Ecology and Distribution of Neotropical Podocarpaceae

Abstract

Podocarps are a frequent, but rarely a dominant, component of neotropical wet forests extending from South America into central Mexico and the Greater Antilles. Although podocarps are often considered to be predominantly montane taxa, several species occur in lowland forest and are locally abundant on some Pacific and Atlantic coastal islands in Central America. Here we review literature on the origins and distribution of neotropical podocarps and highlight their apparent association with resource-poor environments. As a consequence of forest conversion and logging, many podocarps that were already habitat specialists are now further restricted to small and increasingly fragmented populations. Unfortunately, there is little information on the regeneration ecology of podocarps with which to assess the recruitment potential of these populations. An exception is the long-term studies of the dynamics of Podocarpus urbanii, a common species in montane forest in Jamaica. Podocarpus urbanii is moderately shade tolerant and successfully regenerates beneath undisturbed forest. The low juvenile mortality rate of P. urbanii, coupled with relatively high diameter growth, suggests that this species and possibly other podocarps may have greater utility for reforestation than is currently recognized.