Dipterocarps tend to be mast fruiters, and in the l.t.r.f. of S.W. Sri Lanka and West Malesia all members of the family tend to flower and especially fruit at the same time, apparently in response to climatic changes induced by El Ni??o events; very uncommon behaviour in the tropics (Sakai et al. 2005: see Fagaceae for temperate mast fruiters).