Luquillo LTER

Plant diameters and growth measurements were taken both before and after treatments to determine how alterations in canopy openness and detritus affect measures of growth, mortality, and production. Both types of trimmed plots are predicted to have relatively quick evidence of re-sprouting (1-3 months; based on Hurricane Hugo studies), especially palms. Because essentially complete defoliation to the canopy took place in the trim plots, the large stems that were trimmed should experience delayed growth and higher mortality than those in non-trimmed plots. The understory vegetation, or otherwise those that were not trimmed (i.e., stems <10cm at dbh) should experience increased growth in both trim plots as a result of increased light. Some nutrient immobilization may occur in the detritus addition plots, but this is predicted to affect belowground processes most. Little influence on aboveground processes from detritus addition might occur and cause some stunted growth rates of stems.