Keywords
fragmentation
deforestation
restoration
How to Cite
Abstract
Tropical dry forests in Central America face critical threats due to deforestation and anthropogenic fragmentation. In El Salvador, forest cover is highly fragmented; nevertheless, these forests constitute important refuges for native flora and other species. A floristic inventory was conducted in forest fragments in San Esteban Catarina, San Vicente. Seven sampling sites were established, and species were identified through the collection of botanical specimens in the field and herbarium work. Land-use change was also analyzed using Landsat imagery (2001, 2014, and 2021) through minimum-distance supervised classification. A total of 79 species belonging to 33 families were recorded in the tree stratum, with Fabaceae being the dominant family (25 species and 19 genera). The shrub, herbaceous, climbing plant, and epiphyte strata included 38 species belonging to 20 families, also dominated by Fabaceae (8 species). Two threatened species and four endangered species were identified. Forest cover decreased from 51.6% (4,287.2 ha) in 2001 to 28.0% (2,324.5 ha) in 2014, followed by a partial recovery to 39.3% (3,262.3 ha) in 2021. Classification accuracy ranged from 87% to 90%. The multitemporal analysis revealed 21.2% stable vegetation, 18.1% recovered vegetation, and 22.2% deforested vegetation over a 20-year period. Vegetation recovery occurred mainly on abandoned agricultural lands through natural regeneration processes. Despite ongoing deforestation pressures, forest fragments in tropical dry landscapes maintain considerable plant diversity and demonstrate a capacity for natural recovery, highlighting their conservation value and the potential for landscape restoration. Finally, the establishment of conservation strategies that protect stable forest fragments and promote natural regeneration is recommended.
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