Effects of light availability on leaf attributes and seedling growth of four tree species in tropical dry forest

摘要

Background: In tropical dry forests, variation in understory light availability due to season and canopy tree density could be a governing factor in establishment and growth of tree seedlings. Species with varying life history traits are expected to respond differentially to such heterogeneity. We investigated the response of seedlings of four tree species in a tropical day forest in relation to spatiotemporal variability of light. We attempt to explore the role of leaf attributes in explaining intra- and inter-specific variations in relative growth rate. Four study sites, each with three contrasting canopy conditions, were selected along a soil moisture gradient. Seedlings of four tree species (viz., Acacia catechu, Bridelia retusa, Lagerstroemia parviflora, and Shorea robusta), varying in life history traits, were monitored for seasonal variations in growth traits across canopy condition and sites for 2 years.