Relative lack of regeneration of shade-intolerant canopy species in some South African forests

Abstract

Some species such as Celtis Africana, are experiencing relative recruitment bottlenecks, because there are usually fewer recruits [i.e. individuals <20 cm diameter at breast height, (dbh)] than canopy individuals. The species with low recruitment tent to have higher concentrations of leaf nitrogen, suggesting that they are shade-intolerant species. Similarly the canopy species which are recruiting adequately have low level of leaf nitrogen.