A Stage Matrix for 'Miconia calvescens' in the Wet Tropics of Australia: Implications for Management

Abstract

A stage matrix for 'Miconia calvescens' under Australian conditions is presented in this paper. The matrix contains eight stages - new seeds, seed bank, four juvenile stages, and two adult stages - reflecting the growth habit of 'M. calvescens' in tropical Australia, where it takes at least four years for a plant to reach maturity and where there are large differences in seed production between small and large adults. Life cycle analysis of the stage matrix is undertaken to give details of important events in the growth of this species, including age-specific survival and fecundity. Sensitivity and elasticity analyses are used to indicate the relative contributions of life stages to population growth. This information can be useful in planning control programs.