Seasonal and Spatial Patterns in Ground Foraging Ants in a Rain Forest in the Western Ghats,India1

Seasonal variation and spatial distribution in ground foraging rain forest ants were studied in South Kannada–Kodagu District in Karnataka (India) between 1990 and 1991 by pit-fall trap sampling. All ant species showed marked seasonality. A total of 31 species were recorded from the primary forest over a period of two years. More species were recorded from the closed canopy forest than from tree fall gaps in primary forest. All ant species showed marked seasonality with fewer species and individuals sampled/plot during the wetter seasons. The numerically dominant species, Pheidole sp., was markedly lower in abundance during the wet seasons. Spatial patterns were also studied during a dry season both in the primary forest and an adjacent logged forest. More species were recorded from the logged forest than the primary forest. Community composition in primary forest was different from that in logged forest. Common species were more ubiquitous than rarer species. Species were distributed bimodally across sampling plots. Probable underlying processes behind these seasonal and spatial patterns have been discussed.     

西双版纳热带森林土壤种子库的季节变化

通过萌发实验法对西双版纳地区的一类热带季节雨林 (番龙眼、千果榄仁 )和 2类次生林(白背桐林、中平树林 )的土壤种子库的季节变化进行了探讨。结果表明 :该地区的土壤种子库动态具有明显的季节性。季节雨林的土壤种子库储量相对稳定 ,土壤上层 ( 0～ 2 cm )的种子储量在雨季末期较大。2类次生林土壤种子库的变化则相反 ,土壤种子库中的种子种类在旱季末期较雨季末期多 ,土壤上层的种子储量在旱季末期较大。各样地均有一些种类只出现在旱季末期或雨季末期。种子在土壤种子库的动态与植物的繁殖物候和所处的环境紧密相关 ,不同种类植物的土壤种子库由于植物本身的生物学特性、传播方式和所处环境的影响而表现出不同的动态模式     

Habitat preferences,seasonal abundance and diets of rodents in Alage,Southern Ethiopia

To understand habitat preferences, seasonal abundance and diets of rodents in wet and dry season surveys were conducted in Alage, Southern Ethiopia. Sherman and snap traps were used to capture rodents from the four habitats: bushland, Acacia woodland, maize and wheat farmlands. A total of 3312 trap nights, from the four trapping habitats, yielded 776 individuals that represented 11 species of rodents. The distribution of rodents varied between habitats and seasons. Wet season rodent abundance was 52.3% while in the dry season it was 47.7%. Seasonal differences in species abundance were insignificant. Bushland habitat had high wet and dry season abundances with 137 and 211 individuals, respectively. Abundance was low in maize farm (57 individuals) in the wet season and wheat farm (10 individuals) in the dry season. Stomach content composition analysis of snap‐trapped rodents from different habitats showed differences between species and across seasons. Six rodent species were recorded as pests on the farmlands in this study area. In conclusion, variation in habitat preferences and diet of rodents in different habitats and across seasons might be due to the role of ground cover and food sources.     

High butterfly beta diversity between Brazilian cerrado and cerrado–caatinga transition zones

Tropical dry forests are among the most diverse and threatened habitats in the world, yet they are rarely protected and remain poorly studied. In Brazil, dry forests are naturally fragmented and embedded within various biomes, thus making it important to assess biotic homogeneity among geographically separated forest fragments. We sampled 7732 individuals belonging to 48 species to quantify the diversity of fruit-feeding butterfly communities at four Brazilian dry forest sites, and found differences in community structure between northern and central sites. Species richness per plot was the same in both areas, but abundance per plot was higher in northern sites. Species composition differed between sites mostly due to species of Satyrinae. Additive partitioning showed that beta diversity corresponded to 70.1% of all diversity. Rather than species loss, beta diversity primarily represented species turnover that was potentially driven by differences in the surrounding habitats. Butterfly community composition and abundance were influenced by vegetation where abundance increased with tree density and basal area, and decreased with the average tree height. Butterfly species richness and abundance were higher in the wet season than in the dry season, and all species sampled in the dry season were present in the wet season. Differences in community structure across relatively short geographic distances in the same type of habitat highlight the importance of conserving tropical dry forest fragments to ensure the maintenance of butterfly diversity and, presumably, other insects.     

