Growth of young plants of Cordia dodecandra (Boraginaceae) in three successional stages of vegetation in Calotmul, Yucatán

Abstract

Natural populations of Cordia dodencandra (siricote) in Yucatán are threatened due to the overexploitationof their wood, valued by its hardness and grain. Reforestation, enrichment of vegetation in disturbed areas andcommercial plantation programs of this species are needed. These programs must take into account the relation betweenplant growth and its response to the environmental factors occurring in forests in different stages of recovery. Theaim of this study was to characterize the environmental conditions; temperature, humidity and photosyntheticallyactive radiation; under different successional stages; advanced, intermediate, early and without vegetation; in order todetermine the influence of specific leaf area and growth of siricote seedlings. On a patch of each successional stage,sixty seedlings of siricote were established in a plot. Distribution of seedlings was 4m between rows and 2.7 betweenplants. After 19 months, the early successional plot was the better site for siricote growth. We observed an inverserelationship between photosynthetically active radiation and specific leaf area and, a direct relationship betweenrelative humidity and specific leaf area. According to our results siricote could be used in programs of enrichment ofvegetation in advanced successional stages as well as for reforesting early successional areas.