Robin Pouteau, Juliette Picard, Charles Doumenge, Terry Brncic, Jean-François Gillet, Jean-Louis Doucet, Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury, Victor Kimpouni, Jean-Joël Loumeto, Raphaël Pélissier, Maxime Réjou-Méchain
Marantaceae forests are tropical rainforests characterized by a continuous understory layer of perennial giant herbs and a near absence of tree regeneration. Although widespread in West-Central Africa, Marantaceae forests have rarely been considered in the international literature. Yet, they pose key challenges and opportunities for theoretical ecology that transcend the borders of the continent. Specifically, we ask in this review whether open Marantaceae forests and dense closed-canopy forests can be considered as one of the few documented examples of alternative stable states in tropical forests...
April 17, 2024: American Journal of Botany