Ecological and biogeographical studies on the tropical rain forest of south Yunnan,SW China with a special reference to its relation with rain forests of tropical Asia

Abstract. Ecological and biogeographic analyses of the tropical rain forest in south Yunnan were made using data from seventeen sample plots and floristic inventories of about 1000 species of seed plants. The rain forest is shown to be a type of true tropical rain forest because it has almost the same profile, physiognomic characteristics, species richness per unit area, numbers of individuals in each tree species and diameter classes of trees as classic lowland tropical rain forests. As the area is at the northern margin of monsoonal tropics, the rain forest differs from equatorial lowland rain forests in having some deciduous trees in the canopy layer, fewer megaphanaerophytes and epiphytes but more species of lianas as well as more species of microphylls. In its floristic composition, about 80% of total families. 94% of total genera and more than 90% of total species are tropical, of which about 38% of genera and 74% of species are tropical Asian. Furthermore, the rain forest has not only almost the same families and genera, but also the same families rank in the top ten both in species richness and in dominance of stems, as lowland forests in southeast Asia. It is indisputable that the flora of the rain forest is part of the tropical Asian flora. However, most of the tropical families and genera have their northern limits in south Yunnan and most have their centre of species diversity in Malesia. More strictly tropical families and genera have relatively lower species richness and importance compared with lowland rain forests in tropical southeast Asia. Thus, the flora also shows characteristics of being at the margin of the tropics. Based mainly on physiognomy and floristic composition the tropical rain forest of Yunnan is classified into two types, i.e. seasonal rain forest and wet seasonal rain forest, the latter is further divided into two subtypes, i.e. mixed rain forest and dipterocarp rain forest. From analysis of geographic elements it is also shown that the tropical rain forest of Yunnan occurs at a geographical nexus with its flora coming mainly from four sources, i.e. Malesia, south Himalayas, Indochina and China.     

Landscape-Scale Environmental and Floristic Variation in Costa Rican Old-Growth Rain Forest Remnants

Studies of tropical rain forest beta-diversity debate environmental determinism versus dispersal limitation as principal mechanisms underlying floristic variation. We examined the relationship between soil characteristics, terrain, climate variation, and rain forest composition across a 3000 km² area in northeastern Costa Rica. Canopy tree and arboreal palm species abundance and soils were measured from 127 0.25-ha plots across Caribbean lowlands and foothills. Plot elevation, slope, temperature, and precipitation variation were taken from digital grids. Ordination of forest data yielded three floristic groups with strong affinities to foothills and differing lowland environments. Variation in floristics, soil texture, and climate conditions showed parallel patterns of significantly positive spatial autocorrelation up to 13 km and significantly negative correlation beyond 40 km. Partial Mantel tests resulted in a significant correlation between floristic distance and terrain, climate and soil textural variables controlling the effect of geographical distance. Separate comparisons for palm species showed significant correlation with Mg and Ca concentrations among other soil factors. Arboreal palm species demonstrated a stronger relationship with soil factors than did canopy trees. Correlation between floristic data and geographical distance, related to seed dispersal or unmeasured variables, was not significant after controlling for soil characteristics and elevation. Canopy trees and palms showed differing relationships to soil and other environmental factors, but lend greater support for a niche-assembly hypothesis than to a major role for dispersal limitation in determining species turnover for this landscape.     

Temporal and spatial patterns of mass flowerings on the Malay Peninsula

We propose a hypothesis to explain the temporal and spatial patterns of mass flowerings in dipterocarp tree species on the Malay Peninsula. The literature on these mass flowerings reveals that during 1980-2002 at least 11 flowerings occurred at irregular intervals of 1-6 yr in a lowland rain forest. Five of them were typical mass flowerings-a high density of flowering trees and the characteristic sequential flowering of Shorea species. The 11 flowerings were classified into two flowering times: spring and autumn. There is evidence that low temperature and drought triggered the flowerings. Therefore, the seasonality of mass flowerings is characterized by the annual patterns of rainfall and low temperature. In addition, changes in El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) may play important roles in determining the supra-annual occurrence of mass flowerings. Flowering surveys on the Malay Peninsula implied that regions with spring or autumn mass flowerings corresponded geographically to those regions that had one cool season (December-February) or two (December-February and June-August), respectively. This finding anticipates the seasonal pattern and geographical distribution of mass flowerings on the Malay Peninsula.     

