Prevalence of monodominant vigorous tree populations in the tropics : herbivory pressure on Tabebuia species in very different habitats.

Abstract

We have studied the reproductive performance, early establishment and insect herbivory in two Tabebuia species found in contrasting distant habitats. Tabebuia ochracea and T. aurea are sympatric in the cerrado (Brazilian savanna), whereas T. aurea also colonizes floodplains in the wetlands of the ‘Pantanal Matogrossense’ as large monodominant stands, but is sparsely distributed in the cerrado.