The effects of forest habitat, canopy light condition, vertebrate herbivory and species mean seed size on growth of tree seedlings were evaluated for six widely different species of North Queensland tropical rain forests. Two forest localities differing in size and rainfall intensity were used for the trial. In each forest, seedlings were transplanted three weeks after germination into small to medium-sized canopy gaps and into the forest interiors, with half protected by cages and the other half unprotected. Growth measurements were made over a period of 16 months. All growth parameters examined differed significantly between the six species. At the end of the study period, for most species, forest site and protection from vertebrates did not affect seedling biomass. For all species, growth was higher in gaps than in forest interior, but most biomass allocation patterns did not differ between the two habitats. This was attributed to the small difference in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) levels between the two habitats (interior, 0.48–2.53% PAR; gap, 3.58–7.09% PAR). Between species, seedling growth in the forest interior and sensitivity to increasing light were significantly correlated with initial mean seed size. The growth ability of the six species in and out of canopy gaps is discussed in terms of regeneration status of forest tree species.

Two kinkajous (Potos flavus) were equipped with radio-transmitters and tracked during a 14- and a 7-day period in a primary forest of French Guiana. Both individuals were strictly nocturnal. They moved between food patches (flowering or fruiting trees) during c. 65% of the night, visited food trees during c. 20%, while the remaining time was devoted to rest. Rest time tended to peak in the middle of the night, whereas distances travelled peaked at the beginning and the end of the night. Minimum and maximum home range areas, estimated from minimum area and minimum convex polygon methods respectively, reached 15.7 and 17.6 ha in the female, 26.6 and 39.5 ha in the male. Mean daily activity area amounted to 5.5 ha in the female, 11.3 ha in the male. Distances travelled in a night averaged 1495 m for the female, 2540 m for the male. In contrast to the female, the male used the periphery more intensively than the centre of its home range. Both individuals occupied several roosts located in the canopy, but one far more frequently than the others. The male's roosts were all situated in the periphery of the home range.

Kinkajous were observed feeding on flowers or fruits of 15 plant species. Among the 10 species exploited for fruits, at least seven were dispersed. Dispersal distances averaged 200 ± 75 m (13 seed dispersal occurrences for 16 defecations), while seed transit time varied from 45 min to 3 h 35 min. P. flavus appears to be nocturnal, solitary, a generalist fruit and flower-eater and an important seed dispersal agent.

Density and biomass of four ungulate species, elephant (Elephas maximus) and seven other mammal species were estimated in an area of about 50 km2 in a dry tropical forest in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, western Thailand. Density estimations employed line transects, using either direct sightings or indirect signs. Total biomass of these ungulates and elephant was 1450 kg km–2 which was lower than that found in a well protected and managed area of similar forest, Nagarahole National Park, in India. This is due to the intensive poaching activity and the lack of wildlife management in this study site. Three species of ungulate, banteng (Bos javanicus), gaur (Bos gaurus) and sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), contributed over 70% of the estimated herbivore biomass. This situation is similar to that found in other parts of Asia. The high biomass of a subterranean mammal, Cannomys badius, has not been documented elsewhere in Asia; this species probably influences the forest dynamics and ecology of small carnivores in this area.

Dung beetles attracted to howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) and coati (Nasua narica) dung were studied for an annual cycle in the tropical rain forest of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. Pitfall traps set for 24 h month−1 captured 1567 dung beetles of 21 species. The species Canlhidium martinto, Deltochilum pseudoparile and Canthon femoralis accounted for 62% of all individuals captured. While species overlap was high (> 80%) between diurnal and nocturnal samples and between howler monkey and coati dung baits, coati dung attracted species such as C. martinezi, D. pseudoparile and Onthophagus rhinolophus while species such as C. femoralis and Copris laeviceps were numerically dominant at howler monkey dung. Thirteen non-ball rolling dung beetle species and eight ball-rolling species accounted for 43% and for 57% of all beetles captured respectively. Dung beetles were present and active in all months of the year, but occurred in higher numbers between the months of March and October, when temperatures were higher. Relative abundance of howler monkey and coati dung in the rain forest of Los Tuxtlas was estimated at 11.2 g (fresh weight) ha−1 day−1 and at 13.0 g ha−1 day−1 respectively, a seemingly low amount for the large number of scarabs attracted to the dung.