Aspects of community ecology of amphibians and reptiles at Bonny Island (Nigeria), an area of priority relevance for petrochemical industry

Finima Nature Park, situated in Bonny Island (Niger Delta, Nigeria), is a protected forested area placed within one of the most industrially developed (and environmentally polluted) regions of the whole African continent. Amphibian and reptile community composition in relation to season and microhabitat characteristics was studied, by a combination of field techniques, during the wet and dry seasons of 2007 and 2008. Overall, a total of 21 species of reptiles from nine families (with 668 individuals caught) and eight amphibian species from five families (492 individuals caught) were recorded. Nearly 94% of the amphibian individuals and most of the species were recorded, especially during the wet season, whereas most of the reptiles were found with no inter‐seasonal differences. However, Agama agama and Mabuya affinis were found especially during the dry season. As for microhabitat use, the reptile species showed a clear, aggregated preference for two microhabitat types (dry leaves and under logs), which are probably crucial when these animals need to lose body temperature to avoid overheating. Concerning amphibians, the various species used the available microhabitats in a way expectable from their main ecological traits, with toads differing from aquatic frogs, and these differing from arboreal frogs.     

An ecological study of small rodents in the woodland savanna of Liwonde National Park, Malawi

A community of small rodents was studied in the woodland savanna of Liwonde National Park, Malawi from September 1984 to June 1985. Seven species were recorded on two 11 ha grids, using a capture-mark-release technique. Three species ( Aelhomys chrysophilus, Acomys spinosissimus and Tatera leucogasler ) comprised 78% of all trapped individuals. Average population numbers fluctuated from 3 to 17 individuals/ha. The grid with the densest vegetation supported the greatest number of individuals. Highest population numbers occurred in the mid-dry season (when the grids appeared to act as refugia) and in the early wet season (due to recruitment of young animals). Areas which had been burned during the dry season did not support as many individuals as unburnt areas. Population survival rates were low, with only about 50% of individuals surviving to the following month. The number of individuals/ha in Liwonde NP was lower than in similar habitats in other parts of eastern Africa, probably because of the shorter rainfall season and the consequent strong seasonal fluctuations in food resources, reduced opportunity for reproduction, and overall low productivity of the ecosystem.     

北部湾近岸海域浮游动物群落结构特征及季节变化

2017年3月(枯水期)、7月(丰水期)和10月(平水期)分别对北部湾近岸海域44个站位的浮游动物进行了调查。结果共检出浮游动物251种和浮游幼体24类,其中枯水期138种(类),丰水期134种(类),平水期191种(类),分属河口低盐、近岸暖温、近岸暖水和外海暖水4个生态类群。优势种9种,其中枯水期以原生动物占绝对优势,丰水期以枝角类、桡足类和浮游幼体类占优势,平水期以十足类和浮游幼体类占优势。浮游动物丰度年均值为789.95个/m~3,呈现出枯水期(1540.19个/m~3)明显高于平水期(457.58个/m~3)和丰水期(372.08个/m~3)的季节变化特征;浮游动物生物量年均值为252.40 mg/m~3,生物量的季节变化与丰度变化不一致,平水期生物量(385.01 mg/m~3)明显高于枯水期(221.41 mg/m~3)和丰水期(150.78 mg/m~3)。多样性指数平水期最高(3.16),丰水期(2.35)次之,枯水期(2.22)最低。枯水期和丰水期北部湾近岸海域浮游动物生物量和丰度水平分布特征基本呈现自河口近岸海域向外海递增的趋势,平水期浮游动物生物量与丰度的空间分布较为均匀。浮游动物的种类组成结构以及优势种的演替对浮游动物的生物量和丰度季节变化有着重要的决定作用。径流导致的悬浮物、营养盐等的变化可能是决定北部湾近岸海域浮游动物生物量和丰度空间分布的主要因素。研究还表明与其他海湾相比,北部湾近岸海域浮游动物群落结构趋于小型化,需加大关注。     

Seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in direct-developing frogs suggests a mechanism for persistence

