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1 Horizontal and vertical heterogeneity of resource availability, coupled with the specialized use of resources by tree species, results in complex patterns of tree species distributions in tropical rain forests. We studied the horizontal and vertical distributions of 4014 individuals in 11 species of early successional Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) in tropical rain forest in Sarawak, Malaysia.

2 The horizontal distribution of individual trees was assessed with respect to crown light levels, establishment microsites, and broader scale variation in soil textural properties. Vertical distribution was assessed using an allometric approach to estimate maximum tree height (H_max) and the slope of the sapling height–diameter relationship.

3 Average light levels intercepted and the proportion of individuals in each of five crown illumination classes varied significantly among the 11 species. Species ranged from extremely high‐light …