Natural forest regeneration over a fallow age chronosequence of the Bateke Plateau in Central Africa

Background: Natural forest regeneration helps restore multiple ecosystem functions, including carbon stocks. A better understanding of natural forest regeneration among fallow ages could help develop more effective restoration strategies in tropical forests.
Aims: This study aims to examine variation and relationships in structural and diversity attributes of natural forest regeneration among five fallow ages (6 months, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years) after shifting cultivation of the Bateke Plateau in Central Africa.
Methods: For each fallow age, all stems with a diameter of less than 5 cm were identified to the species level and measured (diameter and height) in 12 plots of 0.01 ha. We estimated three structural attributes and five diversity indices at the plot level.
Results: The relationships between structural and diversity attributes highlighted a continuum of five fallow ages between the young fallow (6 months, 2 years, and 5 years) and the old fallow (10 years and 15 years). We found differences among fallow ages, indicating that the young fallow had higher stem density, while the old fallow had higher maximum height and Shannon’s index.
Conclusions: These results provided new insights into the reconstitution of biodiversity and ecosystem services in tropical secondary forests.