Congruence between floristic patterns of trees and lianas in a southwest Amazonian rain forest

The congruence in floristic patterns between different life-forms of woody plants remains poorly understood in tropical rain forests. We explored whether the floristic patterns of woody plants, divided into small trees 2.5–10 cm dbh, large trees ≥10 cm dbh, and lianas ≥2.5 cm dbh were associated with each other or with patterns in soil properties, elevation, and geographical distances between sample plots. We also tested whether ecological amplitudes in relation to environmental variables differed among the plant groups. Trees and lianas were inventoried in 44 0.1-ha plots, distributed among three lowland and two submontane sites in the Madidi National Park, Bolivia. Soil samples were analysed for physico-chemical properties. Floristic differences between sites (as measured with each plant group separately) yielded significant Mantel correlations with each other, and with pH, Ca, Mg, elevation and geographical distance. Mantel correlations with edaphic distances were higher for large trees than small trees, but for Mantel correlations with geographical distance the situation was reversed. Environmental and geographical distances explained 31% of the variation in floristic differences for large trees, 22% for small trees, and 10% for lianas. The ecological amplitudes of lianas were wider than those of all trees for pH, Mg and elevation. The amplitudes of the two size classes of trees did not differ. In principal coordinates ordination, the three plant groups produced similar overall floristic patterns that were explainable by environmental factors.     

Tree Leaf Form in Brunei: A Heath Forest and a Mixed Dipterocarp Forest Compared1

Canopy‐top leaves of the dominant tree species from two 0.96‐ha plots in Brunei, northern Borneo, were sampled for structural and chemical analysis. Thirteen species from the mixed dipterocarp forest at Andulau and 14 from the lowland heath forest at Badas were studied. The heath‐forest species had significantly thicker leaves and were lower in nitrogen and ash concentration than those from the mixed dipterocarp forest. There were no significant differences between the two species groups in leaf mass per unit area (LMA), leaf fracture toughness, carbon concentration, 8¹³C, neutral detergent fiber concentration, sclerophylly index, and stomatal density. A significant negative correlation between %C and 8¹³C was found for the species from the mixed dipterocarp forest, but not those from the heath forest. The degree of sclerophylly measured in physical terms overlapped between the two sites to a considerable degree; however, all six species tested that were present in both plots had higher leaf fracture toughness in the heath forest. The possible reasons for the marked sclerophylly in the mixed dipterocarp forest are discussed.     

云南热带雨林:特征、生物地理起源与演化北大核心CSCD

云南热带雨林具有与东南亚低地热带雨林类似的群落结构、生态外貌特征和物种多样性,是亚洲热带雨林的一个类型。它的植物区系组成中有90%的属和多于80%的种为热带分布成分,其中约40%的属和70%的种为热带亚洲分布型,它含属种较多的优势科和在群落中重要值较大的科也与亚洲热带雨林相似,是亚洲热带雨林和植物区系的热带北缘类型。云南西南部、南部与东南部的热带雨林在群落结构和生态外貌上类似,但在南部与东南部之间有明显的植物区系分异,它们经历了不同的起源背景和演化历程。云南的热带雨林在很大程度上由西南季风维持。喜马拉雅隆升导致西南季风气候形成和加强,在云南热带局部地区产生了湿润气候,发育了热带雨林植被。现在的云南热带雨林里或其分布地区有落叶物种或热带落叶林存在,这不仅是季节性气候的影响,推测在晚第三纪或第四纪更新世云南热带地区曾经历了干旱气候。云南热带雨林的分布主要受制于局部生境,并非地区性气候条件。     

Effects of selective logging on tree diversity,composition and plant functional type patterns in a Bornean rain forest

Abstract. The effects of selective logging on tree diversity, changes in tree species composition and plant functional types were studied with the use of seven permanent plots in virgin and in logged forest. All plots were located in a lowland dipterocarp rain forest in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. Just after logging and during the following 20 yr tree diversity measured as Fishers’α was not significantly affected in logged forest plots. Temporal shifts in tree species composition were analysed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Logged forest plots had much larger changes over time than virgin forest plots. In the smallest diameter class, some logged forest plots showed a distinct trajectory in PCA space compared to virgin forest plots, while in larger diameter classes movement of logged plots in PCA space was random. This suggests that there is no predetermined community to which logged forest plots tend to shift when recovering from logging. We found a significant negative correlation between diameter increments and the species‐specific wood densities of tree species. Species‐specific wood density and potential tree height were used to assign species to five PFTs. As expected, logging increased the fraction of softwood stems in small diameter classes. In the largest diameter classes (≥ 50 cm DBH) a strong decrease of softwood emergent stems was found in logged forest plots. After more than 20 yr no recruitment was found of softwood emergent stems in selectively logged forest.     

