Selective and Clear-Cut Logging Have Varied Imprints on Tree Community Structure in a Moist Semi-Deciduous Forest in Ghana

Logging-induced disturbance can be an important agent of change in tropical forests. Understanding the relative impacts of specific logging regimes on tree community structure is essential for forest management and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we assessed the response of tree community structure to selective and clear-cut logging in a moist semi-deciduous forest in Ghana. We sampled trees (dbh ≥ 5 cm) from 30 20 × 20 m plots in each of three forest management systems (selectively logged, clear-cut logged, old-growth). Although both the selectively and clear-cut logged forests showed significantly lower tree species diversity than the old-growth forest, the selectively logged forest supported significantly higher tree species diversity than the clear-cut logged forest. Similarly, both logging regimes caused shifts in species composition but, the shift was higher in the clear-cut forest than the selectively logged forest, indicating a better recovery in the selectively logged forest. Selective and clear-cut logged forests supported similar tree density, but lower than that of the old-growth forest. Finally, the old-growth forest harboured significantly higher basal area than the selectively logged forest, which in turn, had significantly higher basal area than the clear-cut logged forest. Overall, selective logging imprints on tree community structure were lower than clear-cut logging due to faster recovery by the former. Our findings suggest that full recovery of logged tropical forests goes beyond short or medium term into long term