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Modeling of the vertical structure of shade trees in cacao agroforestry systems

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B. Sánchez-Díaz, L. Ríos-Rodas, A. Sol-Sanchez, A. del Rosario Fraire-Vazquez, J. del Carmen Geronimo-Torres, R. Solís-Silvan

Section: Methodology and research methods. Models and forecasts

Cacao agrosystems can provide available habitats for wildlife species, due to the structure and diversity of established shade trees in plantations. The objective of this research is to calculate the index of importance and forest value of shade trees used in cacao agrosystems. Field sampling was carried out to collect data on breast height diameter, canopy diameter and canopy height, these variables were used to estimate the importance value index and the forest value index. The trees with the best indexes of importance and forest value are Erythrina americana (IVI = 62.34 and FVI = 50.94), Bursera simaruba (IVI = 62.53 and FVI = 66.99) and Samanea saman (IVI = 56, 85 and FVI = 42.93). The vertical structure of cacao agrosystems is important since it could be used as an input variable to evaluate and predict, through an ecological niche model, the quality of the available habitat for the conservation of wildlife such as birds, reptiles and arboreal mammals.

Keywords: biodiversity conservation, canopy height, Forest value index

Article published in number 1 for 2023
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2023-1-028-037