Size classes
To investigate ecological processes throughout species development, we divided the individuals of each species into three size classes based on DSH and taking into account the minimum number of individuals in each class for spatial point pattern analysis (n ≥ 30, Martins et al. , 2018). Small trees were defined as individuals with DSH ≤ 0.2 cm forM. brasiliensis , and DSH ≤ 0.5 cm for M. multiflora andM. racemosa . Medium-sized trees had 0.2 < DSH ≤ 10.0 cm for M. brasiliensis , and 0.5 < DSH ≤ 10.0 cm forM. multiflora and M. racemosa . Large trees were those with DSH > 10.0 cm for the three species. We conducted all the following analyses separately for the three size classes of each of the three species studied.