Stump Sprouting of Felled Trees of 33 Species in a Selectively Logged and Silviculturally Treated Forest in Suriname

Abstract

To evaluate the contributions of sprouted stumps to stand conditions after selective logging and liberation thinning around future crop trees, we censused the stumps of 120 trees belonging to 33 species in a lowland forest in Suriname. Nearly half of the stumps supported live sprouts 13-18 months after felling. The likelihood of sprouting varied among the 33 species sampled and was lower among stumps of large diameter and thick bark. Sprouting was not related to stump height, topographic location, or canopy cover. To avoid competition from stump sprouts, we recommend that poison girdle be used for liberation treatments.