Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T23:18:19.570Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Seedling survival and growth of four Shorea species in a Sri Lankan rainforest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

P. Mark S. Ashton  and
C. V. S. Gunatilleke
P. Mark S. Ashton
Affiliation:
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
C. V. S. Gunatilleke
Affiliation:
Botany Department, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In this study four species of the genus Shorea section Doom were investigated. All occur together as canopy trees in the Sinaraja rainforest of south-west Sri Lanka. Partitioning of the regeneration niche can be one explanation for the co-existence of ecologically similar canopy tree species within a forest. Seedlings were planted in plots located in five zones that represent a range of forest groundstorey microenvironments found adjacent to and across canopy openings of three sites – valley, midslope, ridgetop. Experiments were designed to monitor survíval and growth of planted seedlings for two years. At the end of two years percentage survival was calculated, height increment recorded and destructive samples taken to measure dry mass gain of root, stem and leaves. Comparisons were made of establishment and growth performance of seedlings planted in the different plots and sites. Results demonstrated clear differences in survival and growth among species. These differences appeared related to availability of soil moisture and groundstorey radiation regimes. Disturbance patterns that determine species co-existence are suggested.

Keywords

disturbancegrowthlightrainforestseedlingsShoreasoil moistureSri Lanka
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , May 1995 , pp. 263 - 279
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

Ashton, P. M. S. 1990. Seedling response of Shorea species across moisture and light regimes in a Sri Lankan rain forest. PhD thesis, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.Google Scholar
Ashton, P. M. S. 1992. Some measurements of the microclimate in a Sri Lankan rain forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 59:217–235.Google Scholar
Ashton, P. M. S. & Berlyn, G. P. 1992. Leaf adaptations of some Shorea species to sun and shade. New Phytologist 121:587–596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ashton, P. S. & Hall, P. 1992. Variation in structure and dynamics of mixed dipterocarp forests in northwestern Borneo. Journal of Ecology 80:459–481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Basnet, K., Likens, G. E., Scatena, F. N. & Lugo, A. E. 1992. Hurricane Hugo: damage to a tropical rain forest in Puerto Rico. Journal of Tropical Ecology 8:47–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bazzaz, F. A. 1984. Dynamics of wet-tropical forests and their species strategies. Pp. 233–243 in Medina, E., Mooney, H. A. & Vazquez-Yanes, C. A. (eds). Physiological ecology of plants of the wettropics. Dr W. Junk, The Hague. 325 pp.Google Scholar
Becker, P. 1983. Effects of insect herbivory and artificial defoliation on survival of Shorea seedlings. Pp. 241–252 in Sutton, S. L., Whitmore, T. C. & Chadwock, A. C. (eds). Tropical rain forest ecology and management. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. 498 pp.Google Scholar
Brandani, A., Hartshorn, G. S. & Orians, G. H. 1988. Internal heterogeneity of gaps and richness in Costa Rican tropical wet forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 4:99–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brokaw, N. V. L. 1982. The definition of a treefall gap and its effect on measures of forest dynamics. Biotropica 14:158–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brokaw, N. V. L. 1985. Gap-phase regeneration in a tropical forest. Ecology 66:682–687.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, N. D. & Whitmore, T. C. 1992. Do dipterocarp seedlings really partition tropical rain forest gaps? Meeting on Tropical Rain Forest Disturbance and Recovery, 18 September 1991. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B. Biological Science 335(1275): 369–378.Google Scholar
Chazdon, R. L. & Fetcher, N. 1984. Photosynthetic light environments in a lowland tropical forest in Costa Rica. Journal of Ecology 72:553–564.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooray, P. G. 1967. An introduction to the geology of Ceylon. Spolia Zeylanica 31:1–314.Google Scholar
Denslow, J. S. 1980. Gap partitioning among tropical rainforest trees. Biotropica 12(Suppl):47–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denslow, J. S. 1987. Tropical rainforest gaps and tree species diversity. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 18:431–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunatilleke, C. V. S. & Gunatilleke, I. A. U. N. 1981. The floristic composition of Sinharaja – a rain forest in Sri Lanka with special reference to endemics and dipterocarps. Malay Forester 44:386–396.Google Scholar
Gunatilleke, C. V. S. & Gunatilleke, I. A. U. N. 1985. Phytosociology of Sinharaja – a contribution to rain forest conservation in Sri Lanka. Biological Conservation 31:21–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartshorn, G. S. 1978. Tree falls and forest dynamics. Pp. 617–638 in Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmerman, M. H. (eds). Tropical trees as living systems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 762 pp.Google Scholar
Moorman, F. R. & Panabokke, C. R. 1961. Soils of Ceylon. Tropical Agriculture 117:4–65.Google Scholar
Oldeman, R. A. A. 1978. Architecture and energy exchange of dicotyledonous trees in the forest. Pp. 656–671 in Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmerman, M. H. (eds). Tropical trees as living systems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 762 pp.Google Scholar
Popma, J. & Bongers, F. 1988. The effect of canopy gaps on growth and morphology of seedlings of rain forest species. Oecologia 75:625–632.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Popma, J. & Bongers, F. 1991. Acclimation of seedlings of three Mexican tropical rain forest tree species to a change in light availability. Journal of Tropical Ecology 7:85–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raich, J. W. & Gong, W.-K. 1990. Effect of canopy openings on the seed germination in a Malaysian dipterocarp forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 6:203–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ray, A. E. (ed.). 1982. SAS user's guide: statistical analysis system. Cary, North Carolina, USA.Google Scholar
Rosayro, R. A. de 1942. The soils and ecology of the wet evergreen forests of Ceylon. Tropical Agriculture 98:78–80 and 153–175.Google Scholar
Rosayro, R. A. de 1954. A reconnaissance of Sinharaja rain forest. Ceylon Forester 1:68–74.Google Scholar
Smith, D. M. 1986. The practice of silviculture. John Wiley & Sons, New York.Google Scholar
Swaine, M. D. & Whitmore, T. C. 1988. On the definition of ecological species groups in tropical rain forests. Vegetatio 75:81–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turner, I. M. 1990. The seedling survivorship and growth of three Shorea species in a Malaysian tropical rain forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 6:469–477.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uhl, C., Clark, K., Dezzeo, N. & Maquirino, P. 1988. Vegetation dynamics in Amazonian treefall gaps. Ecology 69:751–763.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
USDA. Soil Conservation Service. 1975. Soil taxonomy. A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. Agricultural Handbook No. 436. USDA Soil Conservation Service, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Whitmore, T. C. 1978. Gaps in the forest canopy. Pp. 639–655 in Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmerman, M. H. (eds). Tropical trees as living systems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 762 pp.Google Scholar