Forest management reduces the quantity of deadwood in a tropical dryland

Abstract

Abstract: Deadwood, as coarse woody debris (CWD), is a key component of nutrient cycling, serving as carbon and nitrogen sinks. CWD plays important roles in ecosystems, providing human populations with wood resources, and saproxylic species with habitat. However, the quantity and quality of CWD, central to the maintenance of forest function, is being modified by human activities. These effects have seldom been assessed in Neotropical drylands. In a dry forest in southern Ecuador, we quantified CWD according to human management, position (snags or logs), and decay class. Managed forests had on average 30% less CWD than unmanaged plots. The quantity of CWD differed with position (more wood in logs than snags) and decay class (more wood in advanced decomposition stages) but did not differ with management. This study provides evidence that human interactions are modifying the structure of CWD in tropical dry, but these changes are in agreement with local customs and the need of wood for daily activities such as fire, fences and houses.