ANÁLISIS DE LA REGENERACIÓN NATURAL DESPUÉS DE LA EXPLOTACIÓN DE PINO EN EL PÁRAMO DE TAMBOLOMA

Abstract

Pinus radiata D.Don is planted extensively in the Andes since the 1960s in Ecuador; Was chosen for its potential for rapid growth. The establishment of forest plantations in the High Andean provides certain goods and services, but affects others. For this reason, the present study evaluated the process of regeneration of the vegetation cover produced after the planting and exploitation of pine in the Tamboloma High Andean, located in the province of Tungurahua, Ambato canton, Pilahuín. Located at 3663 m. Altitude, 01º20’49’’S; 78º45’47’’W. After the exploitation of the pine tree, in recent years the livestock frontier of the community has populated this sector, in this way the degradation tends to be higher in the site, in spite of this there is a process of vegetal regeneration. The research quantified the existing vegetation according to the methodology of the Ministry of the Environment (2011), and with the results the similarity index was calculated in the PAST program, in addition it was later compared with a plot of herbaceous grass (original 58 CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS vegetation). In the study area 53 species were grouped in 47 genera and 25 families. A mixture of species of different types of life was found, such as Andean forest: Brachyotum ledifolium, Gynoxys sodiroi; Of herbaceous High Andean (grass herb): Cortaderia jubata, Calamagrostis intermedia, this is due to the processes that has undergone the vegetation in this sector, but only shares a species with the herbaceous High Andean. Due to the regeneration process in which the area is located, it is suggested not to make any plantation, natural succession could be a cheaper and viable option to perform a vegetation restoration. Key words: Succession, plantation, alteration, pine