Tree turnover in a premontane neotropical forest (1998–2009) in Costa Rica

Tropical premontane forests between 700 and 1,400 m.a.s.l. represent a particular component of the gamma diversity of neotropical ecosystems; however, the extent of information about their dynamics lags behind the more studied lowland rain forests. Data from three 1-ha permanent plots in a premontane forest in Costa Rica collected during an 11-year period (1998–2009) suggested a high tree turnover rate for this ecosystem (high mortality rate, λ = 2.4% and annual recruitment, μ = 2.6%). The floristic composition did not significantly change during the study period, but its high dynamism (2.4%) exceeded that of several reported values from highly diverse neotropical lowland rain forests. The documented decrease in abundance (8.6%) and basal area (14.3%) of trees ≥10 cm in DBH differs from the general trend of increase described for several lowland tropical rain forests in recent decades. We detected a significant population reduction (>15% of individuals from 1998 to 2009) in several relatively abundant tree species, whereas the populations of the three most dominant species remained nearly constant. The high tree turnover recorded for this premontane forest might not have affected tree diversity; but it might be promoting recruitment and growth of some tree species that may eventually become over-dominant in this ecosystem.     

西双版纳青梅林的群落学研究

本文对分布在西双版纳勐腊县南部以龙脑香科植物版纳青梅为标志树种的热带森林作了群落学分析,认为它具有热带雨林的结构和基本特征,在性质上属于热带季节雨林。由于分布海拔偏高和生境特殊,它的上层乔木几乎常绿,在外貌上与望天树林和本地区典型的季节雨林有一定差异,在区系组成上向山地雨林过渡,它表现为一种季节雨林向山地雨林过渡的类型,同时也是一种热带北缘地区季节雨林的海拔极限类型。     

Modelling rainfall and canopy controls on net-precipitation beneath selectively-logged tropical forest

Understanding spatio-temporal patterns in rainfall received beneath tropical forest is required for eco- hydrological modelling of soil-water status, river behaviour, soil erosion, nutrient loss and wet-canopy evaporation. As selective-logging of tropical forest leaves a very complex mosaic of canopy types, it is likely to add to the spatio-temporal complexity of this sub-canopy or net precipitation. As a precursor to addressing this problem, the analysis presented here will examine the two dominant biophysical controls on sub-canopy precipitation. These controls are: (a) the spatial and temporal patterns in above-canopy or gross rainfall, and (b) the rate of wet-canopy evaporation associated with each type of canopy structure created by selective-forestry. For this study, over 400 raingauges were installed within a 10 km² area of lowland dipterocarp forest affected by selective-forestry some 9-years prior to this work. Gauges were located beneath various canopy types and within large openings. The spatial distribution of gross rainfall (monitored within the openings) was modelled using variography, while the effects of different canopy types on sub-canopy preciptation was analysed by comparing 6-month totals. The temporal distribution of gross rainfall over an 11-year record collected at the same site (Danum Valley Field Centre) was modelled with Data-Based-Mechanistic (DBM) approaches. These DBM approaches were also applied to the rainfall time-series of the two adjacent meteorological stations; all three gauges being contained within a 5000 km² region of Eastern Sabah in Malaysian Borneo.Strong diurnal modulation was apparent within gross rainfall for the inland rainforest site, with a distribution consistent with a dominance of local convective rain cells. A similarly strong cycle coincident with the periodicity of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was present within all of the region's rainfall records, though marked differences in annual and intra-annual seasonality were apparent. The preliminary variogram modelling indicated that a deterministic drift was present within the local-scale gross rainfall data, probably related to local topographic effects. Notwithstanding the need to remove this drift, the work indicated that spatial models of gross rainfall could be identified and used to interpret similar models of net-precipitation. During the ENSO drought-period monitored, the lowland dipterocarp forest allowed 91% of the gross rainfall to reach the ground as throughfall. These rates were, however, reduced to between 80%–86% beneath representative plots of moderately impacted to creeper-covered, highly damaged patches of forest.     