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a disease-causing amphibian-specific fungus, is widely distributed in Puerto Rico, but is restricted to elevations above 600 m. The effect of this pathogen in the wild was studied by monitoring Eleutherodactylus coqui and E. portoricensis in 2 upland forests at El Yunque, a site characterized by historic population declines in the presence of chytridiomycosis. We tested a potential synergistic interaction between climate and Bd by measuring prevalence of infection and level of infection per individual sampled (number of zoospores), across the dry and wet seasons for 2 yr (between 2005 and 2007). Infection levels in adult frogs were significantly higher during the dry season in both species studied, suggesting a cyclic pattern of dry/ cool-wet/warm climate-driven synergistic interaction. These results are consistent with ex situ experiments in which E. coqui infected with Bd were more susceptible to chytridiomycosis when subjected to limited water treatments resembling drought. Long-term data on the prevalence of Bd in the populations studied versus intensity of infection in individual frogs provided contradictory information. However, the conflicting nature of these data was essential to understand the status of Bd in the species and geographical area studied. We conclude that in Puerto Rico, Bd is enzootic, and vulnerability of eleutherodactylid frogs to this pathogen is related to seasonal climatic variables. Our data suggest a mechanism by which this disease can persist in tropical frog communities without decimation of its hosts, but that complex interactions during severe droughts may lead to population crashes.     

Daily and hourly movement of male desert-dwelling elephants

The daily and hourly movements of eight male desert-dwelling elephants of various ages (12–45 years old) were determined hourly by global positioning system (GPS)/telemetry collars during the wet, cold dry and hot dry seasons of 2006 in northwest Namibia. The average daily movement in the wet season was greater than that observed during either the cold dry or the hot dry seasons. A similar difference was also observed for the movement rates, with the highest average rate of hourly movement recorded during the wet season. The diurnal movements (both distance and rate) were greater than those in the nocturnal hours during the wet season, whilst during the cold dry and hot dry season the reverse was true. The daily cycle of movement also changed seasonally, with greatest movement rates observed during the wet season between 11.00–20.00 hours, during the cold dry season between 14.00–21.00 hours; and between 04.00–11.00 hours during the hot dry season. Periods of decreased movement rates were observed between 09.00–10.00 and 02.00–03.00 hours in the wet season; 03.00–06.00 and 11.00–13.00 hours in the cold dry season; and 01.00–03.00 and 12.00–14.00 hours during the hot dry season.     

Seasonal variation of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) species diversity and community structure in tropical streams of Thailand

Seasonal variation of the physicochemical conditions of streams plays an important role in aquatic insect diversity and community structure. Asian tropical streams profoundly change between seasons due to the effects of monsoons. However, little is known about how these changes affect aquatic insect diversity and community structure. The objectives of this study are to examine seasonal variations of the physicochemical conditions in tropical streams in Thailand and to assess the effects of these changes on black fly community structure and diversity. Black flies were sampled and physicochemical conditions recorded at eight sites between December 2007 and December 2008. A total of 10 black fly species were found. Comparisons of the streams between seasons revealed that physical conditions related to rainfall rate were significantly different. Canonical correspondence analysis differentiated sampling sites from each season. Streams in the rainy season were faster and deeper, with higher discharge and conductivity than those of the cold and dry seasons. Species richness was significantly higher in the rainy season than in the cold and dry seasons ( F  = 6.23, P  = 0.004). Community structure profoundly changed between the low-flow season (cold and dry) and high-flow season. Black fly species found predominantly in the low-flow season ( Simulium siamense "cytoform A", S. aureohirtum ) decreased dramatically during the high-flow season. In contrast, species found at high frequency during the high-flow season ( S. nakhonense , S. angulistylum ) disappeared in the low-flow season. The study demonstrates the importance of seasonal variation of stream conditions on black fly community structure and diversity.     

Testing the importance of nest concealment: does timing matter?

ABSTRACT.   Nest concealment by vegetation is considered an important factor affecting predation rates for many passerines and, therefore, is frequently measured in studies examining nest predation. However, the time when concealment measurements are made may affect the results of such studies, particularly in highly seasonal ecosystems where characteristics of the vegetation later in the breeding period may differ considerably from those at the time of nest-site selection. We used artificial nests baited with quail ( Coturnix sp.) eggs in a highly seasonal tropical dry forest in Jalisco, western Mexico, to test the effects of seasonal change in concealment on nest predation. We placed 40 open-cup, artificial nests in shrubs at the end of the dry season and again at the beginning of the rainy season in 2007, and monitored the fate of the nests and the degree of concealment by vegetation during both periods. Nest concealment was significantly greater during the wet season than during the dry season. The percentage of nests predated was marginally higher during the dry (100%) than the wet (72.5%) season, and daily nest survival was lower during the dry than the wet season. Our results suggest that, in highly seasonal environments such as tropical dry forests, delayed measurement of nest concealment after nest completion rather than during nesting may constitute a significant source of error.     

