Guadua angustifolia bamboo is historically used by an important percentage of the rural and peri-urban population of Ecuador, especially in the construction of bridges, when events like El Niño and its consequential flooding occur. This study aimed to determine, in light of some climate change scenarios, the vulnerability rate of ecosystems where the G. angustifolia bamboo species occurs, in the coastal region of continental Ecuador. The analysis methodology, with focus on the sampled units, was based on vulnerability assessment tools for climate adaptation recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Temperature presented the highest correlation coefficient with the vulnerability rate of the ecosystems, followed by the increase in the sea level, winds and landslides. It was concluded that as the exposure and sensitivity variables increase, the adaptive capacity of ecosystems with occurence of this species decreases, and isolated plants and monoculture plantations are the most vulnerable to climate changes.

Identifying optimal seed sources is critical for the propagation and restoration of Juglans neotropica Diels in the northern Ecuadorian Andes, where populations are declining due to habitat loss and overexploitation. This study evaluated the seed quality and germination performance of Juglans neotropica from three ecologically distinct provenances: a natural regeneration site (Cuyuja), a pure plantation (Natabuela), and an agroforestry system (Pimampiro). Five phenotypically superior trees were selected from each site, and germination was assessed under controlled nursery conditions over a 150-day period using a completely randomized design. Initial viability tests confirmed the physiological integrity of the seeds across all provenances. Germination onset ranged from day 55 to day 73, with significant differences in germination percentage, speed, and uniformity. The agroforestry provenance showed the highest germination rate (69%) and superior performance in all physiological indices, while natural regeneration had the lowest (15%). Post-trial viability assessments indicated that a substantial proportion of non-germinated seeds from Cuyuja remained dormant or deteriorated. These findings underscore the role of agroforestry systems in enhancing seed physiological quality and support their prioritization for large-scale propagation and ecological restoration initiatives involving Juglans neotropica.

Los ecosistemas de montaña son extremadamente vulnerables al cambio climático, razón por la cual se encuentran particularmente en riesgo las poblaciones de montaña que dependen de la actividad agrícola y ganadera. Esta investigación se desarrolló en cinco sitios, en las provincias de Imbabura y Carchi con el objetivo de determinar la tasa de fijación de carbono (C) en sistemas agroforestales gestionados por pequeños productores en los Andes del Ecuador. Adicional a esto, se adaptó la metodología al contexto socioeconómico y productivo de los pequeños productores. Las unidades experimentales fueron cinco prácticas agroforestales representativas de la región andina norte. Se cuantificó el contenido de C a partir de la biomasa aérea para cada especie forestal. Para cuantificar la biomasa de las especies agrícolas y pastos, se utilizó el método directo de muestreo des­tructivo. La cantidad de C de cada una de las prácticas agroforestales fue determinada multiplicando el valor de biomasa aérea por la fracción de C 0,5. La mayor tasa de fijación de C fue de 87,13 Mg CO2 ha-1 y se registró en la práctica silvopastoril de Eucalyptus globulus en asocio con Pennisetum clandestinum. Tanto en esta práctica como en las que Alnus nepalensis está asociado con Coffea arabica, e Inga insignis asociado con Phaseolus vulgaris, las especies forestales fijan el 89% del C total y las especies agrícolas el 11%. Los sistemas agroforestales andinos manejados por pequeños productores fijan C con tasas superiores a sistemas similares desarrollados en otros sitios localizados tanto dentro como fuera del país.

Chionanthus pubescens Kunth and C. virginicus seeds present double dormancy, what represents a problem for their sexual reproduction, given that it prevents them from reaching adequate germination rates. This research aimed to apply pre-germinative treatments to overcome the double dormancy in C. pubescens and C. virginicus seeds, as well as to improve both the germination speed and the amount of obtained seedlings. A completely randomized design was applied, with four treatments for each species (soaking seeds in cold water, soaking seeds in hot water, mechanical scarification and control) and three replications. For C. pubescens, the pre-germinative treatment with the best results was mechanical scarification, with a 39.22 % germinative capacity; while, for C. virginicus, the best treatment was soaking seeds in hot water (49.00 %).

La especie Juglans neotropica Diels, conocida en Ecuador como nogal o tocte, se encuentra amenazada debido a la pérdida de su hábitat en la región Andina de América del Sur. En el país es escaso el conocimiento referente a la correlación entre la disminución de la población de nogal y el dominio de técnicas para la propagación de la especie. La reproducción de J. neotropica presenta la limitante de la latencia física de sus semillas; los tratamientos pregerminativos constituyen un medio idóneo para superar la baja uniformidad en la germinación de las semillas de nogal a causa del letargo que poseen. La presente investigación tuvo el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de tratamientos pre germinativos en la latencia de las semillas de Juglans neotropica. Se utilizó un diseño experimental completamente al azar con seis tratamientos y un testigo, tres repeticiones y 25 semillas por cada unidad experimental. En cuanto a la germinación acumulada, al final del ensayo, todos los tratamientos pregerminativos presentaron porcentajes significativamente superiores a los registrados por el testigo. De entre los tratamientos usados, el agua corriente por cinco días (T1) mostró mayor capacidad germinativa, según todas las variables vinculadas a este criterio, alcanzando un porcentaje de germinación final del 80%; mientras que la escarificación de la punta de la semilla con una lija N° 80 durante diez minutos alcanzó su pico de germinación (66%) en un menor tiempo. Se concluye que los tratamientos pregerminativos influyen significativamente en el incremento del porcentaje y disminución del tiempo de germinación de Juglans neotropica.

The Andean walnut (Juglans neotropica Diels), locally known as tocte, is a keystone tree species of major socio-ecological importance in South American mountain ecosystems, facing severe anthropogenic pressure associated with genetic erosion, habitat fragmentation, and unregulated selective logging. This article presents a case study applying a qualitative phenomenological approach to examine the power relations and institutional failures shaping the sustainable management of its value chain in Imbabura Province, Ecuador. Drawing on 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews with key actors (including woodcarvers, sawyers, traders, and environmental authorities) conducted between March and September 2025 until theoretical saturation was achieved, and supported by thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti, we identified five thematic categories revealing the tension between cultural valuation and market pressure. The findings confirm the existence of a value paradox, whereby high timber demand paradoxically accelerates resource depletion rather than incentivizing conservation, as premature harvesting of young trees undermines the viability of non-timber forest products such as nuts and accelerates the loss of local genetic resources. We conclude that the long-term conservation of the species requires a transition toward polycentric stewardship, community forestry enterprises, and integrated landscape management in which the standing tree is formally recognized as carrying greater ecological and economic value than harvested timber.