Trends in planted native tree biomass established in a tropical Andes city water basins

• Published in: Restoration ecology
• Main Authors: Mendoza‐Páez, Juan S., Giraldo, Jorge A., Mazo‐Lopera, Mauricio A., Giraldo‐Salazar, Juan M., Osorio‐Vélez, Luis F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 09-10-2024
• ISSN: 1061-2971; 1526-100X
• DOI: 10.1111/rec.14296

Studying tree growth processes helps us evaluate the success of restoration efforts in recovering ecosystem processes such as carbon accumulation. Here, we study aboveground biomass dynamics in four common‐endemic tree species from the tropical Andes ( Quercus humboldtii , Retrophyllum rospigliosii , Citharexylum subflavescens , and Croton magdalenensis ), established in the main water supply basins of Medellín, Colombia. We use measurements from 19 permanent plots from five censuses between 2010 and 2023 to develop biomass equations as a function of t for each species ( B = f [ t ]) by combining tree growth models of diameter ( D ) as a function of time ( t ) and pre‐existing allometric equations of biomass ( B ) developed in the same site as a function of D and wood density ( ρ ). We found that, because of initially higher growth rates characteristic of species belonging to the fast‐growing end of the fast‐slow growth economic spectrum, C. magdalenensis and C. subflavescens were the species with higher biomass accumulation at 13 years (142 and 132 kg, respectively). However, the potential of the slow‐growing species ( Q. humboldtii and R. rospigliosii ) for carbon sequestration initiatives in the long term was highlighted. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the region examining the dynamics of aboveground biomass in Andean restoration programs. It combines growth models and allometric equations, which can be useful for measuring the success of the implementation of ecological restoration programs and evaluating the need to apply adaptive management strategies.