木质藤本及其在热带森林中的生态学功能

木质藤本是热带森林的一个重要组分, 直接或间接地影响着森林中树木的生长和更新, 改变森林树木的种类组成, 并且可以通过改变森林碳固定量等方式在生态系统水平上发挥作用。全球气候的变化, 以及热带森林片断化程度的加剧, 将很大程度上影响着木质藤本的多样性和丰富度, 其特殊的生物学特性将在森林动态中发挥更加重要的作用。本文结合国内外目前木质藤本研究现状, 概述了木质藤本的一般知识(包括木质藤本的定义和生物学特性等), 介绍了木质藤本全球分布格局、其多样性维持机理以及木质藤本在森林生态系统中的功能与作用, 并就存在的一些问题以及需进一步开展的工作展开了讨论。

Lianas and Their Functions in Tropical Forests

As an important component of tropical forests, lianas directly and indirectly affect the growth and regeneration of many trees. Moreover, they may change the composition of tree species, and they play an important role in ecosystem-level processes such as biodiversity and carbon sequestration in tropical forests. With global climate change and habitat fragmentation, the importance of lianas in the dynamics of tropical forests is widely recognized. This review summarizes some basic information from recent research findings on liana’s biological characteristics, distribution pattern, and mechanisms responsible for maintenance of species’ diversity and their functions in forest ecosystems. The knowledge gap and perspective of the research on lianas are also discussed.