Análisis de rasgos funcionales asociados a la madera en tres tipos de bosques en Colombia

Abstract

Research in tropical ecosystems was limited to studies of its structure and composition, leaving aside the functional dimension, fundamental for the understanding of ecological dynamics and the creation of strategies for the management, use and conservation of forests. This research evaluates 12 wood functional traits in three types of forests in Colombia. The analysis included the study of wood anatomical structures of 144 species, were used pieces of wood of the Andean Forest, High Andean Forest and Dry Forest. The species studied represent 61,8%, 92,2% and 84,3% of the importance value index respectively. The measurement was made through cuts of the radial, tangential and transversal sections of the wood, defibration and the biometry of the traits. The traits were classified according to their incidence in the functions of storage, support and conduction in the xylem. The relationships of traits in each forest were examined through a principal component analysis, where PC1 and PC2 accounted for 47,4% of the total variation of the data. Considering the functions, were created relations monofunctional and polyfunctional between traits. The conduction relations in the three forests suggest that when the pores diameter is big, its density decrease, and at the same time the pits diameter increase, as a strategy to guarantee exchange between vessels. In polyfunctional relations the tracheids length is related with the fibers length and the pores diameter, because of the tracheids fulfill both functions: conduction and support. The relations between forests indicate that tracheids are in the Andean and High Andean Forest. The High Andean Forest has long and wide rays, for this reason it has great capacity of storage, and horizontal conduction. In the Andean Forest the fibers length and tracheids length were higher, suggesting that this forest prioritize the support function. The dry forest's species had low fiber length and thickness values, decreasing the support capacity. However, the wood density was higher in this forest. Finally, six functional types of plants (TFP's) were established: TFP's 1 safe and efficient, not resistant; TFP's 2 safe and efficient, resistant; TFP's 3 safe, low resistant; TFP's 4 safe and efficient of High-Andean Forest, moderately resistant; TFP's 5 efficient, moderately resistant and TFP's 6 safe and efficient of Andean Forest, moderately resistant.