El Verde Coffee Plantation permanent plot vegetation sampling

Permanent plot data is expected to show (1) rapid increases in percent cover and tree stem density, and (2) rapid turnover from early to late successional plant species. Plant-plant competition indices should show quick increases in intensity with exotics as top competitors which may lead to exclusion of some trees common after landslide and pasture disturbance. Spatial patterns of invading trees should include edge effects due to dispersal limitation with clumping of bird-dispersed species before the first five years. Because of increased nitrogen levels due to plantings of Inga Sp. with coffee, trees should grow, as measured by biomass (productivity), height and basal diameter increases, significantly faster compared to landslide. Support for this work was provided by grants BSR-8811902, DEB-9411973, DEB-9705814 , DEB-0080538, DEB-0218039 , DEB-0620910 , DEB-1239764, DEB-1546686, and DEB-1831952 from the National Science Foundation to the University of Puerto Rico as part of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program. Additional support provided by the University of Puerto Rico and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service.