The reult from an autecological tudy of the growth, reproduction, and population dynamic of Broimum alicatrum in outhern Mexico are applied to the controvery urrounding the ue of thi pecie in Maya ubitence practice. The frequent occurrence of B. alicatrum near ruin i explained by it competitive advantage on hallow limetone oil coupled with a continual input of bat-dipered eed. Population of the tree at Tikal are then compared with other naturally occurring population a an example of how a detailed ecological analyi may furnih valuable inight into the hitorical ue of a plant pecie. The Tikal population are hown to be atypical in term of phenology, productivity and breeding ytem, uggeting that ome form of artificial election may have been practiced by the Maya.