Changes in spatial distribution during the life history of a tropical tree,Scaphium macropodum (Sterculiaceae) in borneo

We studied the spatial distribution of fruits and plants, mortality and growth rates ofScaphium macropodum (Sterculiaceae) in four 1-ha plots in a tropical rain forest in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The species is a large deciduous tree and produces wind-dispersed fruits on defoliated twigs. The density of dispersed fruits on the ground decreased with increasing distance from a parent tree. The area under the parent's crown had the highest density of the fruits and the highest mortality of the seedlings immediately after germination. Consequently, the density of the established seedlings peaked 14 m from the tree which is outside its crown. Thick litter mainly from the parent tree seemed to physically prevent the seedlings' root from reaching the soil surface and caused the high mortality. Juvenile and mature trees distributed exclusively, suggesting that regeneration is the most successful outside of the crown of mature trees. Saplings under canopy shade did not grow well.Scaphium macropodum is hypothesized to require a gap for seedling growth and successful regeneration, whereas it can germinate and last under closed canopies as suppressed seedlings or saplings.     

Site conditions affect seedling distribution below and outside the crown of kauri trees (

It has been suggested that plants can change soil characteristics via their litter to favour their own species. The New Zealand kauri tree (Agathis australis) presents an interesting case for studying such a positive feedback between plant and soil because it has a huge impact upon the soil. We hypothesised that, under mature kauri trees, compared with sites outside the projection of the crown, seedlings of angiosperm trees are relatively rare, while kauri seedlings are relatively common, due to the poor soil conditions and the higher light intensity. We counted seedlings under and outside the crowns of kauri trees and correlated the presence of these seedlings to measured site conditions. The results confirm the hypotheses and indicate that the establishment of kauri seedlings is favoured by the open canopy and high light intensities below kauri. The low nutrient availability under kauri appears to be unfavourable for the survival of angiosperm seedlings but not for the survival of kauri seedlings. Since the lower nitrogen availability under kauri is due to sequestration of nitrogen in the organic layer under kauri, a positive feedback between kauri and the soil is likely.     

Phylogenetic Structure of Tree Species across Different Life Stages from Seedlings to Canopy Trees in a Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest

Investigating patterns of phylogenetic structure across different life stages of tree species in forests is crucial to understanding forest community assembly, and investigating forest gap influence on the phylogenetic structure of forest regeneration is necessary for understanding forest community assembly. Here, we examine the phylogenetic structure of tree species across life stages from seedlings to canopy trees, as well as forest gap influence on the phylogenetic structure of forest regeneration in a forest of the subtropical region in China. We investigate changes in phylogenetic relatedness (measured as NRI) of tree species from seedlings, saplings, treelets to canopy trees; we compare the phylogenetic turnover (measured as β_NRI) between canopy trees and seedlings in forest understory with that between canopy trees and seedlings in forest gaps. We found that phylogenetic relatedness generally increases from seedlings through saplings and treelets up to canopy trees, and that phylogenetic relatedness does not differ between seedlings in forest understory and those in forest gaps, but phylogenetic turnover between canopy trees and seedlings in forest understory is lower than that between canopy trees and seedlings in forest gaps. We conclude that tree species tend to be more closely related from seedling to canopy layers, and that forest gaps alter the seedling phylogenetic turnover of the studied forest. It is likely that the increasing trend of phylogenetic clustering as tree stem size increases observed in this subtropical forest is primarily driven by abiotic filtering processes, which select a set of closely related evergreen broad-leaved tree species whose regeneration has adapted to the closed canopy environments of the subtropical forest developed under the regional monsoon climate.     

