How long does the Atlantic Rain Forest take to recover after a disturbance? Changes in species composition and ecological features during secondary succession

摘要

We evaluated floristic and ecological changes in plant communities after disturbance in Southern Atlantic Rain Forests, in the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Parana and Santa Catarina. We compiled data for 410 tree species from 18 forests ranging from 4 to 120 years after disturbance, and classified them by dispersal mode (animal vs. non-animal), successional group (pioneer vs. non-pioneer), vertical position (understorey vs. non-understorey) and geographic distribution (Atlantic Forest vs. widespread). We found that both geographical location and time since disturbance affect species distribution and beta-diversity. Regression analyses showed significant, positive and strong relations (0.26=