Componente arbóreo y carbono aéreo en bosque secundario del complejo recreacional San Mateo, Las Naves

Secondary succession forests are a fundamental component in the recovery of the structure and functionality of tropical ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tree component and quantify the above-ground carbon storage in the secondary succession forest of the San Mateo recreational complex, in the Las Naves district, Bolívar province, Ecuador. The research was conducted using a descriptive quantitative approach, establishing three 1,000-square-metre transects in the study area, where all tree individuals with a diameter at breast height equal to or greater than seven centimetres were recorded. A total of 150 tree individuals with DBH ≥ 7 cm were identified, distributed across 23 species and 13 families. The most abundant species were Castilla elastica (15.33%), followed by Miconia bolivarensis (12.00%) and Ocotea insularis (10.00%). In terms of atmospheric carbon, 503.76 TmC was obtained, with Castilla elastica being the species with the highest carbon capture capacity (92.57 TmC/ha). In addition, the Shannon index indicated average diversity (2.73), while the Simpson index showed high diversity (0.91). In conclusion, the forest has a diverse tree structure and a high carbon storage capacity.