DOI: 10.5061/dryad.612jm64fp
title: Structural attributes of a forest fragment under climber management

description: This is a dataset containing structural attributes of a degraded edge of a
 tropical seasonal semideciduous forest fragment in the Atlantic Forest of
 southeastern Brazil. We collected data in 36 plots of approximately 45 m x
 44 m each, of which 12 had undergone climber cutting (cutting), 12 climber
 cutting in combination with planting of native tree species’ seedlings
 (cutting+planting), and 12 plots had not been managed (control). Climber
 cutting was conducted on a yearly basis since 2014 and data on trees,
 saplings, and climbers were collected at different moments in time along
 an eight-year period. We calculated tree basal area (m2.ha-1) using the
 stem diameter at breast height (DBH) measured for each large living tree
 (DBH ≥ 4.8 cm), tree density (ind.ha-1) using the number of large living
 trees, and percentage of large dead trees in relation to large living
 trees. We then calculated tree sapling (DBH &lt; 4.8 cm and total
 height ≥ 50 cm) density (ind.ha-1) using the number of saplings and
 sapling richness (number of species). Last, we calculated climber density
 (ind.ha-1) using the number of climbers longer than 1 m and climber basal
 area (m2.ha-1) using the stem diameter measured 1 m away from the rooting
 point. Data on saplings and climbers were collected in 3 m x 15 m subplots
 positioned at the centre of each of the 36 plots. In the datafile, we
 present the variable values per plot.
description: We collected data of forest structural attributes in 36 plots of
 approximately 45 m x 44 m each installed on the edge of two stretches of
 the Vassununga State Park (<em>Parque Estadual de
 Vassununga</em> - PEV) (47º34’58” S and 21º42’58” W), municipality
 of Santa Rita de Passa Quatro, southeastern Brazil. The vegetation is the
 submontane seasonal semideciduous forest, which belonging to the Brazilian
 Atlantic Forest domain, and the edge studied borders a high-traffic road
 (Departamento de Estradas e Rodagem, 2024). From 2014 to 2021, 24 plots
 underwent climber cutting (cutting) on a yearly basis (except for 2018),
 of which 12 additionally had seedlings of native tree species planted
 (cutting+planting); the remaining 12 plots were kept unmanaged
 (control). The following data were collected in the 36
 plots: <em>stem diameter at breast height </em>(DBH, measured
 at 1.3 m from the ground) of every living tree with DBH ≥ 4.8 cm (large
 trees hereafter) and <em>number of large dead trees</em>, both
 obtained after the plots were installed in 2014 and before management
 began, and again in 2015, 2016, and between October 2022 and July 2023. We
 used a 3 m x 15-m subplot positioned at the centre of each of the 36 plots
 to collect tree sapling (DBH &lt; 4.8 cm and total height ≥ 50 cm)
 data, namely <em>number of saplings </em>and
 <em>saplings’ taxonomic identification</em>. We also collected
 data on climbers longer than 1 m in the subplots, namely <em>number
 of climbers </em>and <em>climber’s stem diameter</em>,
 measured 1 m away from the rooting point. Data on saplings and climbers
 were collected between November 2021 and February 2022.
 We calculated the density.ha<sup>-1</sup> in each
 plot for large living trees, saplings, and climbers at the different
 moments in time. We also calculated the basal area of large living trees
 and climbers separately: we first calculated the basal area of each
 individual as BA<sub>ind</sub> = π(DBH²)/40,000 (Soares, Paula
 & Souza, 2012), summed the BA<sub>ind</sub> in the
 same plot (BA<sub>plot</sub>) and then calculated the basal
 area in m<sup>2</sup>.ha<sup>-1</sup> considering
 the size of each plot. Last, we calculated the percentage of large dead
 trees in relation to large living trees per plot as (number of large dead
 trees/number of large living trees)*100.
 References: Departamento de Estradas e
 Rodagem, Traffic statistics, 2024. Available at:
 http://200.144.30.103/vdm/SFCG_Concessionaria.asp?CodRodovia=SP%20330.
