Influence of Distance from Forest Edges on Spontaneous Vegetation Succession Following Small-Scale Gold Mining in the Southeast Peruvian Amazon

Few studies describe the factors that influence natural regeneration in abandoned gold mining areas Amazon. Here we focus on of distance to forest edge and abandonment time a spontaneous succession degraded by southeastern Peruvian We assessed woody species composition (DBH ≥ 1 cm) stand structure across chronosequence (2–23 years). A total 79 belonging 30 families were identified. The was dominated Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Urticaceae. Together, they represented 60% importance index. Cecropia membranacea Ochroma pyramidale dominant pioneer at initial successional stage. basal area diversity directly related after inversely edges. distance-based redundancy analysis showed more variation explained than time. Our study revealed relatively slow provided evidence is important for mining.