Thirty four years of a secondary succession on Ñadi grassland in the Valdivia province, Chile

Abstract

Secondary succession was studied from 1965-1998 in an anthropogenic grassland on ñadi soil in Valdivia province, Chile.
Species number, phenology, community composition and successional pattern were examined.
At the beginning, the botanical composition was dominated by perennial grasses, sedges, rushes, perennial herbs and annual grasses.
Species number decresed up to year 3, but increased from year 10. The grassland community was invaded mainly by a sere of Rubus constrictus up to year 10 when the cover value reached to 40 %. From year 15 up to day has developed a tree community. At present, there is a mixed forest dominated by a sere of Maytenus boaria. It was expected that the final sere will be an edaphic climax.