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

这项美洲项目论文研究将在康涅狄格大学罗宾·查兹登博士的指导下，在哥斯达黎加热带研究组织(OTS)拉塞尔瓦生物站科学主任路易斯·D·戈麦斯博士的赞助下，支持博士生Juan P.Arroyo。这项研究旨在处理和测试天然林管理计划产生的采伐前树木清查数据的实用性和准确性，以评估哥斯达黎加圣胡安-拉塞尔瓦生物走廊地方、景观和区域各级的树木生物多样性。拟议的研究包括四个部分：1)基于现有天然林管理计划(NFMP)产生的数据库在地方、景观和区域尺度上的树木多样性评估；2)基于同一农场中独立的标准化生物多样性调查方法的树木多样性评估；3)NFMP数据和标准化生物多样性数据之间的结果比较；以及4)区域景观中选定的商业和非商业树种的种群生存能力分析。这项研究可以作为一个模式，在许多热带国家广泛应用，在这些国家有天然林管理计划，允许开发树木多样性数据库，用于生物多样性评估、基线养护数据和土地利用规划。在该项目结束时，将在La Selva生物站组织和举办一次研讨会，与农场所有者、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方案如何受益于森林管理计划产生的数据，以及如何修改这些计划或由独立调查数据补充，以提供区域一级保护规划所需的数据。

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.