ORIGIN AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF FOREST EDGE VEGETATION IN PANAMA

In the soil seed bank, seeds of light-demanding species were abundant before edge creation (937/m2). Lateral light penetration into the forest edge was sufficient to promote germination of light-sensitive seeds. Light-demanding species, however, were rare along this edge and along older edges in the area, in part because soil disturbance normally did not occur during edge creation. Relative growth rates of woody plants <2m tall over a 10-month period on the experimental edge were twice as rapid as plants in the forest interior (0.029cm/cm/mo vs 0.014cm/cm/mo). Changes in seedling density, recruitment, and mortality with time after edge creation were similar on forest edge and in forest interior. Edge plants were derived primarily from seedlings and saplings present before edge creation. -from Author