Spatial pattern analysis and competition between Acacia karroo trees in humid savannas

It is unclear whether inter-tree competition plays a role in determining the woody plant cover of humid savannas. Spatial point-pattern analysis can give insights to the underlying processes affecting the individuals in a population. We assessed the spatial patterns of Acacia karroo trees from savannas in KwaZulu-Natal, using conventional nearest neighbour analysis and second-order spatial statistics such as Ripley??s K- and L-functions, and the univariate and bivariate O-ring statistics. We predicted that juvenile trees would be spatially aggregated, because of facilitation between shrubs when zones of overlap are relatively small, while adult trees would be regularly spaced because of the effects of density-dependent mortality (i.e. consistent with the honeycomb rippling model). We found that juvenile trees were more aggregated than expected by chance, and the overall spatial distribution of all trees was also found to be aggregated, with no evidence of regularity among large individuals. Nearest neighbour analysis, however, revealed significant positive correlations between the sum of the distances to the four nearest neighbours and the sum of the canopy diameters of the target tree and its four nearest neighbours, indicating the presence of competition. In sum, these findings suggest that competitive interactions between A. karroo trees at these sites are relatively weak, and result in decreased performance (smaller canopy diameters) rather than mortality, thus preventing a regular pattern of tree distribution. We advocate the use of both methods of detecting competitive interactions in the field, especially if the effects of competition are too subtle to result in differential mortality.     

Long-distance dispersal helps germinating mahogany seedlings escape defoliation by a specialist caterpillar

Herbivores and pathogens with acute host specificity may promote high tree diversity in tropical forests by causing distance- and density-dependent mortality of seedlings, but evidence is scarce. Although Lepidoptera larvae are the most abundant and host-specific guild of herbivores in these forests, their impact upon seedling distributions remains largely unknown. A firm test of the mechanism underpinning the Janzen–Connell hypothesis is difficult, even for a single tree species, because it requires more than just manipulating seeds and seedlings and recording their fates. Experimental tests require: (1) an insect herbivore that is identified and highly specialised, (2) linkage to an in situ measure (or prevention) of herbivory, and (3) evaluation and confirmation among many conspecific adult trees across years. Here we present experimental evidence for a spatially explicit interaction between newly germinating seedlings of a Neotropical emergent tree, big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla, Meliaceae), and caterpillars of a noctuid moth (Steniscadia poliophaea). In the understory of a southeastern Amazon forest, the proportion of attacks, leaf area lost, and seedling mortality due to this specialised herbivore peaked near Swietenia trees, but declined significantly with increasing distance from mature fruiting trees, as predicted by the Janzen–Connell hypothesis. We conclude that long-distance dispersal events (>50 m) provided an early survival advantage for Swietenia seedlings, and propose that the role of larval Lepidoptera as Janzen–Connell vectors may be underappreciated in tropical forests.     

The influence of tree canopies and elephants on sub-canopy vegetation in a savannah

The apparent influence of elephants on the structure of savannahs in Africa may be enhanced by management activities, fire and other herbivores. We separated the effect elephants have on grasses, woody seedlings (<0.5 m) and saplings (0.5–2 m) from the effect of tree canopies (canopy effect), and herbivory (park effect). We defined the canopy effect as the differences between plant abundances and diversity indices under tree canopies and 20 m away from these. Our testing of the park effect relied on the differences in the sub-canopy plant indices inside and outside a protected area that supported a range of herbivores. We based our assessment of the elephant effect on sub-canopy vegetation indices associated with elephant induced reductions in tree canopies. The park and canopy effects were more pronounced than the elephant effect. The park effect suppressed the development of woody seedlings into saplings. Conditions associated with tree canopies benefited woody plants, but not the grasses, as their indices were lower under trees. Elephants reducing canopies facilitated grass species tolerant of direct solar radiation. We concluded that management should consider other agents operating in the system when deciding on reducing the impact that elephants may have on vegetation.     

