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Linking forest transition, plant invasion and forest succession theories: socioeconomic drivers and composition of new subtropical andean forests

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Abstract

Context

The patterns and causes of forest transition have been extensively studied, identifying socio-economic drivers of land use deintensification and the associated forest expansion. However, most studies do not take into account the origin of the dominant species of new forests (i.e. native or exotic), which affects biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services.

Objectives

We develop a framework integrating forest transition, forest succession and biological invasion theories to identify the socio-environmental conditions that facilitate different pathways of spontaneous forest transitions in a subtropical mountain basin.

Methods

We used Landsat images and Random forest classifier to detect land cover changes over 30 years (1988–2017). We used generalized additive models to identify socioeconomic and biophysical variables associated with expansion of native and exotic-dominated forests.

Results

Expanding native forests are scattered throughout the whole basin under a broad spectrum of socioeconomic and environmental conditions. In contrast, the new forests dominated by exotic species were aggregated around their focal introduction areas and their expansion was associated with accessibility and specific land uses (livestock or residential use).

Conclusions

Understanding the pathways of alternative forest transition involves the integration of land science, forest succession theory and invasion ecology. Land science explains the availability of sites to be reforested. The species composition of new forests depends on the availability of propagules, dispersal agents and competitive relationships between species (forest succession theory). Invasion ecology explains the role of introduction areas (which are often associated with residential use) of exotic species in the successional process.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

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Acknowledgements

We thank Juan Cruz Gonzalez and Yessica Jimenez for field assistance; Javier Foguet for his collaboration with the land cover maps.

Funding

No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CC. 34, 4107, Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina

    Yohana Gisell Jimenez, Ezequiel Aráoz, H. Ricardo Grau & Leonardo Paolini

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), 4000, San Miguel, Tucumán, Argentina

    Ezequiel Aráoz & H. Ricardo Grau

  3. School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Science Centre 302 - Bldg 302, 23 Symonds St, Auckland, New Zealand

    Leonardo Paolini

Authors
  1. Yohana Gisell Jimenez
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  2. Ezequiel Aráoz
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  3. H. Ricardo Grau
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  4. Leonardo Paolini
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Contributions

Conceptualization: YGJ, EA, HRG, LP; methodology: YGJ, EA; formal analysis: YGJ, EA; writing—original draft: YGJ; writing—review and editing: EA, HRG, LP; supervision: HRG.

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Correspondence to Yohana Gisell Jimenez.

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Jimenez, Y.G., Aráoz, E., Grau, H.R. et al. Linking forest transition, plant invasion and forest succession theories: socioeconomic drivers and composition of new subtropical andean forests. Landscape Ecol 36, 1161–1176 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01192-z

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