First-Year Results of Partial Overstory Removal and Direct Seeding of Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract

Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) is the single most important commercial tree species in the forests of the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Mahogany regeneration has been associated with natural disturbances that increase understory light levels. A study to analyze the effect of overstory removal on seed germination and early seedling survival and growth of mahogany was conducted. Twenty-five 0.2 ha plots were treated to create different levels of overstory removal and then seeded. Two seeding methods were used, dibbling and dropping. Dropping was used to simulate the way that seeding occurs in nature. Understory light levels were measured after the overstory removal was done. A year after applying the treatments, seed germination and seedling survival were not affected by the understory light levels created by the overstory removal. It is expected that over the next several years seedling survival and growth will be more affected by understory light levels. Seedling establishment by dibbling and dropping gave similar results. There was a high correlation (r = 0.95) between the percent of overstory removal and understory light levels.