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Estimating species richness in tropical forest: the missing species extrapolation technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Rosanne Tackaberry ,
Nicholas Brokaw ,
Martin Kellman  and
Elizabeth Mallory
Rosanne Tackaberry
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, York University, North York, Ontario, CanadaM3J 1P3
Nicholas Brokaw
Affiliation:
Manomet Observatory for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA, USA02345 and Programme for Belize, 2 South Park Street, Belize City, Belize
Martin Kellman
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, York University, North York, Ontario, CanadaM3J 1P3
Elizabeth Mallory
Affiliation:
Manomet Observatory for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA, USA02345 and Programme for Belize, 2 South Park Street, Belize City, Belize
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Abstract

A new technique for estimation of tree species richness in tropical forests was developed and tested in this study. The missing species extrapolation technique is based on the assumption that the rate of accumulation of new species with increasing area is the same within sampled and unsampled areas of similar habitat within a region. This new technique was tested on four 1-ha sites of subtropical moist forest in Rio Bravo, Belize for which complete species counts of trees ≥10cm dbh are available. Estimates given by the technique are 115, 98, 93 and 106% of the actual species counts within the four sites. The accuracy of these estimates was found to be equal to or better than most others obtained by using existing methods of extrapolation. The missing species extrapolation technique was also applied to a 21-ha riparian forest patch in the Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize, where it was used to obtain an estimate of the number of tree species ≥10cm dbh in the entire patch.

Keywords

Belizebiodiversityestimationextrapolation techiniquetree species richnesstropical forests
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , May 1997 , pp. 449 - 458
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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