# Presentation: 316958

## Dendroecological Analysis of Pterocarpus officinalis in a Tropical Forested Wetland in Puerto Rico

- Margaret S. Devall1, T. Mitchell Aide2 and Ana Maria Eusse3

- 1Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research
- P.O. Box 227, Stoneville, MS 38776
- _[mdevall@fs.fed.us](mailto:mdevall@fs.fed.us)_
- 2Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico,
- P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931
- 3Calle 140 #14-13, Apto. 504, Bogota, Colombia

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- Study area

## Pterocarpus officinalis

*Pterocarpus officinalis*

- 1. Important freshwater wetland species
- 2. Occurs in monospecific stands
- 3. Tolerates high salinity and flooding

## Pterocarpus officinalis      forest,

*Pterocarpus officinalis*      forest,
- Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico

- A critical unit in Puerto Rico
- Unique forest type
- Provides habitat for other species
- 4.  Rapid rate of conversion

## Purpose of study: To better understand potential threatsWe studied aerial photos to determine impact of land use practicesWe examined two sites with different levels of salinity and floodingWe related radial growth to climate

## 1937

- 1995

- Study site: Naval Security Group Activity
- Sabana Seca, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

## Pterocarpus officinalis high salinity siteMarch and May precipitation, June precipitation lagged two years

-      Valid cases:          32                                      Dependent variable:     Y
-      Missing cases:        0                                      Deletion method:    None
-      Total SS:            5.47                                      Degrees of freedom:   28
-      R-squared:         0.37                                      Rbar-squared:          0.31
-      Residual SS:      3.44                                      Std. error of est:       0.35
-      F(3,28):              5.53                                      Probability of F:      0.004
-                                          Standard                    Prob     Standardized      Cor with
- _  __Variable       Estimate       Error       t-value        >|t|        Estimate           Dep Var_
-   Constant        -0.44           0.22         -2.01         0.06            ----                  ----
-   X1                  -0.00           0.00         -2.12         0.04           -0.32              -0.35
-   X2                   0.00           0.00          2.73         0.01            0.43               0.28
-   X3                   0.00           0.00          2.68         0.01            0.43               0.33
-   Resid has 32 rows and 1 cols.

## Pterocarpus officinalis High Salinity Tree Ring Series

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**___ Observed**
**___ Predicted**

## Pterocarpus officinalis High Salinity Untransformed Chronology

*Pterocarpus officinalis*** High Salinity Untransformed Chronology**

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- 1989 Hurricane Hugo
- 1995 two hurricanes

- El Niño years:
- 1958, 1966, 1972,
- 1977, 1982, 1986

##               Pterocarpus officinalis                    low salinity siteMarch and April precipitation, June precipitation lagged two years

-      Valid cases:          49                                      Dependent variable:     Y
-      Missing cases:        0                                      Deletion method:    None
-      Total SS:            5.34                                      Degrees of freedom:   45
-      R-squared:         0.23                                      Rbar-squared:          0.17
-      Residual SS:      4.14                                      Std. error of est:       0.30
-      F(3,45):              4.38                                      Probability of F:      0.009
-                                          Standard                    Prob     Standardized      Cor with
- _  __Variable       Estimate       Error       t-value        >|t|        Estimate           Dep Var_
-   Constant        -0.16           0.11          1.43         0.16            ----                  ----
-   X1                  -0.00           0.00         -1.88         0.07           -0.25              -0.24
-   X2                  -0.00           0.00         -3.03         0.01            0.42              -0.35
-   X3                   0.00           0.00          1.68         0.10            0.23                0.09
-   Resid has 32 rows and 1 cols.

## Pterocarpus officinalis Low Salinity Tree Ring Series

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**___ Observed**
**___ Predicted**

## Pterocarpus officinalis Low Salinity Untransformed Chronology

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- 1989 Hurricane Hugo
- 1995 two hurricanes

- El Niño years
- 1966  1977
- 1970  1982
- 1972  1986

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## Acknowledgments:

- We thank Sukanya Koppolu, Kim Le, Joe McCollum, and Bernie Parresol