Impact of invasion of Acer platanoides on canopy structure and understory seedling growth in a hardwood forest in North America

Invasion by exotic plant species is known to affect native communities and ecosystems, but the mechanisms of the impacts are much less understood. In a field study, we examined the effects of a tree invader, Acer platanoides (Norway maple, NM), on canopy structure and seedling growth in the understory of a North American deciduous forest. The experimental site contains a monospecific patch of A. platanoides and a mixed patch of A. platanoides with its native congener, A. rubrum (red maple, RM). In the study, we examined canopy characteristics of three types of trees in the forests, i.e., RM trees in the mixed forest, NM trees in the mixed forest, and NM trees in its monospecific patch. Height growth and biomass production of RM and NM seedlings under intact canopies and newly created gaps of the three types of trees were followed for two growing seasons. We found that removal of half of the canopy from focal trees increased canopy openness and light transmission to the forest floor, but to a greater extent under NM trees than under RM trees. Seedlings of these two Acer species varied greatly in biomass production under canopies of the same type of trees and in their responses to canopy opening. For example, seedlings of the exotic NM grown under the native RM trees in the mixed forests increased biomass production by 102.4% compared to NM seedlings grown under conspecific trees. The native RM seedlings grown under NM trees, however, reduced biomass production by 23.5% compared to those grown under conspecific trees. It was also observed that RM was much more responsive in biomass production to canopy opening than NM. For instance, total seedling biomass increased by 632.2% in RM, but by only 134.6% in NM in response to the newly created gaps. In addition, we found that NM seedlings allocated a greater portion of biomass below-ground as canopy openness increased, whereas the same trend was not observed in RM seedlings. Our results thus demonstrated that invasion of NM significantly altered canopy structure and community dynamics in the hardwood forest. Because the exotic NM seedlings are able to grow well under the native RM trees, but not vice versa, NM will likely expand its distribution in the forests and make it an ever increasingly serious tree invader in its non-native habitats, including North America.     

Allelopathic potential of the neotropical dry-forest tree Acacia pennatula Benth.: inhibition of seedling establishment exceeds facilitation under tree canopies

Secondary succession after land abandonment in tropical dry forests has been suggested to be favoured by the facilitation effects for seedling establishment exerted by pioneer trees isolated in these savannah-like landscapes. However, it has also been noticed that these pioneer species may sometimes have an encroaching effect and arrest succession for several decades. We investigated in this study whether allelopathy can play a role in limiting seedling establishment of co-occurring tree species under the canopy of Acacia pennatula by means of lab bioassays and field experiments in north-west Nicaragua. Leaf extracts of A. pennatula did not affect seed germination but reduced the general growth and especially the development of the root compartment in seedlings, shifting their biomass allocation model to a reduced root/shoot ratio. Survival of planted seedlings under the canopy of A. pennatula was about 20–30% lower than outside, and this reduction was particularly pronounced as the dry season progressed, despite the milder conditions (e.g. higher soil moisture) being experienced in the inner positions under the canopy. Altogether, our results suggest that, rather than facilitating, A. pennatula may inhibit the establishment of seedlings under its canopy probably by means of an allelopathic interference in the development of the root system with critical negative consequences for young seedlings in terms of overcoming the dry season. This article warns about overemphasizing the nucleation effect that remnant and isolated trees may have to facilitate secondary succession in these highly disturbed savannah-like tropical dry forests.     

Distribution ofAcer palmatum seedlings under the crown of the maternal tree

To investigate the relationship between crown width of a parent plant and seedling distribution, seedling ages and sizes, and their distances from the maternal tree were surveyed under a maple (Acer palmatum) crown at Chungdam Park, Chungdam-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul, in 1998. Maple crown width increased 33.0 cm per year during the eight-year study. Seedlings ranged from 1 to 10 years old; their density was highest the third year, and decreased with age. Seedling-distribution ranges from the parent plant were 43 cm to 487 cm, and seedling density was highest at the border of the parent plant canopy. One-year-old seedlings were distributed broadly, but the main distribution areas became more distant from the maternal plant with seedling age. Seedling heights increased with age; differences between two consecutive ages were significant at the 0.1% level for ages less than 5 years, but not for over 6 years. For seedlings of the same age, heights were similar, but short under the tree crown, but were varied and taller outside the crown. The variation in seedling height increased with age and distance from the parent plant In particular, seedlings older than 5 years that were distributed outside the crown showed conspicuous variations among distance classes. Therefore, maple seedlings were distributed to an appropriate distance at which their growth could be supported by the understory-light environment. This study demonstrated that newA. palmatum trees are not recruited from the seedlings growing beneath the crown but from those that grow vigorously outside the crown.     

