The Impact Caused By The Introduction Of A Pine Forest In The Arthropod's Fauna Of A Tropical Savanna And Its Consequences

The introduction of a huge (500,000 ha) Pimts caribea plantation drastically modified the insect fauna of the original savanna ecosystem. The effect was due to a gradual replacement of the original savanna vegetation by the pines. All savanna plant species were eliminated either by shadowing or by the accumulation of a heavy acid litter layer (pine aciculae), over 1500 g/m2 dry weight The result was the local extinction of some arthropod's groups and huge increments in the abundance of others. After five years of the harvesting of the pines, the savanna seems to be still very far from total recovery. It is estimated that, if recovery finally takes place, will require a period of more than twenty years.