Growth of native tree species planted in open pasture, young secondary forest and mature forest in humid tropical Costa Rica

Twenty-four native species with high timber value and well-known for wildlife use were planted in open pasture, young secondary forest (10 years old) and mature forest without causing major disturbances to natural vegetation. Plots were established in cooperation with local farmers in the Sixaola River valley in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica. In the center of each 64-tree single species plot, a 36-tree plot (6 x 6 trees) was defined as the measurement plot. The averages of total height, diameter at breast height (dbh), basal area, volume and survival were calculated for each plot. Mean annual increment in volume (MAIV) was used to compare species performance. The most productive species in open pasture were Rollinia microsepala (MAIN = 33.3 m(3)/ha/year), Virola koschnyi (MAIV = 24.4 m(3)/ha/year), Abarema idiopoda (MAIV = 20.0 m(3)/ha/year), Inga corascans (MAIV = 14.4 m(3)/ha/year) and Terminalia amazonia (MAIV = 14.0 m(3)/ha/ycar). The most productive species in young secondary forest were Cordia alliodora (MAIV = 12.5 m(3)/ha/year), Rollinia microsepala (MAIV = 8.3 m(3)/ha/year), Abarema idiopoda (MAIV = 5.5 m(3)/ha/year) and Terminalia oblonga (MAIV = 4.6 m(3)/ha/year). All plots in mature forest showed low productivity, where the largest MAIV was achieved by Hyeronima alchorneoides and Virola sebifera. Species showed differences in survival and growth among habitats.