Ecological integrity in a forest under timber production in central Mexico

Abstract

Ecological integrity (EI) is the property of an ecosystem to support and maintain a community of organisms whose composition, diversity, and functional organization is comparable to a natural habitat in the region. This concept is useful to know the degree of conservation of an ecosystem; therefore, it is of interest in forest management. The objective of this study was to develop and apply an Ecological Integrity Index (EII) in an area of temperate forest with timber harvesting. The site had four plant associations: three under timber harvesting (Pinus montezumae, P. patula, and P. pseudostrobus), and one corresponding to a conservation area (Pinus-Quercus). In order to calculate the index, the structure, composition, and function of the forest were evaluated through 20 markers, corresponding to three ecological attributes: landscape, vegetation, and soil. Four possible categories were established: excellent, good, fair and poor. The highest value of the EII was obtained in the conservation area, in the excellent category, while in the associations under harvesting, that of P. patula was rated excellent, and those of P. montezumae and P. pseudostrobus were rated good. In the area under harvesting, observation and minimal intervention are required to maintain and improve EI. The EII made it possible to characterize the associations under management, in addition to identifying the markers that require intervention or further research to maintain EI. This generated a baseline of knowledge of EI in the study area, which may be useful for its management.