Regeneration strategies of tree species in the laurel forest of Tenerife (The Canary Islands)

The laurel-forest of the Canary Islands is a montane cloud-forest. In order to gain some knowledge on the processes that maintain tree species diversity, we conducted an analysis of three different laurel-forest plots of the Anaga massif (Tenerife), varying in canopy composition but growing under similar environmental conditions. For each plot we recorded basal area of the canopy trees (h<1.30 m), the density of suckers and seedlings (h>1.30 m), as well as seed-bank composition. The plots have similar regeneration composition, which appears to be independent of differences in canopy composition. Laurus azorica is the most common seedling species, whereas Prunus lusitanica is the most abundant species among suckers and basal shoots. Neither Erica arborea nor Myrica faya, the two main canopy trees in one of the plots, were found in any of the stands as seedlings or suckers, despite their existence as viable seeds in the seed-bank. The regeneration composition and the canopy composition in one of the plots is remarkable different, revealing differents dynamics processes in the three plots. The results suggest the existence of three well-defined ecological groups: pioneer (regeneration primarily by seedlings), non-pioneer (regeneration by seedlings and suckers) and remnant species (regeneration primarily by suckers).These three groups and the effect of small scale disturbances (natural and human-induced), could help to understand the maintenance of tree species richness.     

Seeds and seedlings of oaks suffer from mammals and molluscs close to phylogenetically isolated,old adults

Background and AimsMammals and molluscs (MaM) are abundant herbivores of tree seeds and seedlings, but how the trees and their environment affect MaM herbivory has been little studied. MaM tend to move much larger distances during the feeding stage than the more frequently studied insect herbivores. We hypothesize that MaM (1) select and stay within the patches that promise to be relatively the richest in seeds and seedlings, i.e. patches around adult trees that are old and within a distantly related, less productive neighborhood; and (2) try to remain sheltered from predators while foraging, i.e. mammals remain close to adult trees or to cover by herbs while foraging, and might force their mollusc prey to show the opposite distribution.MethodsWe exposed oak acorns and seedlings in a temperate forest along transects from adult conspecifics in different neighbourhoods. We followed acorn removal and leaf herbivory. We used exclusion experiments to separate acorn removal by ungulates vs. rodents and leaf herbivory by insects vs. molluscs. We measured the size of the closest conspecific adult tree, its phylogenetic isolation from the neighbourhood and the herbaceous ground cover.Key ResultsConsistent with our hypothesis, rodents removed seeds around adult trees surrounded by phylogenetically distant trees and by a dense herb cover. Molluscs grazed seedlings surrounding large conspecific adults and where herb cover is scarce. Contrary to our hypothesis, the impact of MaM did not change from 1 to 5 m distance from adult trees.ConclusionsWe suggest that foraging decisions of MaM repulse seedlings from old adults, and mediate the negative effects of herbaceous vegetation on tree recruitment. Also, an increase in mammalian seed predation might prevent trees from establishing in the niches of phylogenetically distantly related species, contrary to what is known from insect enemies.     

