Tree mortality and recruitment in heterogeneous stands of sub-tropical mixed-oak forests in west-central Mexico

We studied how patterns of tree mortality and recruitment are associated with forest structure, species diversity and physiographic differentiation in sub-tropical mixed-oak forests. We used non-metric multidimensional scaling and generalized additive models. Tree mortality and recruitment were present in nearly fifty percent of the species recorded in the study plots. Proportions of tree mortality were greatest in the smallest diameter classes while only sixteen out of the twenty-six species recorded in our study plots had recruitment. Variables explaining patterns of tree mortality and recruitment were: the number of species, density and mean diameter by plot. Stands with low density are not supporting oak recruitment while individuals in the suppressed category showed the highest mortality rates. © 2015, Interciencia Association. All rights reserved