Population census of oak Quercus humboldtii Bonpl. (Fagaceae) in the Botanical Garden of Popayán-Colombia

Poster presented at the XX International Botanical Conference, Madrid, Spain, July 21–27, 2024.

Authors:

Luis Gerardo Chilito López^1,2, Julieth Alexandra Chacón Paja²

Affiliations:

1. Botanical Garden of Popayán, Popayán, Colombia
2. Popayán University Foundation, Popayán, Colombia

Abstract:

The oak forests in Colombia are of great importance due to the ecological dynamics that they contain, and they also have a series of threats that have led them to be endangered. In the department of Cauca there are some oak relics and one of them is located in the Botanical Garden. The objective was to determine the population census of Quercus humboldtii Bonpl., in the Botanical Garden of Popayán. During the months of April to July 2022, the total count of individuals was carried out in different ex situ collections, in situ of the botanical garden and areas surrounding crop covers, taking as data: circumference at chest height, total height, cover of canopies and analysis of population structure, vertical stratification, and diameter distribution, dispersion pattern, phytosanitary status, abundance and density using the Acocks scale. The data were stored in an Excel spreadsheet. A total of 128 individuals registered. The ex situ Arboretum collection recorded 22 individuals (17%), the in situ Renacer microbasin 75 (58.5%), Corazones microbasin 2 (1.5%), Wettú 16 (12.5%) and areas surrounding crops 13 (10%). The vertical stratification 60% are found in the tree canopy stratum (18-25 m), the diameter distribution was recorded with 58% in class 2 (56 -110 cm), four stages were structured (seedlings, juveniles, adults 1 and adults 2), the dispersion pattern was grouped and 95% are in good phytosanitary condition. In terms of density and abundance, the Acocks scale presents occasional significance with 11 individuals/hectare. The distribution shows that the species' habitat has suffered alterations due to fragmentation of forest covers, due to the influence of anthropic factors, generating low abundance and regenerants, little connectivity between them and changes in the population structure.