a test to determine any trends in the data, followed by four Mann–Whitney U-tests with a new critical value of 0.0125 to identify specific differences between dependent variables. Abstract in Hindi is available with the online material. These results suggest that large trees, and in particular large Ficus trees, may be more effective forest restoration agents than other remnant trees in disturbed landscapes, and therefore the conservation of these trees should be prioritized. However, our regression model found that canopy area, used as a proxy for tree size, was the primary predictor of sapling density, followed by remnant tree type. Sapling densities were twice as high under Ficus trees (median = 0.06/m 2 ) compared to non-Ficus (0.03/m 2 ), and seed rain densities of non-parent trees were significantly higher under Ficus trees (mean = 12.73 AE 3/m 2 /wk) than other fruit or non-zoochorous trees (2.19 AE 0.97/m 2 /wk). We found that Ficus trees have more sapling species around them (species richness = 140.1 AE 9.9) than non-Ficus trees (79.5 AE 12.9), and significantly more saplings of shrub and large tree species. We studied the sapling communities growing under 207 scattered trees, and collected data on seed rain for 55 trees in a modified landscape in Assam, India. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of remnant Ficus trees in inducing forest recovery compared to other common trees. Ficus trees, which are considered to be critically important components of tropical ecosystems, may be particularly attractive to seed dispersers in that they produce large and nutritionally rewarding fruit crops. One low cost strategy to accelerate forest recovery is conserving scattered native trees that persist across disturbed landscapes and which may act as seedling recruitment foci. ABSTRACT Forest restoration is an increasingly important tool to offset and indeed reverse global deforestation rates.
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