Journal Article

Monodominant and species-rich forests of the humid tropics: causes for their co-occurrence

Hart T.B, Murphy P.G, Hart J.A

1989

Overview

A study of the structure and floristics at a transition zone from a monodominant to a more diverse forest in the African humid tropics was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms maintaining floristic diversity and the discontinuity between mixed forests and forests dominated by a single tree species (monodominant). The mixed forest's greater diversity could not be explained by substrate differences, greater maturity, or greater predation on seeds or juveniles. The dominant species of the monodominant forest was shade-tolerant and had poorly dispersed seeds. Tree species associated with the dominant were also found in the mixed forest. Monodominant and mixed forests occur side by side in the Asian and American tropics as well. As in the African example, many of these monodominant forests share most species with neighboring mixed forests. Characteristically, the dominant species have large seeds and shade-tolerant seedlings. Monodominant tropical forests are widespread and may indicate areas that have not experienced large-scale disturbance for long periods. Subsequent to major disturbance, it is likely that such forests regenerate and spread more slowly than mixed-forest associations.

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Subject: Animal and plant ecology / Animal, plant and microbial ecology / Biological and medical sciences / bosque mixto siempreverde / botanical composition / composicion botanica / composition botanique / Demecology / Democratic Republic of the Congo / depredacion / dominant species / ecologia vegetal / ecological succession / espece dominante / especies dominantes / evergreen mixed forests / fertilidad del suelo / fertilite du sol / Forest canopy / Forest ecology / Forest regeneration / Forest soils / foret melangee sempervirente / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / graine / humid tropics / Mixed forests / mortalidad / mortalite / mortality / phytoecologie / plant ecology / Plants and fungi / predation / Seedlings / seeds / semilla / soil fertility / Species diversity / succession ecologique / sucesion ecologica / Trees / Tropical forests / Tropical rain forests / tropico humedo / tropiques humides / zaire