Liana abundance and diversity increase along a successional gradient, even with homogeneous closed canopy

Lomwong, Noppawan; Chanthorn, Wirong; Nathalang, Anuttara; Saenprasert, Rampai; Yaemphum, Siriphong; Matmoon, Umaporn; Thaojatturat, Jeerapat; Somnuk, Rathasart

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120878

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 69 publications

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“…High PAI values could indicate lower light under the canopy (Ma et al 2021), higher vegetation indices in the understory (Maeda et al 2022; Supplementary Fig. 1), and more signi cant structural complexity, so the restricted occurrence of some species in these sites could indicate a lower tolerance to shading (Lomwong et al 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of forest structure on the abundance, biomass, and composition of lianas in tropical forest fragments

Marinho,

Burnham,

Maeda

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Deforestation in the Amazon creates fragmented landscapes and increases the exposure of forest remnants to altered microclimates, leading to forest structural changes that can alter vegetation density and the forest's vertical profile. Trees are crucial to defining tropical forest structure, but lianas contribute as much as 25% of species and can intercept 10–20% of the total light in forest. While much is known about the effects of forest fragmentation on trees, much less is known about lianas. Our study aimed to understand how the liana structure and composition community respond to forest fragmentation, especially forest-structural changes and distance to forest edge, in Central Amazonia. We used data from 1,336 individuals (diameter-at-breast-height ≥ 2 cm) of 172 liana species recorded in 2 ha of forest. Then, we tested the relationship of abundance, biomass, number of species and species composition as a function of forest structural parameters obtained through Terrestrial LiDAR, a 3D-remote-sensing technique, and distance to forest edge. At sites with a lower density of canopy vegetation, liana abundance and species richness both increased. However, increases in liana biomass and changes in liana species composition occurred only near forest edges. We conclude that unanalyzed factors, such as microclimatic variation and intrinsic characteristics of lianas, may be affecting liana community composition. In the long term, the effect of reduced canopy density on liana abundance and climate change may cause further changes in liana species composition in forest fragments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of forest structure on the abundance, biomass, and composition of lianas in tropical forest fragments

Marinho,

Burnham,

Maeda

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Species assemblages and their drivers differ between trees and lianas in a seasonal evergreen forest in Thailand

Chanthorn,

Wiegand,

Nathalang

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

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Despite a long tradition in ecology of studying tree species assembly and its potential drivers in tropical forest communities, little information exists with respect to lianas (woody climbers), the second most abundant life form of woody plants in tropical forests. Lianas influence forest diversity and stability and provide critical resources for forest fauna. Using a unique dataset of a 30‐ha plot in Thailand, where tree and liana individuals were fully mapped, we investigated the degree to which local species assemblages of trees and lianas of different size classes (i.e., seedlings, established individuals, and large individuals) are related to local environmental conditions. We asked (1) What are the spatial patterns and environmental drivers of local tree and liana species assemblages? (2) How do such patterns and drivers differ among size classes? (3) Which species associate with these assemblages? Local assemblages of established trees showed substantial structuring by environmental variables, whereas we found only weakly structured assemblages of tree seedlings, large trees, and lianas of all size classes. Our results indicated that the biotic and abiotic drivers of local species assemblages differed strongly between tree and liana communities and across size classes. Species assemblages of trees were mainly driven by soil nutrients, leading to patchy assemblages associated with high base saturation (Alfisols) and assemblages associated with lower levels of base saturation and higher aluminum (Ultisols), whereas tree seedling assemblages were only weakly structured by riparian zones. In contrast, species assemblages of established and large lianas were primarily associated with forest canopy structure, separating low‐canopy forests from high‐canopy forests, whereas soil nutrients were the only factors associated with liana seedling assemblages. The weak environmental structuring of tree seedlings and large trees suggests that other mechanisms, such as stochastic disturbances, competition for space, or animal seed dispersal, may play an important role in structuring tree communities in this seasonal tropical forest. The weak patterns observed in liana communities across all life stages raise questions about the underlying mechanisms of liana community assembly, and further research should focus on liana niches, their dispersal mechanisms, and host tree relations.

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Liana abundance and diversity increase along a successional gradient, even with homogeneous closed canopy

Cited by 2 publications

References 69 publications

The influence of forest structure on the abundance, biomass, and composition of lianas in tropical forest fragments

The influence of forest structure on the abundance, biomass, and composition of lianas in tropical forest fragments

Species assemblages and their drivers differ between trees and lianas in a seasonal evergreen forest in Thailand

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