Species Richness and Abundance of Low-Trunk Herb Epiphytes in Relation to Host Tree Size and Bark Type, Eastern Amazonia

Abstract

-The composition and structure of the low-trunk epiphytic herb assembly as well as its vertical distribution were studied. DBH of host tree and bark type influence species richness and abundance in a nonflooded lowland tropical rainforest in Eastern Amazonia (1º57'36"S 51º36'55"W). A total of 37 epiphytic herb species were identified, among which 60% were Araceae. Species richness and abundance of epiphytic herbs showed tendency of positive correlation with host tree size and no relationships with bark type. Low positive correlation may be a by-product of the predominance of trees with smaller diameter in our sample rather than a reflection of neutral relationship. The absence of relationships with bark type may be partially explained by the large number of secondary, generalist, hemi-epiphytes and also may reflect the absence of suitable substrate in trees with smaller diameter.Keywords: Secondary hemi-epiphyte; Lowland tropical rainforest; Composition. RIQUEZA DE ESPÉCIES E ABUNDÂNCIA DE EPÍFITAS HERBÁCEAS DE FUSTE BAIXO EM RELAÇÃO AO TAMANHO DO HOSPEDEIRO ARBÓREO E AO TIPO DE CASCA, AMAZÔNIA ORIENTAL RESUMO -A composição e estrutura da comunidade epifítica herbácea de fuste baixo, assim como sua distribuição vertical, foram estudadas. O DAP de hospedeiros arbóreos e o tipo de casca influenciam a riqueza e abundância dessas espécies em um trecho de floresta de terra firme na Amazônia Oriental (1º57'36"S 51º36'55"W

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

“…P. piloselloides and M. punctatum can grow at a vertical gradient up to level 3. The results of the study are in agreement with the work of Magalhães and Lopes (2015) in tropical forests of Brazil, species of the Aspleniaceae, Lomariopsidaceae, and Pteridaceae that embellish trees are growing at a vertical gradient of 0 -1.5 m, while the member from the Polypodiaceae was growing at a vertical gradient of 0 -2.5 m. Pyrrosia piloselloides was the only species that grew until the highest intervals of height with a decreasing frequency from the bottom.…”

“…These results are in line with the widely documented dependence of epiphyte proliferation on tree size (Zotz and Vollrath 2003). The abundance of epiphytic species has a positive correlation with DBH of host species, where an increase in DBH of host species will increase the availability of space for the epiphyte plants to attach and grow (Magalhães and Lopes 2015). In this study, D. brandisii has the second highest culm diameter after D. giganteus.…”

Bryophyte richness of soil islands on rocky outcrops is not driven by island size or habitat heterogeneity

“…Although SAR was fi rst developed for oceanic islands and continents (Lomolino 2000;Losos & Schluter 2000;Dengler 2009), it has also been applied to other ecosystems, such as trees (Löbel et al 2006;Flores-Palacios & García-Franco 2006;Magalhães & Lopes 2015) and soil islands on rocky outcrops. Soil islands on rocky outcrops can harbor considerable plant diversity (Conceição et al 2007;Silva et al 2014).…”