Demography of exploited tree species in the Bolivian Amazon

Tropical forests are threatened world-wide. Therefore, there is a search for ways to use the forests in a sustainable way, as this could assist in the conservation of these special ecosystems. Non-timber products collected from trees in tropical forests are often mentioned as examples of sustainable exploitation. Their collection causes far less disturbance to forest structure and functioning than the felling of trees for timber. This PhD thesis reports on ecological studies on tree species exploited for non-timber products. Three tree species were investigated in the tropical forests of the Bolivian Amazon region. The demography of these species is analysed and the impact of exploitation on population dynamics and future productivity is assessed.