Tropical Succession: Manifold Routes to Maturity

Abstract

Several characteristics of successional species and communities typical of the lowland, humid tropics are compared with those of drier and colder tropical environments. Suggested trends of successional species characteristics along a gradient from benevolent to harsh tropical environments include: fewer but more specialized taxa; more striking ecological equiva- lence between biogeographic regions; increased vegetative reproduction; less palatable leaves; denser wood; and decreased importance of chlorophyllous stems. Hypothesized trends of the communities along this same gradient include: slower re- growth; increased resilience (drier sites only) ; fewer seral stages; and patchier distribution of leaf area. As tropical soils are degraded through misuse, there is a tendency for ruderal vegetation from drier (or colder) environments to invade de- graded landscapes in wetter (or warmer) areas. Regrowth and resilience of high-evelation tropical forests are so slow that thse communities may never reestablish after clearing.