Big-Leaf Mahogany is the most important commercial timber species of the tropics. Current debate concerning whether to protect it as an endangered species has been hampered by the lack of complete, definitive scientific documentation. This book reports on vital research on the ecology of big-leaf mahogany, including genetic variations, regeneration, natural distribution patterns and the silvicutural and trade implications for the tree.

This book is intended to be a record of the Biotechnology-Assisted Re/Afforestation Project in the Asia-Pacific Region (BIO-REFOR) since 1992, conducted in coop eration with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (lUFRO). The purpose of the project is to promote exchanges of information of fundamental research on indigenous species in the Asia-Pacific Region in order to restore natural forests. The production, cultivation, and maintenance of forest tree species provide highly sustainable production systems that conserve soils, the microenvironment, and biodiversity The key technology for biomass production of forests is propagation via micropropagation or traditional propagation. However, there are many recalci trant species among useful forest trees to be propagated in large numbers. Recent advances in mycorrhizal technology and in vitro culture have made it possible to commercially propagate useful trees for re/afforestation. In this book, comprehensive information is provided on propagation, mycor rhizal inoculation, and reforestation of economically and environmentally impor tant forest trees, information that usually is available only in widely scattered re sources. Here, we include a wide area of the ecology and physiology of dipterocarps as a general overview, and then cover propagation techniques, mycorrhizal symbio sis, man-made forests, and biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region.