Ecological processes influencing on the River Los Platanos riverbank

Abstract

The research was carried out on the riverbank of Los Platanos river, municipality of El Salvador, from March 2019 to May 2020; to evaluate the ecological processes that influence the structure of the river bank. The data were collected in 50 ha, establishing 40 parcels of 0.05 ha. The alpha and beta diversity was characterized, and the structural values and the index of ecological importance were evaluated. Seventeen families, 23 genera, 948 individuals and 24 species were identified. Combrataceae, Mimosaceae and Meliaceae were the families with the highest species richness, followed by Moraceae and Fabaceae. Jambosa vulgaris DC; Terminalia catappa L; Leucaena leucocephala L and Cedrela odorataL dominate the first places. T. catappa and S. saman had the greatest ecological weight. The environmental variables that influenced bank structure were forest fires, parcel agriculture, cutting of trees and intensive pasture.