XVI International Botanical Congess

We explored relationships between species diversity, productivity (community basal area and tree growth rate) and disturbance (tree mortality and % forest area in gaps) in 14 0.5-ha plots at Chajul, Southeast Mexico. Trees DBH > 10 cm were identified, measured, and monitored from 1994 to 1999. Species richness varied among plots from 43 to 83 species 0.5 ha-1, basal area from 16.6 to 37.6 m2 ha-1, growth rate from 1.2 to 3.9 mm yr-1, mortality from 1.6 to 6.6 % yr-1, and % gaps from 0.4 to 9.2. Species richness decreased with tree growth rate and showed a hump-shape relationship with basal area. We not found effects of disturbance on diversity. Competitive interactions seem to play an important role on tree species diversity maintenance at Chajul.