Tropical secondary forests

Abstract

The clearance, cultivation and abandonment of tropical forest lands has resulted in a rapid increase in the area of tropical secondary forests. Despite their growing extent, however, these forests have received relatively little attention from ecologists, foresters and conservationists. In this article the use of the term 'secondary forest' is restricted to forests which have reoccupied a site after clearance. Forests resulting from selective logging and other disturbances which permit most plant species to survive on the site are excluded. The literature on tropical forest succession is reviewed, showing the importance of the type, intensity and scale of the disturbance, the nature of the surrounding landscape and the composition of the surviving disperser fauna. The value of tropical secondary forests is compared to primary forest, with regards to regulatory function, commercial value and conservation significance. Finally, major research needs are briefly discussed.