GROWTH OF BIG-LEAF MAHOGANY (<em>SWIETENIA</em> <em>MACROPHYLLA</em>) IN NATURAL FORESTS IN BELIZE

Abstract

SHONO, K. & SNOOK, L. K. 2006. Growth of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) in natural forests
in Belize. The annual diameter measurements (four years) of 75 big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
trees in natural forests in northwestern Belize were analysed to determine growth rates. Mean diameter
increment exceeded 1 cm year^–1, with slightly higher growth rates in trees > 50 cm dbh. Inter-individual
variation in growth rates was significant, with the fastest-growing individuals growing at rates greater
than 2 cm year^–1. Inter-annual variation in growth rates was also significant. The diameter growth of 1.21 ±
0.1 cm during a wetter year (1456 mm) exceeded by 75% the diameter growth of 0.69 ± 0.1 cm during a
drier year (1181 mm). The study revealed that mahogany trees as small as 23 cm dbh that were left standing
after harvests could be expected to attain the commercial diameter of 60 cm in the 40 years between
cutting cycles.