Estimación del carbono acumulado en el estrato arbustivo, herbáceo y necromasa en una parcela permanente del bosque andino del Parque Universitario ”Francisco Vivar Castro".

In the Andean region, there are remnants of forests which include an interesting diversity of floristic species of the country (9 865 species corresponding to 64% of the total). These forests store carbon in the trunks of trees and in the soil organic matter, helping in this way with the carbon dioxide cycle. The Andean forests are important in the maintenance of climate at regional and continental scale and offer a range of ecosystem services such as provision of water in quantity and quality, erosion control and climate regulation. Likewise, they play a transcendental role in the storage and balance of atmospheric carbon since they can accumulate between 20 and 40 tons of carbon per hectare, which makes them very important sinks. The purpose of this research was to determine: the floristic composition, structural parameters, endemism of the PUEAR; and, to quantify the carbon fixed in the biomass of shrubs, herbs and necromass of the Andean forest. A permanent plot of one hectare of 10,000 m2 (50 x 50 m) was installed, subdivided into 25 subplots of 400 m2 (20 x 20 m). Within this plot, 25 subplots of 25 m2 (5 x 5 m) for shrubs and 25 of 1 m2 (1 x 1 m) for herbs were installed. Structural parameters of Density, Abundance, Frequency, simplified Importance Value Index (IVIs), Shannon’s diversity index and Pileou’s equitativity index were calculated. Endemic species weredetermined by comparative analysis of the species registered in the study area with the Red Book of Endemic Plants of Ecuador. For the calculation of carbon, subplots of 4 m2 (2 x 2 m) for shrubs, 1 m2 (1 x 1 m) for herbs and necromass were installednested in nine 400 m2 (20 x 20m) sampling plots, in which all the understory vegetation (shrubs) was collected: trunk, branches, twigs and leaves; herbaceous vegetation and necromass (litter, mulch and wood debris), each component was weighed independently obtaining the total wet weight of each, then a sample of 1 kg of each component was collected and deposited in identified plastic bags. Samples were carried to the laboratory to be dried for 120 hours until reaching constant moisture content. Subsequently, with the wet weight (in the field) and dry weight (in the laboratory), the dry / wet weight ratio was determined. Floristic diversity of the Andean forest of PUEAR showed a medium diversity for the shrub component, with 30 species included in 24 genera and 16 families of vascular plants registered. Herbs showed a low diversity with 22 herbaceous species, within 17 genera and 10 families registered. The species with the highest IVI simplified importance value index of the shrub component are: Palicourea amethystina, Piper asperiusculum, Phenax hirtus, Rubus robustus; and, for the competent herbaceous are: Peperomia obtusifolia, Panicum stigmosum and Blechnum occidentale. There were 4 endemic species for the shrub component, Ahetheolaena heterophylla, Centropogon erythraeus, Ageratina dendroides and Senecio iscoensis, the herbaceous component did not present endemic species, all species are within the categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). From the results obtained it can be concluded that the Andean forest of the PUEAR is in a good state of conservation represented mainly by its diversity of shrub elements and by the presence of endemic species of Ecuador. There is a minimal difference in carbon content between shrub and herbs components. However, there is a big difference in the carbon content of the necromass compared to the shrub and herbs components. Keywords: Andean forest species diversity, structural parameters, endemismo stored carbon necromass.

• Hoofdauteur: Darwin Jasmany, Pinza Ochoa (author)
• Formaat: bachelorThesis
• Taal: spa
• Gepubliceerd in: 2018
• Onderwerpen: BOSQUE; CARBONO; ESTRUCTURA AGRARIA
• Online toegang: http://dspace.unl.edu.ec/jspui/handle/123456789/21492