Tree recruitment of European tree species at their current upper elevational limits in the Swiss Alps

Aim The physical and physiological mechanisms that determine tree‐line position are reasonably well understood, but explanations for tree species‐specific upper elevational limits below the tree line are still lacking. In addition, once these uppermost positions have been identified, questions arise over whether they reflect past expansion events or active ongoing recruitment or even upslope migration. The aims of this study were: (1) to assess current tree recruitment near the cold‐temperature limit of 10 major European tree species in the Swiss Alps, and (2) to rank species by the extent that their seedlings and saplings exceed the elevational limit of adult trees, possibly reflecting effects of the recent climate warming. Location Western and eastern Alps of Switzerland. Methods For each species, occurrences were recorded along six elevational transects according to three size classes from seedlings to adult trees in 25‐m‐elevation steps above and below their regional upper elevational limit. Two methods were used to compare upper elevational limits between seedlings, saplings and adults within species. First, we focused on the uppermost occurrence observed in each life stage for a given species within each studied region; and second, we predicted their upper distribution range using polynomial models fitted to presence/absence data. Results Species exhibited a clear ranking in their elevational limit. Regional differences in species limits (western versus eastern Swiss Alps) could largely be attributed to regional differences in temperature. Observed and predicted limits of each life stage showed that all species were represented by young individuals in the vicinity of the limit of adult trees. Moreover, tree recruitment of both seedlings and saplings was detected and predicted significantly beyond adult tree limits in most of the species. Across regions, seedlings and saplings were on average found at elevations 73 m higher than adult trees. Main conclusions Under current conditions, neither seed dispersal nor seedling establishment constitutes a serious limitation of recruitment at the upper elevational limits of major European trees. The recruits found beyond the adult limits demonstrate the potential for an upward migration of trees in the Alps in response to ongoing climate warming.     

Comparison of Herbivores and Herbivory in the Canopy and Understory for Two Tropical Tree Species1

The Janzen–Connell model of tropical forest tree diversity predicts that seedlings and young trees growing close to conspecific adults should experience higher levels of damage and mortality from herbivorous insects, with the adult trees acting as either an attractant or source of the herbivores. Previous research in a seasonal forest showed that this pattern of distance‐dependent herbivory occurred in the early wet season during the peak of new leaf production. I hypothesized that distance‐dependent herbivory may occur at this time because the new foliage in the canopy attracts high numbers of herbivores that are limited to feeding on young leaves. As a consequence, seedlings and saplings growing close to these adults are more likely to be discovered and damaged by these herbivores. In the late wet season, when there is little leaf production in the canopy, leaf damage is spread more evenly throughout the forest and distance dependence disappears. I tested three predictions based on this hypothesis: (1) the same species of insect herbivores attack young and adult trees of a given plant species; (2) herbivore densities increase on adult trees during leaf production; and (3) herbivore densities in the understory rise during the course of the wet season. Censuses were conducted on adults and saplings of two tree species, raribea asterolepis and Alseis blackiana. Adults and saplings of both species had largely the same suite of chewing herbivore species. On adults of Q. asterolepis, the density of chewing herbivores increased 6–10 times during leaf production, but there was no increase in herbivore density on adults of A. blackiana. Herbivore densities increased 4.5 times on A. blackiana saplings and 8.9 times on Q. asterolepis saplings during the wet season, but there were no clear trends on the adults of either species. These results suggest that the potential of adult trees as a source of herbivores on saplings depends on the value of new leaves to a tree species' herbivores, which may differ across tree species.     

Tree recovery and seed dispersal by birds: Comparing forest, agroforestry and abandoned agroforestry in coastal Ecuador

We used a highly replicated study to examine vegetation characteristics between patches of intervened forest, abandoned agroforestry systems with coffee and actively managed agroforestry systems with coffee in a tropical landscape. In all habitats, plant structural characteristics, individual abundance, species richness and composition were recorded for the three plant size classes: adult trees, saplings and seedlings. Furthermore, bird species richness and composition, and seeds dispersed by birds were recorded. Tree abundance was higher in forest habitats while saplings and seedlings were more abundant in abandoned coffee sites. Although species richness of adult trees was similar in the three habitats, species richness of saplings and seedlings was much higher in forest and abandoned coffee than in managed coffee sites. However, in spite of their relatively low species richness, managed coffee sites are an important refuge for tree species common to the almost disappeared mature forest in the area. Floristic similarity for adult trees was relatively low between land use types, but clearly higher for seedlings, indicating homogenizing processes at the landscape level. More than half of the saplings and seedling were not represented by adults in the canopy layer, suggesting the importance of seed dispersal by birds between habitats. Our results show that each of the studied ecosystems plays a unique and complementary role as seed source and as habitat for tree recovery and tree diversity.     

