The effect of land-use on the local distribution of palm species in an Andean rain forest fragment in northwestern Ecuador

摘要: The northern Andes is extremely rich in plant species, but this diversity threatened by extensive deforestation. This study reports on how five palm species respond to human disturbance an area of montane forest Ecuador. abundance each was determined 250 40 × 30m plots, established disturbed and undisturbed within 3 3km altitudes spanning 1248–1938m. Aiphanes erinacea (H. Karst.) H. Wendl. a lesser degree Geonoma undata Klotzsch were negatively affected even moderate disturbance, while Chamaedorea linearis (Ruiz & Pav.) Mart. C. pinnatifrons (Jacq.) Oerst. benefitted from such Prestoea acuminata (Willd.) H.E. Moore unaffected given time enough replenish its population after disturbance. At the scale richness maximized forest. endemic Ecuador southern Colombia must be considered deforestation here. If behaviour these palms representative Andean rain plans general, negative effect anthropogenic biodiversity at scales ≥1km2 might negligible. Thus, biologically sustainable logging could possible.