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Dynamics and Silviculture of Montane Mixed Oak Forests in Western Mexico

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Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Montane Oak Forests

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 185))

28.6 Conclusion

Montane forest assemblages of the Sierra de Manantlán contain a large number of sympatric Quercus species which coexist through a combination of niche differentiation, dispersal limitation, and density-dependent seedling recruitment. Species composition is very variable from site to site, and oak species dominating the canopy vary over relatively short distances. We propose that canopy composition will vary strongly with time as a result of density-dependent recruitment. The Sierra de Manantlán is an important site for the study of oak biogeography on the American continent, and may offer important insights into speciation patterns.

Although the Sierra de Manantlán is a protected area, human impacts are now a significant force shaping the structure and composition of the forest. There are substantial challenges ahead in ensuring that exploitation of valuable forest resources, including Quercus timber, does not compromise the productive capacity or biodiversity of these forests. We contend that the true threat to oak survival in Manantlán is that associated to human impacts. With this in mind, future research should consider the effect of man-induced disturbances on oak forest dynamics and forest recovery after silvicultural interventions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, IMECBIO, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Apartado Postal # 108, Autlán de Navarro, CP 48900, Jalisco, Mexico

    M. Olvera-Vargas, B. L. Figueroa-Rangel & J. M. Vázquez-López

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford Forestry Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK

    M. Olvera-Vargas & N. Brown

  3. School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TB, UK

    B. L. Figueroa-Rangel

Authors
  1. M. Olvera-Vargas
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  2. B. L. Figueroa-Rangel
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  3. J. M. Vázquez-López
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  4. N. Brown
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Apartado 230-1225, San José, Costa Rica

    Maarten Kappelle

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© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Olvera-Vargas, M., Figueroa-Rangel, B.L., Vázquez-López, J.M., Brown, N. (2006). Dynamics and Silviculture of Montane Mixed Oak Forests in Western Mexico. In: Kappelle, M. (eds) Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Montane Oak Forests. Ecological Studies, vol 185. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-28909-7_28

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