Dispersed trees and their effect on the productivity of paddocks in the ecuadorian amazonia

Abstract

Fifty paddocks of ten years of establishment associated with tree species were randomly selected; an inventory of all dispersed species with breast height diameters (DBH)?5 cm was made. Dasometric variables as DBH, total height and crown area were measured in each tree. Frecuency, richness, abundance, importance value index, biodiversity index based on proportional abundance of species(Shannon,Simpson) and species richness(Margalef) were determinated. 22 tree families were registered,83.8%correspond to timber species and 16,2% to fruit species,the family with the highest number of individuals was Boraginaceae with 194,96% of variation of the basal area was explained by BDH. As far as this increased and the structure of tree species do not shown any in?uence in dry matter production, cover and quality of the three found pasturages, due to low tree cover (3,69±0,67%) and to the number of dispersed trees in the paddocks (5 to 7 trees ha?1). The impact of tree cover showed that it affects signi?cantly on the growth of the plants, demonstrating that Marandú has the best shadow tolerance respect to Dallis and Saboya. It is concluded that the amazonian livestock system of northem central Ecuador according to the biodiversity indexes could be considerate as low levels, but with a medium richness of dispersed tree species on paddocks. The importance value index allowed identifying 4 species with the highest ecological weight over the average (3,4%) Cordiaalliodora, Cedrela odorata, Schizolobium parahybum and Psidium guajava.