Does the Altitude Affect the Stability of Montane Forests? a Study in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Higher altitudes in montane forests, such as those found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo), exhibit greater floristic stability and resilience to disturbance compared to lower altitudes. This study revealed that the Jaccard index of dissimilarity between understorey and canopy layers decreases with altitude, indicating more consistent species representation across forest strata at higher elevations. Additionally, the proportion of non-pioneer and shade-tolerant species increases with altitude, while pioneer species decline, suggesting enhanced regeneration capability and stability in higher-altitude forests. The research employed a stratified sampling approach, analyzing 10 one-hectare plots spanning altitudes from 1935 to 2760 meters above sea level (a.s.l.), with nested subplots to assess sapling dynamics.

CIRIMWAMI, L. (2017). DOES THE ALTITUDE AFFECT THE STABILITY OF MONTANE FORESTS? A STUDY IN THE KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO). Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 15(4), 1697–1713. https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1504_16971713