Testing the Janzen-Connell and recruitment limitation hypotheses in the context of tropical rainforest organization

Abstract

The Janzen-Connell hypothesis and the recruitment limitation hypothesis attempt to explain the recruitment dynamics and organization of tropical rainforests from two different points of view. In this paper we report evidence in favor of each hypothesis in two forests of southeastern Caribbean Nicaragua. The first emphasizes the importance of random seed dispersal and seedling recruitment processes, and the second focuses on determining the effects of biological interactions on seedling recruitment dynamics. This research provides evidence to answer the question: What determines the pattern of seedling survival in tropical moist forests? In this way, it contributes to efforts to solve relevant questions in the field of biological community ecology.