Project
The life history and wood anatomy of rain forest trees from Bolivia
Hundreds of tree species co-exist in tropical rain forests. In general terms, growth strategies are defined by relationships between tree performance (e.g. mortality rate, growth rate) in relation to environmental resources (such as light, water and nutrients) they need for survival.
Hundreds of tree species co-exist in tropical rain forests. In general terms, growth strategies are defined by relationships between tree performance (e.g. mortality rate, growth rate) in relation to environmental resources (such as light, water and nutrients) they need for survival. An evaluation was made between wood anatomical traits (e.g. wood density, fibre-, parenchyma-, vessel percentage, vessel size, and specific hydraulic conductivity) and three demographic attributes (average growth rates, mortality rates and crown exposure) of 42 tropical tree species from a moist tropical forest in Bolivia. Wood density appeared to be the best predictor of growth and survival rates of different species in the wet tropical rain forest of La Chonta.
Cooperation
Esther Fichtler, Prof. Dr. Martin Worbes, Institute of Agronomy in the Tropics and Subtropics, Georg-August University Göttingen
Publications
Poorter, L.; McDonald, I.; Alarco, A.; Fichtler, E.; Licona, J.C.; Pena-Claros; M., Sterck; F.; Villegas, Z.; Sass-Klaassen, U. (2009). The importance of wood traits and hydraulic conductance for the performance and life history strategies of 42 rainforest tree species. New Phytologist: doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.03092.x
MSc theses
Mc Donald, I. (2008). Life history and wood anatomy of tropical rain forest trees. (supervision: Sass-Klaassen, Poorter, Sterck)