Cecropia: A Myrmecophytic Genus of Dioecious Pioneer Trees

The Neotropical genus Cecropia (Urticaceae) is composed of fast-growing and relatively short-lived dioecious trees with small, animal-dispersed seeds that regenerate in canopy gaps or early in high-light environments. Cecropia trees have for decades served as focal taxa on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), to study gap regeneration, seed dispersal, plant phenology, plant defenses, plant symbiosis, and niche partitioning. In this chapter, we first review the complexity of Cecropia species systematics in the context of BCI and present information useful for distinguishing among the four spe?cies of Cecropia on BCI. We then review key findings on the ecology of Cecropia from research on BCI and in Panama more generally. Among other findings, we highlight how the study of plant symbiosis in BCI, such as the Cecropia-ant mutualism and seed?fungal interactions, have contributed to our understanding of plant defenses and species coexistence.