Early seed fall and seedling emergence: precursors to tropical restoration.

We explore processes of seed immigration and seedling recruitment before an experimental rainforest restoration matures enough to affect either. Twenty-four 30 × 30-m plots were fenced in 12 ha of pasture in 2006. Seeds were collected in ninety-six 1-m(-2) seed traps; recruits were censused in ~12,000 m(2) in which establishment was allowed.