Patterns of liana succession in tropical forests

Letcher, Susan G.

doi:10.1002/9781118392409.ch10

Cited by 22 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 95 publications

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“…Our findings are consistent with those of previous studies by DeWalt et al . (), Kuzee and Bongers (), and Letcher and Chazdon (; see also Letcher ). DeWalt et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Rapid Liana Colonization along a Secondary Forest Chronosequence

et al. 2015

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Lianas (woody vines) can have profound effects on tree recruitment, growth, survival, and diversity in tropical forests. However, the dynamics of liana colonization soon after land abandonment are poorly understood, and thus it is unknown whether lianas alter tree regeneration early in succession. We examined the liana community in 43 forests that ranged from 1 to 31 yr old in central Panama to determine how fast lianas colonize young forests and how the liana community changes with forest succession. We found that lianas reached high densities early in succession, commonly exceeding 1000 stems/ha within the first 5 yr of forest regeneration. Lianas also increased rapidly during early succession in terms of basal area but did not show evidence of saturation within the 30 yr of our chronosequence. The relative contribution of lianas to total woody plant community in terms of basal area and density increased rapidly and reached a saturation point within 5 yr (basal area) to 15 yr (density) after land abandonment. Our data demonstrate that lianas recruit early and in high density in tropical forest regeneration, and thus lianas may have a large effect on the way in which secondary forests develop both early and throughout succession.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

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“…Our findings are consistent with those of previous studies by DeWalt et al . (), Kuzee and Bongers (), and Letcher and Chazdon (; see also Letcher ). DeWalt et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Previous studies on successional chronosequences in tropical forests demonstrated that liana density peaks after a few decades (reviewed by Letcher ). For example, DeWalt et al .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid Liana Colonization along a Secondary Forest Chronosequence

et al. 2015

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“…The correlation between liana size and tree impact was previously noted by Putz who observed that there is a strong correlation between liana diameter and liana leaf area (Putz, ) and thus the effects of lianas on their supporting trees (Putz, ). However, unlike liana abundance, median liana size within a fragment was positively related to decreased disturbance and the prevalence of mature forest traits (Hegarty & Caballe, ; Letcher, ). We found median liana size (DBH) to be positively and significantly related to factors associated with mature successional forest traits such as larger tree diameter, increasing canopy cover and decreasing tree abundance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We found median liana size (DBH) to be positively and significantly related to factors associated with mature successional forest traits such as larger tree diameter, increasing canopy cover and decreasing tree abundance. Therefore, while sites with larger lianas (DBH) significantly contributed to tree infestation rates, their prevalence was significantly related to areas of forest with mature forest traits (Hegarty & Caballe, ; Letcher, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Edge disturbance drives liana abundance increase and alteration of liana–host tree interactions in tropical forest fragments

Campbell

Edwards

Magrach

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Closed‐canopy forests are being rapidly fragmented across much of the tropical world. Determining the impacts of fragmentation on ecological processes enables better forest management and improves species‐conservation outcomes. Lianas are an integral part of tropical forests but can have detrimental and potentially complex interactions with their host trees. These effects can include reduced tree growth and fecundity, elevated tree mortality, alterations in tree‐species composition, degradation of forest succession, and a substantial decline in forest carbon storage. We examined the individual impacts of fragmentation and edge effects (0–100‐m transect from edge to forest interior) on the liana community and liana–host tree interactions in rainforests of the Atherton Tableland in north Queensland, Australia. We compared the liana and tree community, the traits of liana‐infested trees, and determinants of the rates of tree infestation within five forest fragments (23–58 ha in area) and five nearby intact‐forest sites. Fragmented forests experienced considerable disturbance‐induced degradation at their edges, resulting in a significant increase in liana abundance. This effect penetrated to significantly greater depths in forest fragments than in intact forests. The composition of the liana community in terms of climbing guilds was significantly different between fragmented and intact forests, likely because forest edges had more small‐sized trees favoring particular liana guilds which preferentially use these for climbing trellises. Sites that had higher liana abundances also exhibited higher infestation rates of trees, as did sites with the largest lianas. However, large lianas were associated with low‐disturbance forest sites. Our study shows that edge disturbance of forest fragments significantly altered the abundance and community composition of lianas and their ecological relationships with trees, with liana impacts on trees being elevated in fragments relative to intact forests. Consequently, effective control of lianas in forest fragments requires management practices which directly focus on minimizing forest edge disturbance.

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“…DeWalt et al. ; Letcher & Chazdon ; reviewed in Letcher ), but no clear pattern in climbing mechanisms. Little is known about phylogenetic patterns of climbing plants along forest succession (Letcher ; Roeder et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogenetic and functional structure of climbing plant assemblages in woody patches advancing over Campos grassland

Seger

Cappelatti

Gonçalves

et al. 2017

J Vegetation Science

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Question Analysing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional species distribution across a metacommunity allows understanding of how landscape dynamics may influence forest expansion over grassland. In this context, climbing plants are particularly interesting vegetation components, since they actively prospect the best sunlight position, altering forest structure. We investigated if forest structure differentiation along a patch size/isolation gradient would determine the distribution of phylogenetic clades, dispersal and/or establishment‐related traits in climbing plant assemblages. We hypothesized that taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional species diversities would show a nested pattern along the gradient of increasing vegetation complexity. Furthermore, less mobile diaspores, as well as climbing mechanisms independent of support limitations, and deeper phylogenetic clades characterized by shade‐tolerant species would be associated with more developed and less isolated patches. Location Subtropical grassland surrounded by Araucaria forest, southern Brazil. Method We recorded the composition and abundance of climbing plant species along a gradient of forest patches increasing in size and isolation from the surrounding continuous forest. We performed an analysis of principal coordinates of phylogenetic structure (PCPS) to investigate the distribution of phylogenetic clades across sites, tested its relationship with patch area and isolation using linear models, and for the correlation to species dispersal traits and climbing mechanisms. We employed the treeNODF (Nestedness based on Overlap and Decreasing Fill) method to estimate if there was a phylogenetic, compositional and/or functional nested pattern of the metacommunity structure during forest expansion over grassland. Results We found that species composition distribution was explained by patch size and isolation, but not by phylogeny. Dispersal traits were more structured along the gradient compared to climbing mechanisms. We also found a nested pattern of combined species and phylogenetic/functional diversities, where smaller patches are subsets of larger patches and of continuous forest sites. Conclusion Patch area, isolation and dispersal traits play significant roles in the distribution of climbing plants during the process of forest advance over grassland, independently of phylogenetic relatedness among species. The nested pattern indicated that continuous forest and larger patches provide all the diaspores that colonize the smaller patches in this process, making them important targets for conservation.

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Patterns of liana succession in tropical forests

Cited by 22 publications

References 95 publications

Rapid Liana Colonization along a Secondary Forest Chronosequence

Rapid Liana Colonization along a Secondary Forest Chronosequence

Edge disturbance drives liana abundance increase and alteration of liana–host tree interactions in tropical forest fragments

Phylogenetic and functional structure of climbing plant assemblages in woody patches advancing over Campos grassland

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