DIAMETER GROWTH AND DECLINE IN A TROPICAL MONTANE CLOUD FOREST OF THE SIERRA DE LAS MINAS, GUATEMALA

Abstract

HOLDER, C. D. 2008. Diameter growth and decline in a tropical montane cloud forest of the Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala. This study examined annualized diameter growth rates of 100 cloud forest trees over 5½ years in an experimental plot within an upper montane cloud forest near the summit of Montaña de Miranda (2550 m above sea level) in the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala. An experimental plot with an area of 0.24 ha was established in December 1996 and 433 trees with a diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 5 cm were marked with an aluminum tag for identification within the experimental plot. The marked vegetation was relocated and the dbh of 100 trees was remeasured 5½ years later in August 2002. The mean dbh of the 100 trees increased by 9.2% from 11.4 to 12.5 cm representing a mean annualized diameter growth rate of 2 mm year^-1. Twenty-five trees had a greater dbh in 1996 than 2002, of which 19 decreased in dbh by < 0.5 cm. The dbh of four trees remained unchanged between 1996 and 2002. Comparisons with other neotropical upper montane forests indicate that the cloud forest of the Sierra de las Minas has a larger annualized diameter growth rate.