Allometric differentiation of tree species from different strata in a selectively logged Atlantic Forest remnant in southern Brazil

In selectively logged forests, trees grow in an altered environment and tend to display morphological changes, such as height (H) and diameter (D). In this study, effects of selective logging were evaluated on the H:D allometric relationships in six common tree species of the seasonal semi-deciduous forest and whether these effects changed according to the forest stratum: understory species ( Actinostemon concolor , Sorocea bonplandii and Inga marginata ) and canopy/emergent species ( Aspidosperma polyneuron , Campomanesia xanthocarpa and Cabralea canjerana ). The study was conducted in two 3000 m 2 (0.3 ha) plots. One plot in a forest remnant selectively logged in the past and another in a conserved forest remnant that no signals of anthropogenic action. Individuals of the six species were marked and their heights and diameters were recorded. There was a greater investment in diameter growth per increment of height in four of the six species in the selectively logged forest remnant in comparison to conserved forest. The lower canopy cover in logged remnant suggests the higher light levels is an important factor in H:D relationship differences between populations of these remnants. The highest light levels in logged forest allows the trees allocate more biomass for diameter growth, increasing safety margin against breakage. Selective logging changes the H:D relationship in a MSFSP remnant demonstrating that luminosity plays an important role in the architectural patterns of tropical rainforests because it is the main limiting resource in the understory stratum.