Data from: The rapid recovery of a Caatinga dry forest is mediated by disturbance-adapted species

Tropical dry forest regeneration in human-modified landscapes may be more
complex than previously proposed since the remaining forest is permanently
exposed to a myriad of human disturbances. We examined the regeneration of
a Caatinga dry forest in the context of the extraction of forest products
and livestock production to reveal patterns and potential mechanisms
driving forest regeneration in a human-modified landscape. Seed, seedling,
and adult assemblages from woody species were sampled across a forest
chronosequence and old-growth forest stands. Community-level metrics were
related to the age of regenerating forest stands, precipitation, and
human-chronic disturbances via linear and non-linear statistical models
and multivariate analyses. Overall, regenerating and old-growth forest
stands exhibited similar stem abundance and species richness across all
ontogenetic stages. Little directional change occurred along forest
regeneration, with a negligible role played by forest stand age,
precipitation, and chronic human disturbance. Moreover, species
exclusively recorded as adults or seeds were mostly dispersed by animals,
indicating that several species fail in either dispersing or recruiting
due to human disturbances (e.g., defaunation) and harsh environmental
conditions. In short, the apparent fast recovery of Caatinga is due to a
low diversity and the predominance of species abiotically dispersed and
able to resprout, suggesting a human-driven degradation trajectory rather
than a natural condition.