A Neighborhood Analysis of the Consequences of Quercus suber Decline for Regeneration Dynamics in Mediterranean Forests

In forests, the vulnerable seedling stage is largely influenced by the canopy, which modifies the surrounding environment. Consequently, any alteration in the characteristics of the canopy, such as those promoted by forest dieback, might impact regeneration dynamics. Our work analyzes the interaction between canopy neighbors and seedlings in Mediterranean forests affected by the decline of their dominant species (Quercus suber). Our objective was to understand how the impacts of neighbor trees and shrubs on recruitment could affect future dynamics of these declining forests. Seeds of the three dominant tree species (Quercus suber, Olea europaea and Quercus canariensis) were sown in six sites during two consecutive years. Using a spatially-explicit, neighborhood approach we developed models that explained the observed spatial variation in seedling emergence, survival, growth and photochemical efficiency as a function of the size, identity, health, abundance and distribution of adult trees and shrubs in the neighborhood. We found strong neighborhood effects for all the performance estimators, particularly seedling emergence and survival. Tree neighbors positively affected emergence, independently of species identity or health. Alternatively, seedling survival was much lower in neighborhoods dominated by defoliated and dead Q. suber trees than in neighborhoods dominated by healthy trees. For the two oak species, these negative effects were consistent over the three years of the experimental seedlings. These results indicate that ongoing changes in species’ relative abundance and canopy trees’ health might alter the successional trajectories of Mediterranean oak-forests through neighbor-specific impacts on seedlings. The recruitment failure of dominant late-successional oaks in the gaps opened after Q. suber death would indirectly favor the establishment of other coexisting woody species, such as drought-tolerant shrubs. This could lead current forests to shift into open systems with lower tree cover. Adult canopy decline would therefore represent an additional factor threatening the recruitment of Quercus forests worldwide.     

Regional landscape-scale comparison of species composition and recruitment in remnant tree patches 3 years after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami

Understanding species composition and other characteristics of remnant trees that survive large-scale low-frequency disturbances such as tsunamis is an important step in monitoring and managing the process of recovery. This research was implemented in a study area along the shores of Sendai Bay, a region that was heavily damaged by the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. Field surveys of all the remnant patches of trees in the study area were conducted in 2014, three years after the disturbance. A total of 202 remnant patches were identified, and all the tree species, including both canopy trees and newly established seedlings, were recorded for each patch. The identified trees totaled 88 species, which were classified into three indicator-species types by a hierarchical cluster analysis. Comparisons based on species composition and similarity showed that species composition and other characteristics of the remnant patches were influenced by vegetation histories and other factors that only become visible at the regional landscape scale. The number of tree and seedling species per unit area was highest in patches that originated from pine plantations. Seven of the 25 seedling species identified were not present in any of the canopy layers in the study area, indicating that they dispersed from outside this area. These results show that, despite the immense scale of the tsunami, many diverse patches of trees managed to survive the disturbance. These patches function as hubs for species dispersion and accelerate recovery of species diversity in the disturbed area.

     

Acacia trees as keystone species in Negev desert ecosystems

Abstract. The only trees in most of the Negev desert are 3 native Acacia species. We tested the hypothesis that they act as keystone species as a result of the improved soil conditions under their canopies. Furthermore, because many Acacia populations suffer high levels of mortality due to water stress, we tested whether trees in high mortality populations had diminished effects on plant species and soil quality under their canopies. We show that plant species diversity beneath the tree canopies is higher than in the surrounding areas. There was also a clearly identifiable suite of species with higher occurrence under the trees. Plant species composition differed significantly between high and low mortality sites. However, there was higher species diversity in high mortality sites and under trees with higher water stress. Soil nutrient content was higher under the trees than in the open areas, especially under larger trees and trees with higher water status. The results indicate that there is a combination of positive and negative effects of Acacia trees on the under‐canopy environment, which may include positive effects of higher soil nutrients and a negative influence of higher soil salinity.     