云南热带季雨林及其与热带雨林植被的比较

在中国植物学文献中, 对热带季雨林的解释和运用是不一致的, 特别是易于把季雨林与热带雨林相混淆。季雨林是在具有明显干、湿季变化的热带季风气候下发育的一种热带落叶森林植被, 是介于热带雨林与热带稀树草原(savanna)之间的一个植被类型。云南的热带季雨林在分布生境、生态外貌特征、植物种类组成和地理成分构成上, 均与热带雨林有明显区别, 季雨林主要分布在海拔1 000 m以下的几大河流开阔河段两岸和河谷盆地, 其群落结构相对简单, 乔木一般仅有1至2层, 上层树种在干季落叶或上层及下层树种在干季都落叶; 在生活型组成上, 季雨林的木质藤本相对较少, 大高位芽植物及地上芽植物很少, 但地面芽植物很丰富, 地下芽植物和一年生植物也相对丰富; 在叶级和叶型特征上, 季雨林植物的小叶和复叶比例相对较高, 分别占到24%和44%; 在植物区系地理成分构成上, 季雨林的热带分布属合计也占绝对优势, 但以泛热带分布属的比例相对较高, 约占到总属数的30%, 热带亚洲至热带非洲分布属的比例也较高, 约占总属数的12%。季雨林的地理成分更为多样性, 起源与发展历史也更复杂和古老。     

Floristic composition across a climatic gradient in a neotropical lowland forest

Abstract. This study deals with the floristic composition of lowland tropical forest in the watershed of the Panama Canal. The floristic composition of large trees in 54 forest plots was analysed with respect to environmental factors, including precipitation, geologic parent material, stand age, topography, and soils. The plots contain 824 species of trees with a diameter at breast height ≥10 cm and represent a regional flora with exceptional β‐diversity. Plot data indicate that the Panamanian forest is strongly spatially structured at the landscape scale with floristic similarity decreasing rapidly as a function of inter‐plot geographic distance, especially for distances <5 km. The ordinations and patterns of endemism across the study area indicate broad floristic associations well correlated with Holdridge life zones. The results indicate the positive aspects of life zone classification at regional scales, while simultaneously highlighting its inadequacy for finer scales of analysis and resource management. Multivariate gradient analysis techniques (Non‐metric Multidimensional Distance Scaling and Detrended Correspondence Analysis) show clear patterns of floristic variability correlated with regional precipitation trends, surficial geology, and local soil attributes. Geologic and edaphic conditions, such as acidic soils or excessively drained limestone substrates, appear to override the effects of precipitation and modify forest composition. We conclude that the Panamanian forest shows clear patterns of spatial organization along environmental gradients, predominantly precipitation. The rapid decline in floristic similarity with distance between stands also suggests a role for dispersal limitation and stochastic events.     

Dynamic steady state of patch-mosaic tree size structure of a mixed dipterocarp forest regulated by local crowding

A patch age- and tree size-structured simulator was applied to demonstrate the landscape dynamics of a lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, using census data over a 3 year interval from two 1 ha plots in northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia (Western Borneo). Tree growth rate and recruitment rate were estimated as functions of tree size and local crowding. The effect of local crowding was assumed to be one-sided through light competition, where the basal area for all trees larger than a target tree inside the circle of 10 m radius around the target was employed as the index of crowding. Estimated parameters were similar between the two plots. Tree mortality was expressed by descending function of tree size with asymptotic mortality for large trees corresponding to the gap formation rate. One parameter specifying the survival of trees at gap formation, which was required for the landscape-level simulation of a shifting-gap mosaic, was left undetermined from plot census data. Through simulation, this parameter was estimated so as to best fit the observed among-patch variation in terms of local basal area. The overall time course of simulation and tree size structure were not sensitive to this parameter, suggesting that one-sided competition along the vertical forest profile is a stronger determinant of average forest structure than among-patch horizontal heterogeneity in this forest. Simulated dynamic steady state successfully reproduced the observed forest architecture in the gap-dynamic landscape. It took about 400 years for a vacant landscape to be replaced by a steady-state architecture of forest. Sensitivity analysis suggests that steady-state basal area and biomass are most sensitive to changing gap formation rate and intrinsic size growth rate.     

