permaculture

["wenshidi@yahoo.co.uk" <wenshidi@yahoo.co.uk>]

I have lately been reading as much as I can about masting but I still have a 
lot of questions, and I wondered whether there were any knowledgeable folks 
on this list that could help me out of my ignorance.
Masting usually refers to beech and oaks but I have read that it is also a 
strategy that is used by tropical species.  Does it also apply to legumes?
How can I tell whether it is a masting year or not?  Do I have have to 
observe the trees for many years or is there another way.  What I am asking 
is if there is a masting event in one species in one location, is it the same 
everywhere, or is it climate and geographically related.

This year I am seeing what look like masting event in numerous locations.  
Here in Thailand all of the leucaenas and cordias seem to be absolutely 
dripping with crop.  Up on the lower Himalayas, the oak nut fall was massive, 
seemingly much more than usual.  Can these two events really be related?  I 
have been reading in many separate areas that El Nino is going to have a big 
impact in 2012, with lots of cold and then drought, especially here in Asia.  
The weather has already been unseasonably cold and unpredictable in the above 
mentioned locations.  Could this be having some effect?

Chris