Survival and Growth of Mahogany Saplings

Three-months old saplings from natural regeneration of mahogany around eight seed trees in the Ecuadorian Amazon were exposed to four different liberation thinnings. Mahogany survival was recorded 9 and 22 months later. Survival depended on thinning treatment as well as on pre-treatment sapling number. No influence of seed tree diameter, seed tree height, inclination, or orientation of slope, was found. Height growth of surviving saplings depended on thinning treatment, seed tree diameter, inclination and geographical orientation of slope. No influence of pre-treatment sapling number or seed tree height was found. The study indicates that silvicultural practices significantly influence the survival and growth of naturally regenerated mahogany. Provided a suitable management regime, it seems possible to sustain the next generation of mahogany from established natural regeneration. Results also suggest that removal of the understory significantly enhances survival of naturally regenerated mahogany. Other determinants of survival and growth are timing of the regeneration felling, gap size and the extent of herbal competition.