Tropical forests share similar mix of common and rare tree species, study shows
By Liz Kimbrough A new study has for the first time identified the most common tree species in the tropical forests of Africa, the Amazon and Southeast Asia — and their similarities have surprised scientists. “The [study] shows some uncanny similarities among the world’s great tropical rainforests,” said tropical ecologist Bill Laurance, who wasn’t affiliated with the study published in the journal Nature. “In terms of their tree communities, rainforests in the Amazon, Africa, and Southeast Asia are all dominated by a few surprisingly ‘common’ species. In each of these regions, about 2.2% of t...