Distribution Patterns of Birds and Insect Prey in a Tropical Riparian Forest

Spatial subsidies of energy and nutrients can influence the distribution of consumers in riparian habitats. This study compared the abundance and composition of bird assemblages and the availability of volant insect prey within the riparian zone (≤ 30 m from the stream) and further inland (100–250 m away) within a secondary forest in monsoonal Hong Kong. Replicated point-counts of birds and insect light trapping were conducted in each zone during the wet and dry season of 2006–2007. The biomass of adult aquatic insects in the riparian zone was nine to 12 times higher than inland during both seasons, however, total insect biomass (aquatic plus terrestrial insects) in the riparian zone was only 49 percent (wet season) and 18 percent (dry season) greater. More birds (both numbers of individuals and species) were recorded in the riparian zone, and this difference was particularly conspicuous during the wet season. Most of the wet-season difference was due to the greater number of insectivorous birds in the riparian zone (123% greater than inland), and may have reflected the relative availability of adult aquatic insects. These findings confirm the importance of riparian zones as feeding habitats for forest birds, and have implications for conservation planning and setting the boundaries of protected areas.     

Demography and habitat selection of small mammals on Zomba Plateau, Malawi

Small mammals were studied in tow montane grassland-forest areas on Zomba Plateau (1900m), Malawi, in 1984–85. Seasonal changes in numbers, age-structure and reproduction are given for the three commonest species. Mus triton (36%), Praomys delectorum (29%), and Lophuromys flavopunctatus (19%). Total population numbers for L. flavopunctatus and P. delectorum were lowest at the end of the dry season, and highest at the end of the wet season; reproduction is seasonal, and most young are born in the wet season. Mus triton did not exhibit such large fluctuations in numbers, and reproduced in both wet and early dry seasons. Each species was found in several habitats, but L. flavopunctatus showed a strong preference for unburnt grasslands, M. triton for burnt grasslands, and P. delectorum for forest and tangle habitats. Each species had a different population survival rate, and few individuals survived for more than 5–6 months. Trapped-revealed home ranges were about 3100 m² for L. flavopunctatus , and 2700 m² for M. triton . Monthly changes in grass biomass, cover and height were recorded and related to the numbers of small mammals. General features of the small mammals of African mountains, based on data from the Drakensberg, Ethiopia and this study. are presented.     

Patterns of Richness and Abundance in a Tropical African Leaf‐litter Herpetofauna1

I compared species richness and habitat correlates of leaf‐litter herpetofaunal abundance in undisturbed and selectively logged forests, and an abandoned pine plantation in Kibale National Park, Uganda. I sampled 50 randomly located 25 m² litter plots in each area during the wet and dry seasons in 1997. Ten anuran, five lizard, and three snake species were captured in plots over the study. Assemblage composition was most similar at logged and unlogged sites. The logged forest herpetofauna had higher species richness and abundance than the unlogged forest, but diversity was greater in the unlogged forest due to greater evenness. In contrast, the pine plantation site had the highest richness, abundance, and evenness of the three study sites, but species composition was distinct from the other areas. Herpetofaunal densities were significantly lower in all three areas during the dry season than in the wet season. During the dry season, soil moisture, litter mass, topography, shrub cover, and number of fallen logs were significant positive predictors of herpetofaunal presence in litter plots, but only soil moisture was significant in the wet season. The interaction of moisture and topography appears to be important in determining seasonal patterns of litter herpetofaunal distribution. Comparison of litter herpetofaunal studies across the tropics have shown that mid‐elevation faunas generally support fewer species than lowland faunas. Compared with other tropical mid‐elevation litter faunas, Kibale supports an intermediate number of species, but at lower densities than observed at any other mid‐elevation site reported in the literature.     

