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Seedling performance of four sympatric Entandrophragma species (Meliaceae) under simulated fertility and moisture regimes of a Central African rain forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2003

Jefferson S. Hall ,
P. Mark. S. Ashton  and
Graeme P. Berlyn
Jefferson S. Hall
Affiliation:
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 360 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
P. Mark. S. Ashton
Affiliation:
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 360 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Graeme P. Berlyn
Affiliation:
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 360 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Abstract

Relative densities of mahogany species vary across tropical Africa and correspond with changes in soil fertility and moisture status. Seedling growth of four co-occurring African mahoganies (Entandrophragma spp.) was studied in relation to soil nutrient and moisture status in a shade-house experiment. On naturally occurring forest soils, E. cylindricum and E. utile exhibited increased relative growth rate (RGR) and decreased root mass ratio (RMR) with an increase in soil fertility while E. angolense and E. candollei did not. Changes in leaf morphology with fertility did not correspond to changes in species performance. On moist, fertile soils, E. angolense outperformed congeners but E. candollei performed equally well on moist infertile soils. Entandrophragma cylindricum performed as well as E. angolense and E. candollei on two of three soil moisture stress treatments but E. utile consistently performed poorly. Comparative seedling performance fitted well with limited available data on the distribution of Entandrophragma spp. in relation to soil fertility and moisture gradients and suggests that within-forest microsite heterogeneity may help explain the distribution of Entandrophragma species within the Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic.

Keywords

African mahoganyCentral African RepublicDzanga-Sangha Dense Forest ReserveEntandrophragmaperformanceseedlingssoil fertilitysoil moisturespecies diversitytropical forest
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 2003 , pp. 55 - 66
Copyright
2003 Cambridge University Press

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