Liana co-occurrence patterns in a temperate rainforest

Abstract

Questions: Are liana–host interactions structured at the community level? Do liana–host interactions differ between species, growth form guilds or habitats? Location: Otari‐Wilton's Bush, on the southern tip of North Island, New Zealand. The forest contains 75 ha of mature and regenerating conifer–broadleaf forest. Methods: Nine liana species were quantified among 217 trees to test for negative co‐occurrence patterns. We also conducted additional analyses within and among compartments embedded in the community‐level matrix. Liana and host abundance distributions were assessed across two contrasting habitats. Results: Community‐level analyses revealed negative co‐occurrence patterns. Positive, neutral and negative co‐occurrence patterns were found among compartments within the community‐level matrix. Host species compartments were consistent with randomized expectations, while positive co‐occurrence patterns were found within the host species matrix. Negative co‐occurrence patterns were found inconsistently among lianas that share the same region of host space, and those that do not. Conclusions: Overall, results indicate the liana community is structured non‐randomly. Liana–host interactions appear to follow an opportunistic growth strategy and interactions are due mostly to habitat partitioning.

Dominant network interactions are not correlated with resource availability: a case study using mistletoe host interactions

“…In order to achieve this goal we argue that resource availability and exploitation needs to be addressed at a population level for each species pair. Temporal changes in resources (Diaz‐Castelazo et al 2010, Kaiser et al 2010, Zahng et al 2011) and spatially isolated interactions (Burns and Zotz 2010, Blick and Burns 2011) are a pervasive feature of many networks. In other ecosystems, fluctuations in resource availability can occur rapidly over shorter time scales which could determine connectivity and compartmentalization in network structure (Baldock et al 2011, Diaz‐Castelazo et al 2011, Encinas‐Viso et al 2012).…”

Perspectives for ecological networks in plant ecology

“…Studies on the structure of interactions between epiphytes, mistletoes and lianas with their host trees have found that coevolutionary dynamics can shape the spatial distribution of parasitic interactions (Blick and Burns 2009). These authors found evidence for competition among lianas for access to host trees, while host specificity limited species associations (Blick and Burns 2011). A functional perspective has been also considered in plant parasitic networks, however, no clear pattern has emerged so far.…”

The behavioural ecology of climbing plants

“…2003 ; Nesheim and Økland 2007 ; Leicht-Young et al . 2010 ; Blick and Burns 2011 ). Consequently, host selection or host specificity has often been invoked to explain these patterns.…”