STAND CHARACTERISTICS AND LEAF-LITTER COMPOSITION OF A DRY FOREST HECTARE IN SANTA-ROSA-NATIONAL-PARK, COSTA-RICA

One hectare of tropical dry forest in Guanacaste Conservation Area, Co sta Rica was mapped and all trees larger than 10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) identified. The same hectare was sampled for leaf litter and the two data sets, forest and litter, were compared. Dominant and subdominant species of the forest are represented in the leaf litter, whereas rare tree species are highly variable in their representation in:che leaf litter. Relative abundance of dominant and subdominant tr ee species is represented well by the litter although absolute rank-or der is not identical between source forest basal area and leaf litter mass. The litter adds a significant component to the source forest dat a owing to the presence of vines and lianas, and more rarely small tre es or shrubs. This indicates that litter studies may be able to add de pth to forest diversity surveys. The source forest also was used to te st foliar physiognomic reconstructions of climate that have been propo sed recently by paleobotanists as an alternative to taxonomic affiniti es methods. The observed climate of the area does not conform to the c limatic values that were predicted by application of these new methods .