Variation in wood specific gravity (WSG) within and across species of tropical trees is poorly studied in relation to vegetation change during tropical forest succession. We investigated WSG of 91 species in eight long-term plots along a successional chronosequence in northeastern Costa Rica. Radial

1. Plant functional traits, in particular specific leaf area (SLA), wood density and seed mass, are often good predictors of individual tree growth rates within communities. Individuals and species with high SLA, low wood density and small seeds tend to have faster growth rates. 2. If community-leve