Document: THO-3-69-15

The role of remnant trees in regeneration of cyclone damaged rain forest.

ELMQVIST, T.* and M.WALL

Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Uppsala ¹

Abstract:
Large remnant trees might be of significant importance for regeneration in disturbed rainforests either directly by producing large quantities of seeds or indirectly by attracting vertebrate seed dispersers. This study focused on the role of large remnant trees as for patterns of regeneration after cyclone damage in the Tafua Rain Forest Preserve, Savai'i, Western Samoa. One of two areas studied was also damaged by fire. Ten trees in each area were investigated for numbers of species of seedlings as well as densities, at different distances from the remnant trees. Three out of four species investigated had a higher rate of secondary dispersal in the unburned area compared to the burned area. In the latter, both numbers of species and densities of seedlings belonging to vertebrate dispersed species were significantly higher under the canopies of remnant trees, compared to densities at other distances. Our results are congruent with the prediction that large remnant trees surviving in severely disturbed rain forest areas serve as nuclei for regeneration. In addition to attracting vertebrate dispersers, remnant trees might also be important in providing a favorable microhabitat for late successional species.

Keywords: regeneration, rain forest, vertebrate dispersal

This abstract is being presented at: 9:15 AM in session:
Oral Session #42: Disturbance Ecology: Effects of Storms.