Ethnobotany of woody species in second-growth, old-growth, and selectivelylogged forests of northeastern Costa Rica

We assessed quantitatively the woody species used for timber, medicine, and other products in 10 tropical wet-forest stands with different land-use hi stories in the Atlantic lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica. Species were c lassified into 20 use categories based on regional ethnobotanical studies. Three size classes of woody vegetation were sampled in nested, continous pl ots along transects: trees (greater than or equal to 5 cm diameter at breas t height [dbh]), saplings (>1 m high, <5 cm dbh), and seedlings (>20 cm hig h, <1 m high). Our study included five second-growth stands, three old-grow th stands, and two selectively, logged stands Of the 459 woody species surv eyed, 70% of the species and 86% of the total number of individuals had at least one use. Overall, species richness was highest for medicinal species (167 species). Absolute and relative abundance of medicinal and timber tree s was significantly higher in second-growth stands than in old-growth and s electively logged stands. For 8 of the 15 use categories examined statistic ally: stem density? showed no significant differences across forest types f or any stem size class Young, tropical second-growth forests and selectivel y logged forests have high utilitarian as well as conservation value and wi ll likely become important sources of forest products. The success of secon dary forest regeneration, however, depends critically upon conservation of genetically diverse source populations in forest fragments and protected ol d-growth stands.