XVI International Botanical Congess

Mexican rain forests converted to pastures may be abandoned. Tree colonization from remnant forests in riparian corridors is critical for forest regeneration. I measured establishment success of trees in pastures as the product of seed rain, seed suvivorship, germination probability, seedling survivorship and seedling mass. Integrating these metrics, establishment success of the species studied was higher next to the riparian corridor than in the open pasture. Vegetation along pasture-riparian gradients favored germination, while reducing seedling survivorship and growth. Pioneer species studied were limited by post-dipersal processes, while the later successional species was limited by dispersal. Similar studies are needed to examine regeneration in human and naturally disturbed areas.