珠江三角洲河网浮游轮虫的群落结构

通过2012年4次对珠江三角洲河网浮游动物的生态调查,研究该水域浮游轮虫的群落结构,包括种类组成、优势种、生物量及多样性等的时空分布,探讨了浮游轮虫群落结构与环境因子的相关关系,并阐析了浮游轮虫的聚群结构.结果表明： 共检出53种浮游轮虫.优势种类的季节演替及空间变化明显,针簇多肢轮虫占有较大优势.从季节变化来看,枯水期密度及生物量均大于丰水期,丰水期的生物多样性指数和均匀度要高于枯水期,浮游轮虫生物量和多样性的季节间差异显著;从空间分布来看,平均密度及平均生物量均呈现自西南向东北升高的趋势,最大密度及生物量均出现在市桥,而生物多样性指数和均匀度指数的空间变化趋势则相反,最高值均出现在青岐,浮游轮虫密度在各调查站位间差异显著,生物量及多样性在各调查站位间的差异不显著.浮游轮虫的密度与生物量、生物多样性指数与均匀度指数呈显著正相关,多样性与生物量呈显著负相关,生物多样性指数和均匀度指数随着生物量的增加显著降低.在不同季节,浮游轮虫密度与水温、pH、溶解氧、叶绿素a含量及总磷、总氮等环境因子密切相关.根据浮游轮虫密度对调查站位进行聚群分析得出5种聚群结构,说明相应调查站位的水质状况有显著差异.     

Does variation between dry and wet seasons affect tropical forest mammals' occupancy and detectability by camera traps? Case study from the Udzungwa Mountains,Tanzania

The increasing use of camera trapping coupled to occupancy analysis to study terrestrial mammals has opened the way to inferential studies that besides estimating the probability of presence explicitly consider detectability. This in turn allows considering factors that can potentially confound the estimation of occupancy and detection probability, including seasonal variations in rainfall. To address this, we conducted a systematic camera trapping survey in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania by deploying twenty camera traps for 30 days in dry and wet seasons and used dynamic occupancy modelling to determine the effect of season on estimated occupancy and detection probability for species with >10 capture events. The sampling yielded 7657 and 6015 images in dry and wet seasons, respectively, belonging to 21 mammal species. Models with no season dependency and with season‐dependent detectability were best supported, indicating that neither colonization nor extinction varied with seasons and hence occupancy did not vary. Only bush pig (Potamochoerus larvatus) showed a significant decrease in detectability from dry to wet seasons. Our study indicates that seasonal variation in rainfall may have limited effect on occupancy and detectability of resident mammals in Udzungwa rainforests; however, it remains a factor to consider when designing future studies.     

Regional environments, life-history patterns, and habitat use of spirostreptid millipedes in arid regions

Among diplopods with desert populations, only three species of Spirostreptida have been studied in an ecological context. The present review compares regional environments, life-history patterns, and uses of habitat by Orlhoporus ornatus (Girard) from southwestern North America, Archispirostreptus tumuliporus judaicus (Attems) from the eastern Mediterranean seaboard, and Harpagophora nigra (Attems) from southwestern Africa. Published and unpublished studies are used to explore evidence for convergence among these species, as opposed to traits adapting them to physical aspects of given regions or habitats. Unlike A. t. judaicus, O. ornatus and H. nigra are relatively restricted to arid habitats, although populations of all three species experience a variety of rainfall regimes and regional topographies. Where studied, O. ornatus and H. nigra hibernate during the long, often cool or cold dry season; they forage following warm-season rains. A. t. judaicus , in contrast, forages during its long, warm dry season and hibernates in the cool, wet winter. Populations from the Judaean and Negev deserts differ from those inhabiting a mesic habitat (Megiddo) closer to the coast in regard to rates of development, seasonal activity and seasonal water balance. Convergence in the form of well-developed desiccation resistance characterizes the two strictly desert species. All three species, together with other subtropical millipedes exposed to long dry seasons, are convergent with respect to patterns of diel surface activity and use of shelter. However species- and habitat-specific life-history features such as the seasonal timing of dormancy and emergence tend to mask convergence at the habitat level. Hence, the independent evolution of the three species with desert populations has resulted in life histories and habitat use that combine a moderate amount of convergence with considerable opportunistic adaptation to regional and local conditions.     

