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Effect of land use changes on ecosystem structures, species compositions and ecosystem services: a case study from the transition zone between the Valdivian coastal range and the central valley of Chile

Abstract


Due to their high level of species richness and the increasing destruction by humans, southern-Chilean forests have gained conservation priority worldwide. However, land conversion into plantations, pastures, and agricultural land have led to an increasing fragmentation, and remaining forest structures suffer from human interventions.

In the study-area, small-scale properties remain in a plantation-dominated landscape. Forests in these properties are being disturbed by different land-use practices (mainly grazing and firewood cutting), which result in a patchy mosaic of different vegetation formations.

The PhD-thesis aims:

  • to relate the different vegetation units to the corresponding vegetation dynamics and underlying processes
  • to study the effects of these vegetation dynamics on species composition, biodiversity and ecosystem structure
  • to identify the provision of important ecosystem services within these processes

 

 

Supervisors:Prof. Albert Reif & Prof. Dr. Pablo Donoso
Researcher:Katja Seis
Partner:

Instituto de Silvicultura, Universidad Austral de Chile (Valdivia)

Funding:

LGFG, DAAD

Duration:

07/2010 – 07/2013

 

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