton C, Rodríguez-Freire M (2011)
Network analysis to assess landscape connectivity trends: application to European forests (1990-2000). Ecological Indicators 11: 407-416.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(54)
Schulz J, Cayuela L, Echeverria C, Salas J, Rey JM (2010)
Monitoring land cover change of the dryland forest landscape of Central Chile (1975-2008). Applied Geography 30: 436-447.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(55)
Tabarelli M, Mantovani W, Pérez CA (1999)
Effects of habitat fragmentation on plant guild structure in the montane Atlantic forest of southern Brazil. Biological Conservation 91: 119-127.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(56)
Tattoni C, Ciolli M, Ferretti F, Cantiani MG (2010)
Monitoring spatial and temporal pattern of Paneveggio forest (northern Italy) from 1859 to 2006. iForest 3: 72-80.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(57)
Turner M, O’Neill RV, Gardner RH, Milne BT (1989)
Effects of changing spatial scale on the analysis of landscape pattern. Landscape Ecology 3 (3-4): 153-162.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(58)
Veblen TT (1982)
Regeneration patterns in Araucaria araucana forest in Chile. Journal of Biogeography 9: 11-28.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(59)
Veblen TT, Donoso C, Kitzberger T, Rubertus AJ (1996)
Ecology of southern Chilean and Argentinean Nothofagus forests. In: “Ecology and biogeography of Nothofagus forests” (Veblen TT, Hill RS, Read J eds). Yale University Press, New Haven, USA, pp. 293-353.
Gscholar
(60)
Veblen TT, Kitzberger T, Villalba R, Donnegan J (1999)
Fire history in northern Patagonia: the roles of humans and climatic variation. Ecological Monographs 69 (1): 47-67.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(61)
Vergara P, Pérez-Hernández C, Christian G, Hahn I, Soto G (2013)
Deforestation in central Chile causes a rapid decline in landscape connectivity for a forest specialist bird species. Ecological Research 28 (3): 481-492.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(62)
Zaizhi Z (2000)
Landscape changes in a rural area in China. Landscape Urban Planning 47: 33-38.
CrossRef | Gscholar
(63)
Zamorano-Elgueta C, Cayuela L, Gonzalez-Espinosa M., Lara A, Parra-Vázquez M (2012)
Impacts of cattle on the South American temperate forests: challenges for the conservation of the endangered monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) in Chile. Biological Conservation 152: 110-118.
CrossRef | Gscholar
 

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. More info