Interacting effects of canopy gap, understory vegetation and leaf litter on tree seedling recruitment and composition in tropical secondary forests

We experimentally investigated interacting effects of canopy gaps, understory vegetation and leaf litter on recruitment and mortality of tree seedlings at the community level in a 20-year-old lowland forest in Costa Rica, and tested several predictions based on results of previous studies. We predicted that experimental canopy gaps would greatly enhance tree seedling recruitment, and that leaf litter removal would further enhance recruitment of small-seeded, shade-intolerant seedlings in gaps. We created a large (320–540 m²) gap in the center of 5 out of 10 40 m × 40 m experimental plots, and applied the following treatments bimonthly over a 14-month-period in a factorial, split–split plot design: clipping of understory vegetation (cut, uncut), and leaf litter manipulations (removal, addition, control). As expected, experimental gaps dramatically increased tree seedling recruitment, but gap effects varied among litter treatments. Litter addition reduced recruitment in gaps, but enhanced recruitment under intact canopy. Species composition of recruits also differed markedly between gap treatments: several small-seeded pioneer and long-lived pioneer species recruited almost exclusively in gaps. In contrast, a few medium-to-large-seeded shade-tolerant species recruited predominantly under intact canopy. Leaf litter represents a major barrier for seedling emergence and establishment of small-seeded, shade-intolerant species, but enhances emergence and establishment of large-seeded, shade-tolerant species, possibly through increased humidity and reduced detection by predators. Periodic clipping of the understory vegetation marginally reduced tree seedling mortality, but only in experimental gaps, where understory vegetation cover was greatly enhanced compared to intact canopy conditions. Successful regeneration of commercially valuable long-lived pioneer trees that dominate the forest canopy may require clear-cutting, as well as weeding and site preparation (litter removal) treatments in felling clearings. Management systems that mimic natural canopy gaps (reduced-impact selective logging) could favor the regeneration of shade-tolerant tree species, potentially accelerating convergence to old-growth forest composition. In contrast, systems that produce large canopy openings (clear-cutting) may re-initiate succession, potentially leading to less diverse but perhaps more easily managed “natural plantations” of long-lived pioneer tree species.