Abstract
Maintenance of the high biological diversity of tropical forests currently remains enigmatic. This thesis aimed at better understanding the role of intraspecific variability of demographic processes within an Indian rainforest tree community on its dynamics. Statistical modeling tools such as hierarchical models, Cox survival models or joint models and simulation tools such as the Capsis platform and SELVA simulator were then implemented. Four major results thus emerged from this work. In particular, our study highlighted the preponderance of unexplained individual variations in growth as well as their key role in the resilience of a strongly disturbed forest stand. We also highlighted the importance of taking into account tree species inherent growth to characterize their ecological strategies, not as a proxy as usually done, but as a scaling factor. It then appeared that shade-tolerant species were found both within slow- and fast-growing species. Finally we highlighted and quantified selection mechanisms of the most vigorous individuals within a species that varied among species.