Seed and seedling ecology of tree species in neotropical secondary forests: management implications

Inter-specific patterns of seed longevity in the soil, germination, and survival and growth of transplanted seedlings under closed canopy of nine trees, Cordia alliodora, Hampea appendiculata, Jacaranda copaia, Laetia procera, Rollinia microsepala, Simarouba amara, Stryphnodendron microstachyum, Trichospermum grewiifolium and Vochysia ferruginea, common in secondary forest stands in wet, lowland Costa Rica, are described. Longevity of experimental seed cohorts differed markedly among species, from 1 yr (Stryphnodendron). Similarly, germination of recently dispersed seeds in the understorey ranged from 0% in Laetia to >75% in Cordia and Vochysia. In contrast, seedling survival was uniformly low (