Mortality Patterns and Stand Turnover Rates in a Wet Tropical Forest in Costa Rica

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Abstract
(1) Mortality over a 13-year period was determined for all stems (.gtoreq. 10-cm dbh) on 12.4 ha of primary lowland wet tropical forest at La Selva, Costa Rica. Although 23.2% of 5623 trees and lianas present in the initial inventory had died by the time of the subsequent inventory. (2) Mortality rates were independent of size among individuals .gtoreq. 10-cm dbh, and did not differ between buttressed and non-buttressed stems. (3) Of the dead individuals, 26% died standing, 31% had fallen, 7% were found buried under treefalls, and 37% had decomposed entirely, leaving no trace. (4) Mortality was nearly balanced by recruitment into the 10-cm dbh class; there was a net loss of 1.7% of stems in 13 yeas. (5) La Selva appears to be among the most dynamic of tropical forest studied to date, with an annual loss of stems of 2.03% and a consequent stand half-life of 34 years.