Central Africa; Cameroon; disturbances; tropical forest; forest composition; human impact
Résumé :
[en] Non-random spatial distribution of trees is the result of both neutral and deterministic factors. Neutral models suggest that species within a community are equally competitive, with spatial structures mainly due to dispersal limitation. Deterministic (or non-neutral) models consider species assemblages as the result of what we name “induced spatial dependence”, where forcing (explanatory) variables shape diversity organization. However, deterministic models have often included habitat variables only, without considering human disturbance which we know enhances the competitive advantage of heliophytic (light-demanding) species and therefore the floristic composition of phytocenoses. Based on charcoal abundance in the soil (used as an indicator of anthropogenic perturbation), species abundance, and environmental data from a forest of south-east Cameroon, we applied modern variation partitioning methods to assess the relative impact of human disturbance on floristic patterns, controlling for purely spatial and habitat effects. Significant signals of human influence have been found so far, and a new collection of data should establish with a better precision the importance of the anthropogenic impact on tree species assemblages.
Disciplines :
Sciences du vivant: Multidisciplinaire, généralités & autres Biologie végétale (sciences végétales, sylviculture, mycologie...)
Auteur, co-auteur :
Vleminckx, Jason; Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB
Doucet, Jean-Louis ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Daïnou, Kasso ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Morin-Rivat, Julie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Drouet, Thomas; Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB
Hardy, Olivier; Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB
Langue du document :
Anglais
Titre :
Impacts of past Human disturbances on present day tree species assembly in the tropical forests of South-East Cameroon
Date de publication/diffusion :
25 juin 2013
Nombre de pages :
A0
Nom de la manifestation :
ATBC - OTS 50th Anniversary Meeting
Lieu de la manifestation :
San José, Costa Rica
Date de la manifestation :
23-28 juin 2013
Manifestation à portée :
International
Intitulé du projet de recherche :
Population dynamics of light-demanding trees and herbs in the dense forests of Central Africa in relationship with climatic and anthropogenic disturbances
Organisme subsidiant :
FRFC - Fonds de la Recherche Fondamentale Collective [BE]