Abundance and Leaf Damage Caused by Gall‐Inducing Insects in a Mexican Tropical Dry Forest1

We evaluated the temporal and spatial patterns of abundance and the amount of damage caused by gall‐inducing insects (GII) in deciduous and riparian habitats in a seasonal tropical dry forest in Mexico. Plants occurring in these habitats differ in their phenology and moisture availability. Deciduous habitats are seasonal and xeric, while riparian habitats are aseasonal and mesic. We found 37 GII species and each one was associated with a specific plant species. In total, 19 species (51.3%) were present in deciduous habitats, 13 species (35.2%) in riparian habitats, and only 5 species (13.5%) occurred in both. Abundance and leaf damage by GII were greater in deciduous than in riparian habitats during the wet season. For each GII species that occurred in both habitats, host plant species supported greater abundance and leaf damage by GII in deciduous habitats during the wet season. These results indicate a greater association of GII species with host plants in deciduous than in riparian habitats during the wet season. In riparian habitats, 11 plant species (61.1%) had greater density of GII in the dry than in the wet season. Similarly, leaf damage by GII was significantly greater in the dry than in the wet season in riparian habitats for 12 plant species (66.7%). Dry forest plants of riparian habitats presented two peaks of leaf‐flushing: GII colonized leaves produced in the first peak at the beginning of the wet season, and accumulated or recolonized leaves in the second peak at the beginning of the dry season. The levels of leaf damage by GII detected in this study in the rainy season were considerably higher than those obtained for folivorous insects in other neotropical forests, suggesting that this GII guild might have an important impact on their host plant species in this tropical community.     

Seasonal variation in the composition of fish assemblages in small Amazonian forest streams: evidence for predictable changes

1. The effects of seasonal inundation on the biology of fishes on floodplains of large Amazonian rivers are well studied. However, the small seasonal changes in headwater streams are generally considered to have little effect on fish assemblages. 2. In this study, we analysed seasonal changes in the species composition and abundance of fish in small Amazonian forest streams. We sampled fish with hand and seine nets in headwater streams in a 10 000 ha terra‐firme forest reserve near Manaus, Brazil. Each stream was surveyed at the end of the 2005 dry season, at the beginning of the 2006 rainy season and at the beginning of the 2006 dry season, by means of a standardized sampling effort. 3. The numbers of individuals and species caught were higher in the dry season, but rarefaction analyses indicated that greater species numbers could have been due simply to the larger number of individuals caught. 4. Between the dry and rainy season, the direction of changes in species composition in multivariate space varied among sites, especially for quantitative (abundance) data. However, the observed variation among sites was the less than expected if the directions of change were random. 5. Fish assemblages in the second dry season were more similar to those in the previous dry season than expected if changes in species composition among seasons were random. This indicates that a general seasonal pattern in fish assemblages can be detected, despite the existence of some erratic site‐specific changes. 6. Most of the species that showed large seasonal variations in density occupy temporary ponds during the rainy season, when much of the valley is inundated and pond networks form adjacent to streams. Short‐duration lateral migrations to these ponds may play an important role in the seasonal fish‐assemblage dynamics in Amazonian headwater streams. 7. Our results contrast with previous studies on small Amazonian streams, which have found little seasonal change in fish assemblages, and highlight the importance of the abundance of common species as an indicator of general fish assemblage structure in biological monitoring programmes.     

Forest Structure and Biomass of a Tropical Seasonal Rain Forest in Xishuangbanna,Southwest China1

Xishuangbanna is a region located at the northern edge of tropical Asia. Biomass estimates of its tropical rain forest have not been published in English literature. We estimated forest biomass and its allocation patterns in five 0.185–1.0 ha plots in tropical seasonal rain forests of Xishuangbanna. Forest biomass ranged from 362.1 to 692.6 Mg/ha. Biomass of trees with diameter at 1.3 m breast height (DBH) ≥ 5 cm accounted for 98.2 percent of the rain forest biomass, followed by shrubs (0.9%), woody lianas (0.8%), and herbs (0.2%). Biomass allocation to different tree components was 68.4–70.0 percent to stems, 19.8–21.8 percent to roots, 7.4–10.6 percent to branches, and 0.7–1.3 percent to leaves. Biomass allocation to the tree sublayers was 55.3–62.2 percent to the A layer (upper layer), 30.6–37.1 percent to the B layer (middle), and 2.7–7.6 percent to the C layer (lower). Biomass of Pometia tomentosa, a dominant species, accounted for 19.7–21.1 percent of the total tree biomass. The average density of large trees (DBH ≥100 cm) was 9.4 stems/ha on two small plots and 3.5 stems/ha on two large plots, illustrating the potential to overestimate biomass on a landscape scale if only small plots are sampled. Biomass estimations are similar to typical tropical rain forests in Southeast Asia and the Neotropics.