title: Anthropogenic effects on a tropical forest according to the distance from human settlements.
abstract: The protection of tropical forests is one of the most urgent issues in conservation biology because of the rapid deforestation that has occurred over the last 50 years. Even in protected forests, the anthropogenic effects from newly expanding villages such as harvesting of medicinal plants, pasturing cattle and forest fires can induce environmental modifications, especially on the forest floor. We evaluated the anthropogenic effects of the daily activities of neighboring residents on natural forests in 12 plots extending from the village boundary into a natural forest in Thailand. The basal area per unit land area did not present a significant trend; however, the species diversity of woody plants decreased linearly towards the village boundary, which caused a loss of individual density because of severe declines in small saplings compared with adult trees and large saplings in proximity to the village. An analysis of tree-size categories indicates a lack of small samplings near the village boundary. The current forest appears to be well protected based on the adult tree canopy, but regeneration of the present-day forests is unlikely because of the loss of seedlings.
authors.affiliation: Inter-Department of Environmental Science, Graduate School of Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Rd. Phatumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Ananya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popradit
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Rd, Phatumwan, Bangkok 10330 Thailand.
authors.forename: Thares
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Srisatit
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University, 99 Moo 18 Paholyothin Road, KlongLuang, Rangsit, Prathumthani 12121, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somboon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiratiprayoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical and Systems Engineering and Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan.|Marine Biosystems Research Center, Chiba University, Kamogawa 299-5502, Japan.|Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY13210, USA.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan.
authors.forename: Masae
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiyomi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 226-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, KhonKaen University, 123 Moo 16, Mittraphap Road, Muang, KhonKaen 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pranom
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chantaranothai
authors.affiliation: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, 61 Pholyothin Road, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somkid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Outtaranakorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, KhonKaen University, 123 Moo 16, Mittraphap Road, Muang, KhonKaen 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Issara
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Phromma
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D006801:Humans; D000068316:Parks, Recreational; D063148:Plant Dispersal; D065947:Rainforest; D013785:Thailand; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology*