Physical factors had a greater effect on tree regeneration than did factors related to forest structure.
Tree species, such as Ficus macleilandii, Dracaena cochinchinensis, and Phyllanthus mirabilis within the hill-cliff or
sink-hole stand, colonized well on large rocky outcroppings that were well illuminated and had soft soils. These species
regenerated well under conditions prevailing on the limestone hill. The colonization of several species in other stands
was negatively influenced by environmental conditions at these sites. We found that natural regeneration of tree species
on the limestone hill was difficult because of the prevailing combination of physical and biological factors. The influence
of these factors was species dependent, and the magnitude of effects varied across forest stands.