Diversity and host preferences of ferns and lycopods epiphytes on palm trees

Abstract

Abstract. Praptosuwiryo TN, Sumanto, Cahyaningsih. 2019. Diversity and host preferences of ferns and lycopods epiphytes on palm trees. Biodiversitas 20: 3731-3740. Epiphytic ferns contribute importantly to the global biodiversity of tropical rain forests. However, our knowledge of the ecology of epiphytic ferns is phenomenally still limited. Most studies on the ecology, floristic and diversity of epiphytic ferns and lycopods were reported outside of Malesian region. This study aimed: (i) to figure out the diversity of ferns and lycopods on palm trees of the lowland areas by analyzing its species richness and floristic composition, and (ii) to determine the host preferences of epiphytic ferns on palm trees. Twenty-eight phorophyte species belonging to 17 genera of palm trees, growing at Bogor Botanic Gardens, were observed. Trunk of palm trees was divided into three zones (basal, middle and upper). Individual numbers for each species of epiphytic fern growing on each zone were recorded. Epiphytic fern species which were most commonly found were analyzed statistically to determine their preference for the host trees. A total of 16 species of epiphytic ferns and lycopods were recorded. The greatest richness of species occurred in Polypodiaceae (50%). Habitual true epiphyte was the predominant ecological category, representing 75 % of the species. Caryota no Becc. hosted the greatest number of ferns and lycopods 8 species) while Attalea insignis (Mart.) Drude hosted the fewest (2 species). Individual numbers of six epiphytic fern species were significantly affected by palm trees species, namely Belvisia callifolia (Christ) Copel., Pyrrosia lanceolata (L.) Farwell, Pyrrosia piloselloides (L.) M.G. Price, Davallia denticulata (Burm.) Mett., Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott, Vittaria ensiformis Sw. Individual numbers of five epiphytic fern species were significantly affected by zone of the host plant. Nephrolepis biserrata tends to grow well in the upper zone. Pyrrosia lanceolata tends to be abundant in the middle zone. B. callifolia, D. denticulata, and V. ensiformis grow well and make dense populations in the basal zone.

Composition, Community Structure and Vertical Distribution of Epiphytic Ferns on Bamboo Species In Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia

“…2 and Table 1). The floristic composition of the epiphyte community is similar to those found on palm trees growing in BBG with 16 species of epiphytic ferns and lycopods (Praptosuwiryo et al 2019). The highest species richness was recorded in Polypodiaceae with seven species.…”

“…Previous publications stated that the epiphytic ferns flora holo-epiphytes are usually predominant (Fraga et al 2008 andSchmitt 2011) in Brazil;and Praptosuwiryo et al (2019) in BBG. Some epiphytes also grow occasionally on rocks, such as Belvisia mucronata and Microsorum scolopendria (Hovenkamp et al 1998), or soil such as Nephrolepis biserrata (Xing et al 2013) and Psilotum nudum (Zhang and Yatskievych 2013).…”

“…A previous study has shown that A. nidus growth is more affected by water stress (Ainuddin and Najwa 2009). On palm trees, D. denticulata and V. ensiformis grow well and make dense populations in the basal zone (Praptosuwiryo et al 2019).…”

Exploration, phenolic content determination, and antioxidant activity of dominant pteridophytes in Gunung Malang Village, Mount Halimun Salak National Park, Indonesia

“…Both extracts were classified as having strong antioxidants. Praptosuwiryo et al (2019) found that N. biserrata tends to grow abundantly on palm trees plantation especially on upper zone of trees. Besides, it useful to maintain the land humidity and keep the soil from lack of water (Ariyanti 2016).…”

Accidental epiphytes: Ecological insights and evolutionary implications

“…Two particularly curious observations of accidental epiphytism were reported from moist deciduous forests in northeastern India, where the banana species Musa acuminata (Deb et al, 2018) and the bamboo species Bambusa tulda (Majumdar et al, 2012) were growing in tree cavities. Moreover, across tropical Asia, accidental epiphytism was observed in various ecosystems, for example, in tropical montane forests of southern India (Mathew, 2013), in agricultural plantations such as tea plantations (Ohsawa, 1982) or oil palm plantations (Böhnert et al, 2016;Nadarajah & Nawawi, 1993;Prescott et al, 2015), at urban roadside trees in Singapore (Izuddin & Webb, 2015), or in botanical gardens in Indonesia (Junaedi & Nasution, 2018;Praptosuwiryo et al, 2019).…”