Ecosystem diversity in the Piedras Blancas National Park and adjacent areas (Costa Rica), with the first vegetation map of the area.

Author(s)
Anton Weissenhofer, Werner Huber, Tatjana Koukal, Markus Immitzer, Eva Schembera, Susanne Sontag, Nelson Zamora, Anton Weber
Abstract

The Golfo Dulce region is one of the botanically most diverse areas in Central America.

During the last 15 years research plots have been established in the Piedras Blancas National Park and its surroundings, for investigationof species composition, vegetation structure, growth patterns, reproductive ecology and forest dynamics. This paper presents an overview of the vegetation units that have been recognized so far in the region. Altogether, 28 ecosystems, ranging from untouched primary to secondary and anthropogenic vegetation, can be distinguished. Of these, 15 can be classified as natural, 5 as seminatural and 8 as anthropogenic. For each ecosystem a brief description regarding species diversity, vegetation structure and significance/abundance in the region is given. For the first time a detailed vegetation map is presented.

Organisation(s)
External organisation(s)
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad - INBio
Pages
65-96
No. of pages
32
Publication date
2008
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
106008 Botany
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/ecosystem-diversity-in-the-piedras-blancas-national-park-and-adjacent-areas-costa-rica-with-the-first-vegetation-map-of-the-area(c35b28c9-9df3-432a-be47-5aa02ef72bca).html