 Accessed on 03/13/2024. Soares, C. P. B., de Paula
 Neto, F. & de Souza, A. L. (2006). Dendrometry and forest
 inventory. [Dendrometria e inventário florestal]. UFV.
description: # Structural attributes of a forest fragment under climber management
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.612jm64fp](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.612jm64fp) This file contains the data used in the paper: Santos, G.A.M.; Martins, V.F.; Oliveira, A.C.C.; José, M.P.Z. & Viani, R.A.G. 2025. Combining Climber Cutting and Tree Seedling Planting Improves Structural Attributes of a Seasonal Semideciduous Forest in Southeastern Brazil. Biotropica 57: e70023. [https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70023](https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70023)  Comments and requests should be addressed to Ricardo Viani: [viani@ufscar.br](mailto:viani@ufscar.br). All material is free of use, but I would appreciate being told, and this dataset and the matching paper cited if appropriate. ## Description of the data and file structure ### Summary of experimental efforts underlying this dataset: The file contains data of forest structural attributes collected in 36 plots of approximately 45 m x 44 m each installed on the edge of two stretches of the Vassununga State Park (*Parque Estadual de Vassununga* - PEV) (47º34’58” S and 21º42’58” W), municipality of Santa Rita de Passa Quatro, southeastern Brazil. The vegetation is submontane seasonal semideciduous forest and the edge studied borders a high-traffic road (Departamento de Estradas e Rodagem, 2024). From 2014 to 2021, 24 plots underwent climber cutting (cutting) on a yearly basis (except for 2018), of which 12 additionally had seedlings of native tree species planted (cutting+planting); the remaining 12 plots were kept unmanaged (control). ## Description of file structure and contents, including definition of all variables and units: Lines represent the plots (1 – 36) Column *Treatment*: Cutting: forest management with climber cutting Cutting+planting: forest management with climber cutting and planting of native tree species’ seedlings Control: the forest was kept unmanaged Columns *Tree basal area (m2/ha)_2014*, *Tree basal area (m2/ha)_2015*, *Tree basal area (m2/ha)_2016*, and *Tree basal area (m2/ha)_2022-2023*: basal area of large living trees (DBH ≥ 4.8 cm) calculated at different moments in time and given by square meter per hectare. We calculated the basal area as follows: first we calculated the basal area of each individual as BAind = π(DBH²)/40000, summed the BAind in the same plot (BAplot) and then calculated the basal area in m2.ha-1 considering the size of each plot. Columns *Tree density (ind/ha)_2014*, *Tree density (ind/ha)_2015*, *Tree density (ind/ha)_2016*, and *Tree density (ind/ha)_2022-2023*: density of large living trees (DBH ≥ 4.8 cm) calculated at different moments in time and given by the number of individuals per hectare. Columns *Dead trees relative to living trees (%)_2014*, *Dead trees relative to living trees (%)_2015*, *Dead trees relative to living trees (%)_2016*, and *Dead trees relative to living trees (%)_2022-2023*: percentage of large dead trees in relation to large living trees (DBH ≥ 4.8 cm) per plot at different moments in time. We calculated the percentage of large dead trees in relation to large living trees as (number of large dead trees/number of large living trees)*100. Column *Sapling density (ind/ha)_2021-2022*: density of tree saplings (DBH &lt; 4.8 cm and total height ≥ 50 cm) in 2021-2022, given by the number of individuals per hectare. Column *Sapling richness_2021-2022*: number of tree sapling (DBH &lt; 4.8 cm and total height ≥ 50 cm) in 2021-2022. Column *Climber density (ind/ha)_2021-2022*: density of climbers (longer than 1 m) in 2021-2022, given by the number of individuals per hectare. Column *Climber basal area (m2/ha)_2021-2022*: basal area of climbers (longer than 1 m) in 2021-2022, given by square meter per hectare. We calculated the basal area as follows: first we calculated the basal area of each individual as BAind = π(DBH²)/40000, summed the BAind in the same plot (BAplot) and then calculated the basal area in m2.ha-1 considering the size of each plot.