辽东山区次生林乔木优势树种幼苗更新动态

以辽东山区次生林4 hm²动态监测样地为平台,2014—2016年连续3年对样地进行乔木优势树种幼苗调查和半球面影像拍摄,分析森林更新过程中林下乔木幼苗和冠层结构的动态,研究幼苗的天然更新规律及其对冠层结构变化(以叶面积指数LAI的变化来表示)的响应.结果表明: 调查期间冠层LAI先减少后增加,且存在显著的年际差异.12种乔木优势树种幼苗对冠层结构变化存在明显的响应,且不同树种幼苗的响应明显不同;中性树种幼苗的相对多度或频度一般会随着冠层LAI的减小而增大;阳性树种幼苗的相对多度或频度一般会随着冠层LAI的增大而减小.2014—2016年乔木优势树种幼苗的多响应置换过程分析表明,优势树种幼苗的数量组成和分布存在显著差异,且年际间的差异逐渐减少.调查期间优势树种幼苗指示种发生明显变化,也反映出其对冠层结构变化的响应.     

Growth and mortality patterns in a thinning canopy of post-hurricane regenerating rain forest in eastern Nicaragua (1990-2005)

One of the strongest hypothesis about the maintenance of tree species diversity in tropical areas is disturbance. In order to assess this, the effect of intensive natural disturbances on forest growth and mortality in a thinning canopy was studied after the landfall of hurricane Joan in 1988. We evaluated the growth and mortality rates of the 26 most common tree species of that forest in eastern Nicaragua. Permanent plots were established at two study sites within the damaged area. Growth and mortality rates of all individual trees > or = 3.18cm diameter at breast height were assessed annually from 1990 to 2005. During this period the forest underwent two phases: the building phase (marked by increased number of individuals of tree species present after the hurricane) and the canopy thinning phase (marked by increased competition and mortality). Our results from the thinning phase show that tree survival was independent of species identity and was positively related to the increase in growth rates. The analysis of mortality presented here aims to test the null hypothesis that individual trees die independently of their species identity. These findings were influenced by the mortality observed during the late thinning phase (2003-2005) and provide evidence in favor of a non-niche hypothesis at the thinning phase of forest regeneration.     

Composition and Dynamics of Functional Groups of Trees During Tropical Forest Succession in Northeastern Costa Rica

We compared the functional type composition of trees ≥10 cm dbh in eight secondary forest monitoring plots with logged and unlogged mature forest plots in lowland wet forests of Northeastern Costa Rica. Five plant functional types were delimited based on diameter growth rates and canopy height of 293 tree species. Mature forests had significantly higher relative abundance of understory trees and slow-growing canopy/emergent trees, but lower relative abundance of fast-growing canopy/emergent trees than secondary forests. Fast-growing subcanopy and canopy trees reached peak densities early in succession. Density of fast-growing canopy/emergent trees increased during the first 20 yr of succession, whereas basal area continued to increase beyond 40 yr. We also assigned canopy tree species to one of three colonization groups, based on the presence of seedlings, saplings, and trees in four secondary forest plots. Among 93 species evaluated, 68 percent were classified as regenerating pioneers (both trees and regeneration present), whereas only 6 percent were classified as nonregenerating pioneers (trees only) and 26 percent as forest colonizers (regeneration only). Slow-growing trees composed 72 percent of the seedling and sapling regeneration for forest colonizers, whereas fast-growing trees composed 63 percent of the seedlings and saplings of regenerating pioneers. Tree stature and growth rates capture much of the functional variation that appears to drive successional dynamics. Results further suggest strong linkages between functional types defined based on adult height and growth rates of large trees and abundance of seedling and sapling regeneration during secondary succession.
Abstract in Spanish is available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/btp