Flooding and soil composition determine beta diversity of lowland forests in Northern South America

Beta diversity may be determined by dispersal limitation, environment, and phylogeographic history. Our objective was to advance the understanding of plant species turnover in rain forests in northern South America and determine which factors are affecting species beta diversity. We evaluated the relative effect of environmental variables (i.e., soil, climate, fragmentation, and flooding frequency) and dispersal limitation (i.e., geographical distance and resistance distance due mountain barriers) on tree beta diversity in 32 1‐ha lowland forest plots. We found that tree species turnover was better explained by environmental distance than by geographical distance. Although soil conditions and flooding regime were good predictors of tree species composition, almost half of the variance remained unexplained. In our study system, the eastern Andean ridge had no significant effect on plant beta diversity, probably because of its young age in relation to the phylogeny. Our results provide support for the importance of environmental factors and suggest a more restricted role of dispersal limitation. Therefore, we advise that conservation strategies of lowland trees should consider specific forest types (e.g., seasonally flooded vs. terra firme, as well as piedmont vs. central Amazonian forests).     

Spatial distribution and floristic composition of trees and lianas in different forest types of an Amazonian rainforest

A quantitative inventory of trees and lianas was conducted (1) to compare floristic composition, diversity and stem density variation between three different forest types (tierra firme, floodplain and swamp), and (2) to analyse the relationships between floristic similarity and forest structure in two regions ~60 km apart in Yasuní National Park, Amazonian Ecuador. A total of 1,087 species with a diameter at breast height ≥ 2.5 cm were recorded in 25 0.1-ha plots. Tierra firme was the habitat with the highest number of species and stem density for trees and lianas, followed by floodplain and swamp in both regions. Two hypotheses that have been independently proposed to describe plant distribution in tropical rain forests, together explain species spatial distribution in this study. The fact that the 30 most important species per forest type (totalling 119 species) accounted for 48.2% of total individuals supports the oligarchy hypothesis. Likewise, 28 out of these 119 species are reported as restricted to a single forest type, which supports the environmental-determinism hypothesis. In general, both canopy and understorey trees and lianas showed rather similar floristic patterns across different forest types and regions.     

Tree species composition and diversity gradients in white-water forests across the Amazon Basin

Aim Attention has increasingly been focused on the floristic variation within forests of the Amazon Basin. Variations in species composition and diversity are poorly understood, especially in Amazonian floodplain forests. We investigated tree species composition, richness and α diversity in the Amazonian white‐water (várzea) forest, looking particularly at: (1) the flood‐level gradient, (2) the successional stage (stand age), and (3) the geographical location of the forests. Location Eastern Amazonia, central Amazonia, equatorial western Amazonia and the southern part of western Amazonia. Methods The data originate from 16 permanent várzea forest plots in the central and western Brazilian Amazon and in the northern Bolivian Amazon. In addition, revised species lists of 28 várzea forest inventories from across the Amazon Basin were used. Most important families and species were determined using importance values. Floristic similarity between plots was calculated to detect similarity variations between forest types and over geographical distances. To check for spatial diversity gradients, α diversity (Fisher) of the plots was correlated with stand age, longitudinal and latitudinal plot location, and flood‐level gradient. Results More than 900 flood‐tolerant tree species were recorded, which indicates that Amazonian várzea forests are the most species‐rich floodplain forests worldwide. The most important plant families recorded also dominate most Neotropical upland forests, and c. 31% of the tree species listed also occur in the uplands. Species distribution and diversity varied: (1) on the flood‐level gradient, with a distinct separation between low‐várzea forests and high‐várzea forests, (2) in relation to natural forest succession, with species‐poor forests in early stages of succession and species‐rich forests in later stages, and (3) as a function of geographical distance between sites, indicating an increasing α diversity from eastern to western Amazonia, and simultaneously from the southern part of western Amazonia to equatorial western Amazonia. Main conclusions The east‐to‐west gradient of increasing species diversity in várzea forests reflects the diversity patterns also described for Amazonian terra firme. Despite the fine‐scale geomorphological heterogeneity of the floodplains, and despite high disturbance of the different forest types by sedimentation and erosion, várzea forests are dominated by a high proportion of generalistic, widely distributed tree species. In contrast to high‐várzea forests, where floristic dissimilarity increases significantly with increasing distance between the sites, low‐várzea forests can exhibit high floristic similarity over large geographical distances. The high várzea may be an important transitional zone for lateral immigration of terra firme species to the floodplains, thus contributing to comparatively high species richness. However, long‐distance dispersal of many low‐várzea trees contributes to comparatively low species richness in highly flooded low várzea.     

