**3.3 Early growth**

140 The Dynamical Processes of Biodiversity – Case Studies of Evolution and Spatial Distribution

We found 54 species in the mature forest, which also presented the greatest basal area (46.88 ±280.86 cm). Five species contributed with 175% of the IVI: *Matudaea trinervia, Symplococarpon flavifolium, Glossostipula concinna, Amphitecna montana,* and *Licaria excelsa* in

Mature forest presented a well-developed tree stratum, defined by trees with a DBH > 400 cm, dominated by *Matudaea trinervia, Symplococarpon flavifolium, Quercus laurina, Quercus benthamii, Glossostipula concinna, Licaria excelsa, Quercus peduncularis* and *Amphitecna montana*. While the understory is defined by a great variety of wooded plants with small DBH (> 10

**Frequency**

*Matudaea trinervia* 6.43 18.4 81.50 106.33 *Symplococarpon flavifolium* 7.14 14.53 6.82 28.49 *Glossostipula concinna* 7.14 6.54 1.71 15.39

*Quercus benthamii* 4.42 11.09 27.50 43.01 Asteraceae sp2. 0.88 6.33 25.40 32.62 *Matudaea trinervia* 4.42 5.66 21.45 31.53

*Saurauia madrensi*s 6.25 13.55 41.24 61.04 *Crossopetalum parviflorum* 5.56 12.12 11.70 29.38 *Hedyosmum mexicanum* 6.25 10.87 10.93 28.05

Table 3. The three most important species for each stage in a Cloud Forest successional

*Cestrum elegantissimum*. Total tree density was 11.28 ± 10.72 ind/ha.

We found 56 species in the 30-35 years old successional stage, accounting for more than 50% of the total number of species. This stage presented the lowest total, basal area, while tree density was 10.85 ± 18.22 ind/ha. The more important tree species were *Quercus benthamii, Matudaea trinervia, Ardisia compressa, Ocotea acuminatissima,* and *Clethra nicaraguensis*, which accounted for an IVI of 113% (Table 3). Arboreal elements with a DBH between 100 and 400 cm were: *Fuchsia paniculata, Crossopetalum parviflorum, Glossostipula concinna, Cyathea myosuroides, Styrax glabrescens, Desmopsis lanceolata, Rhamnus capraeifolia, Nectandra sinuata, Symplococarpon flavifolium, Saurauia kegeliana, Quercus conspersa, Clethra mexicana, Trophis cuspidata,* and *Nectandra globosa*. While species with a DBH < 10 cm were dominated by *Turpinia paniculata, Eugenia* aff*. uliginosa, Meliosma matudae, Malvaviscus arboreus,* and

**Relative Density**

**Relative Basal** 

**Area IVI**

order of importance (Table 3). Total tree density was 7.65 ± 13.65 ind/ha.

cm) like *Geonoma undulata, Piper subsessilifolium* and *Psychotria galeottiana*.

**SPECIE Relative** 

**3.1 Mature forest** 

**Mature Forest**

**Old Growth**

**Early Growth**

**3.2 Old growth** 

gradient at El Triunfo, Chiapas, Mexico.

A total of 43 species and above 50% of the total genera were found in the 20-25 years old successional stage. This stage presented the lowest basal area and a tree density of 16.96±50.75 ind/ha. The species with the highest importance values were *Saurauia madrensis, Crossopetalum parviflorum, Hedyosmum mexicanum, Heliocarpus donnellsmithii,* and *Cestrum elegantissimum*, which account for an added IVI of 162% (Table 3). Trees with a DBH > 400 cm were represented by *Saurauia madrensis, Crossopetalum parviflorum, Hedyosmum mexicanum, Heliocarpus donnellsmithii, Cestrum elegantissimum, Rhamnus capraeifolia,* 

*Saurauia* aff*. oreophila,* and *Liquidambar styraciflua;* arboreal elements with a DBH between 100 and 400 were *Saurauia kegeliana, Fuchsia paniculata, Verbesina apleura, Lepidaploa polypleura, Clethra lanata, Brunellia mexicana, Arachnothryx buddleioides, Wigandia urens* and *Comarostaphylis arbutoides*; finally, species with a DBH < 100 cm included *Pinus oocarpa, Ocotea acuminatissima, Citharexylum mocinoi, Clethra hondurensis, Clusia flava, Piper pseudolindenii, Trichillia havanensis, Matudaea trinervia, Prunus annularis, Myriocarpa longipes, Licaria excelsa, Cyathea sp, Conostegia volcanalis, Ardisia compressa, Pterocarpus* aff*. rohrii, Glossostipula concinna, Ostrya virginiana,* and *Dendropanax arboreus* (Table 3). Total tree density was 13.05 ± 19.61 ind/ha.
