International Dissertation Enhancement Research: Natural Forest Management Plans in Costa Rica: A Potential Framework For Assessing Tree Biodiversity

这项美洲项目的论文研究将在康涅狄格大学Robin Chazdon博士的指导下，由哥斯达黎加热带研究组织（OTS） La Selva生物站科学主任Luis D. Gomez博士赞助，支持博士生Juan P. Arroyo。这项研究打算处理和测试自然森林管理计划所产生的采伐前树木清单数据的效用和准确性，以便在哥斯达黎加圣胡安-拉塞尔瓦生物走廊的地方、景观和区域各级评估树木的生物多样性。本研究包括四个部分：1)基于现有天然林管理计划（NFMP）数据库的本地、景观和区域尺度的树木生物多样性评估；2)基于独立标准化生物多样性调查方法的同一林场树木多样性评估；3) NFMP数据与标准化生物多样性数据结果比较；4)区域景观中重点保护的商业树种和非商业树种种群活力分析。这项研究可以作为一种模式，在许多有天然林管理计划的热带国家得到广泛应用，允许开发用于生物多样性评估、基线保护数据和土地利用规划的树木多样性数据库。在本项目结束时，将在La Selva生物站组织和举办一个讲习班，与农场主、林业技术人员、当地保护团体、研究人员和政府人员分享方法、结果和结论。研讨会将展示区域保护和生物多样性研究项目如何从森林管理计划产生的数据中受益，以及如何通过独立调查数据修改或补充这些计划，为区域一级的保护规划提供所需的数据。

This Americas Program dissertation research will support doctoral student Juan P. Arroyo under the supervision of Dr. Robin Chazdon of the University of Connecticut and under the sponsorship of Dr. Luis D. Gomez, Scientific Director of the La Selva Biological Station of the Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS) in Costa Rica. The research intends to address and test the utility and accuracy of pre-harvesting tree inventory data generated by natural forest management plans for assessment of tree biodiversity at the local, landscape and regional levels in the San Juan- La Selva Biological Corridor in Costa Rica. The proposed study has four components: 1) tree biodiversity assessment at local, landscape, and regional scales based on databases generated from existing natural forest management plans (NFMP); 2) tree diversity assessment based on an independent, standardized biodiversity inventory methodology in the same farms; 3) comparison of results between NFMP data and standardized biodiversity data; and 4) a population viability analysis of selected commercial and non-commercial tree species of conservation concern within the regional landscape. The study could serve as a model to be widely applied across many tropical countries where natural forest management plans are available, permitting the development of tree diversity databases for use in biodiversity assessment, baseline conservation data, and land-use planning. At the conclusion of this project, a workshop will be organized and held at La Selva Biological Station to share methodology, results, and conclusions with farm owners, forestry technicians, local conservation groups, researchers, and government personnel. The workshop will demonstrate how regional conservation and biodiversity research programs can benefit from data generated from forest management plans and how these plans could be modified or supplemented by independent survey data to supply data needed for conservation planning at the regional level.