The effect of the red land crab (Gecarcinus lateralis) on leaf litter biomass and nutrient transformation was investigated in a semi-deciduous tropical forest on coastal dunes using access and exclusion plots observed for six months. Crabs were in burrows during drought, but began foraging immediately after rainfall. Crabs accelerated litter disappearance significantly during the wet season at one site located beneath Brosimum alicastrum, but had no effect beneath a nearby Enterolobium cyclocarpum. The difference is tentatively attributed to small leaflet size in the latter species which crabs were unable to handle and consume. At both sites, litter in exdosures had approximately doubled by the end of the ensuing dry season. At the Brosimum site it is attributed to sporadic crab detritivory occurring after dry seasonal rains. At the Enterolobium site it is attributed to preferential retention of litter in the cxclosures during strong dry season winds. The nutrient content of litter exposed to, or protected from, crabs was not significantly different at either site and differences in litter nutrient pools reflected differences in litter biomass. Accelerated nutrient mineralization due to crab detritivory was concentrated early in the wet season before leaching began from the soils, and it is suggested that this altered seasonal pattern of mineralization may reduce the loss of nutrients from the site in percolating water.

The reproductive process of two species of Kielmeyera, K. coriacea and K. speciosa, sympatric in savanna areas in central Brazil, has been studied. The trees have similar pollination systems and dispersal mechanisms but distinct phenological behaviours. Fast germination after the beginning of the wet season, early root swelling forming a xylopodium which enables survival during the dry season, and recurrent sprouting from the swollen root system during the first years of development were features of an establishment syndrome common to both species. The seedling survival after establishment was high; after five years 64% of the seedling cohort of K. coriacea was still alive. These seedlings, in natural conditions, remain poorly developed and resprout recurrently from the soil during some years. The recruitment of adult plants seems to occur from this ‘seedling bank’. The reproductive process was higher in K. coriacea during most stages of the reproductive process which may explain the smaller population size and distribution range of K. speciosa. For both species, the reproductive process as a whole was mainly affected by biotic factors in the wet season and not by seasonal drought or periodic fire.

Eight species of Myzolecanium Beccari (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) are reported from ant nests in stem cavities of living lowland rain forest trees in Papua New Guinea. The coccids are confined to this microhabitat but are associated with a taxonomically broad range of ants and host trees. Attendant ants belonged to six species in three genera and two subfamilies: Anonychomyrma Donisthorpe (Dolichoderinae), Crematogaster Lund (Myrmicinae) and Podomyrma F. Smith (Myrmicinae). Host plants belonged to at least five families and included both apparently specialized (with domatia) and unspecialized species. Saplings containing the nests of Anonychomyrma scrutator (F. Smith), Anonychomyrma sp. 1 and Podomyrma laevifrons F. Smith were dissected and the structure of nest chambers and their contents recorded. Only some chambers had entrance holes, but many were interconnected by transverse passages. The coccids were in low numbers and fairly evenly distributed between ant-occupied chambers. The characteristics of the Myzolecanium-ant association, the role of the coccids as trophobionts, and the nature of the plant associations are discussed. Taxonomically, new combinations are proposed by P. J. Gullan for three species previously placed in Cryptostigma Ferris: Myzolecanium endoeucalyptus (Qin & Gullan), M. magnetinsulae (Qin & Gullan), and M. robertsi (Williams & Watson).

The Auchenorrhyncha community within the understorey of a montane monsoon rain forest in Vietnam is described. It was highly diverse, with 328 morphospecies in a sample of 1611 specimens. The community was variable in species composition with respect to space (between sites 1–5 km distant) and time (between early and late wet seasons). Differences in species composition attributable to spatial heterogeneity and to seasonal variation were of a comparable magnitude when examined by the CCA ordination. Auchenorrhyncha density, estimated by sweeping, was generally low, at 1 to 2 individuals m−3 of vegetation. There was a negative correlation between the species' population size in the early and the late wet seasons.