Abstract: Hollow-bearing trees (HBT) are important components in forest ecosystems, playing a crucial role in maintaining animal diversity. To quantify the probability and influencing factors of tree cavities in tropical forests, we conducted a groundbased observation in a 20hm² tropical forest community in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. We used Logistic models to study the relationship between the probability of tree cavities and the diameter at breast height (DBH). The results showed that the probability of tree cavities was positively related with DBH, and varied across different tree species. The four species with the highest probability of tree cavities were Castanopsis hystrix (21.23%), Diospyros hasseltii (13.53%), Sloanea tomentosa (12.06%) and C. echidnocarpa (11.99%). In an optimal fitting model, tree cavities were strongly correlated with DBH, slope and aspect of the tree location. Our results indicate that tree cavities are related with tree traits and topographic factors, and therefore have implication for the conservation and management of biodiversity in tropical forests.

Key words: successive rotation, Chaetomium globosmn ND35, poplar, photosynthesis, light use efficiency.