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Dryad

Complete Tree Species of Panama

Data files

Apr 29, 2019 version files 404.81 KB
Jul 07, 2020 version files 672.20 KB

Abstract

1 June 2020

This data archive presents a complete compilation of the tree species of Panama, including the full geographic range and local abundance of each. The species list is based on the most recent monographs, especially the Flora Mesoamericana, along with herbarium records, especially those online at the Missouri Botanic Garden, and our tree census plots, mostly in the forests around the Panama Canal, including the 50 ha plot at Barro Colorado. The full set of occurrence records was collected from the BIEN database and from Tropicos (Missouri Botanical Garden), plus our tree plots, and a geographic range was calculated as the minimum convex polygon around all occurrences. Details of methods can be found in Condit et al. (2020), and that paper includes a complete bibliography of the taxonomic literature consulted.

Species were included based if they root in the ground as free-standing woody plants, and reach a height of at least 3 m as reproductives. Epiphytes, lianas, and herbs were excluded. Species were included broadly, thus even if only occasionally terrestrial and free-standing while usually not; this aspect forces a loose gray area between trees and non-trees. The category shrub or descriptor shrubby were never considered, as they are poorly defined and used in inconsistent ways. An online version of the database (http://conditdatacenter.tech/PanamaTrees/) includes range maps and notes on growth form for marginal species. Tables of all coordinates from BIEN and Tropicos used in the estimates of range size can be downloaded from http://conditdatacenter.tech/TreeMap/txt.

References

  • Condit, R., Perez, R., Aguilar, S. 2020. Tree species of Panama: a complete checklist with every geographic range. In press.
  • Condit, R., Engelbrecht, B. M. J., Pino, D., Pérez, R., and Turner, B. L. 2013. Species distributions in response to individual soil nutrients and seasonal drought across a community of tropical trees. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110:5064–5068. pdf http://conditdatacenter.org/pdfs/ConditEtAlPNAS2013.pdf
  • Condit, R., Chisholm, R. A., and Hubbell, S. P. 2012. Thirty years of forest census at Barro Colorado and the importance of immigration in maintaining diversity. PLoS ONE 7:e49826. pdf http://conditdatacenter.org/pdfs/ConditChisholmHubbell2012.pdf
  • Condit, R., Pérez, R., Aguilar, S., Lao, S., and Hubbell, S. P. 2017. Demographic trends and climate over 35 years in the Barro Colorado 50 ha plot. Forest Ecosystems 4:1–13. pdf http://conditdatacenter.org/pdfs/Condit_et_al-2017-Forest_Ecosystems.pdf
  • Davidse, G. M.; Sousa, M. S.; Knapp, S.; Chiang, F. & Ulloa, C. U. (Eds.) 1994-2018. Flora Mesoamericana (6 Volumes).