福建三明瓦坑的赤枝栲林

本文讨论的赤枝栲1)(Castanopsis kawakamii)林,地处福建省三明市郊瓦坑地区,属我国中亚热带东南缘。据调查31块样地共3100m2群落种类组成中,含维管束植物52科、90属、139种;其中单种属占总数的75.6%。植物区系为热带、泛热带分布的成分、共占科与属总数的61.5%与67.8%。高位芽生活型植物占总数的87.9%。基于对群落外貌的植物生活型与叶特征等分析表明,该群落是从南亚热带雨林到中亚热带常绿阔叶林的过渡类型。对该森林乔木种的年龄结构分析,乔、灌木种多样性指数与均匀度的计算等,显示出赤枝栲林是相对稳定性较大的群落。     

Disturbance-Mediated Drift in Tree Functional Groups in Amazonian Forest Fragments

The interactive effects of forest disturbance and fragmentation on tropical tree assemblages remain poorly understood. We examined the effects of forest patch and landscape metrics, and levels of forest disturbance on the patterns of floristic composition and abundance of tree functional groups within 21 forest fragments and two continuous forest sites in southern Brazilian Amazonia. Trees were sampled within 60 (10 × 250 m) plots placed in the core areas of the fragments. Tree assemblage composition and abundance were summarized using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Forest patch size explained 36.2 percent and 30 percent of the variance in the proportion of small-seeded softwood and hardwood stems in the 21 forest patches, respectively. Large fragments retained a higher abundance of hardwood tree species whereas small-seeded softwood trees appear to proliferate rapidly in small disturbed fragments. Generalized linear mixed models showed that time since fragmentation had both positive and negative effects on the density of different functional groups of trees and on the ordination axes describing tree abundance. The composition and abundance of different tree genera were also related to time since fragmentation, distance to the nearest edge, and fire severity, despite the recent post-isolation history of the forest patches surveyed. Both the proliferation of fast-growing pioneer trees and the decline of hardwood trees found in our forest plots have profound consequences on the floristic composition, forest dynamics, carbon storage, and nutrient cycling in Amazonian forest fragments.     

Geological History,Flora, and Vegetation of Xishuangbanna,Southern Yunnan,China1

Xishuangbanna of southern Yunnan is biogeographically located at a transitional zone from tropical Southeast (SE) Asia to subtropical East Asia, and is at the junction of the Indian and Burmese plates of Gondwana and the Eurasian plate of Laurasia. The flora of the region consists of a recorded 3336 native seed plant species, belonging to 1140 genera in 197 families, among which 83.5 percent are tropical genera and 32.8 percent are endemic to tropical Asia, suggesting a strong affinity to tropical Asian flora. The vegetation of Xishuangbanna is organized into four forest types: tropical rain forest, tropical seasonal moist forest, tropical montane evergreen broad‐leaved forest, and tropical monsoon forest. The tropical rain forest in Xishuangbanna has the same floristic composition of families and genera as some lowland equatorial rain forests in SE Asia, and is dominated (with a few exceptions) by the same families both in species richness and stem dominance. The exceptions include some deciduous trees in the canopy layer, fewer megaphanerophytes and epiphytes, and a higher abundance of lianas and microphyllic plants. We consider the tropical rain forest of Xishuangbanna as a type of tropical Asian rain forest, based on their conspicuous similarities in ecological and floristic characteristics.     

The Sabah Biodiversity Experiment: a long-term test of the role of tree diversity in restoring tropical forest structure and functioning

Relatively, little is known about the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in forests, especially in the tropics. We describe the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment: a large-scale, long-term field study on the island of Borneo. The project aims at understanding the relationship between tree species diversity and the functioning of lowland dipterocarp rainforest during restoration following selective logging. The experiment is planned to run for several decades (from seed to adult tree), so here we focus on introducing the project and its experimental design and on assessing initial conditions and the potential for restoration of the structure and functioning of the study system, the Malua Forest Reserve. We estimate residual impacts 22 years after selective logging by comparison with an appropriate neighbouring area of primary forest in Danum Valley of similar conditions. There was no difference in the alpha or beta species diversity of transect plots in the two forest types, probably owing to the selective nature of the logging and potential effects of competitive release. However, despite equal total stem density, forest structure differed as expected with a deficit of large trees and a surfeit of saplings in selectively logged areas. These impacts on structure have the potential to influence ecosystem functioning. In particular, above-ground biomass and carbon pools in selectively logged areas were only 60 per cent of those in the primary forest even after 22 years of recovery. Our results establish the initial conditions for the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment and confirm the potential to accelerate restoration by using enrichment planting of dipterocarps to overcome recruitment limitation. What role dipterocarp diversity plays in restoration only will become clear with long-term results.