Plant–plant interactions change during succession on nurse logs in a northern temperate rainforest

Plant–plant interactions change through succession from facilitative to competitive. At early stages of succession, early‐colonizing plants can increase the survival and reproductive output of other plants by ameliorating disturbance and stressful conditions. At later stages of succession, plant interactions are more competitive as plants put more energy toward growth and reproduction. In northern temperate rainforests, gap dynamics result in tree falls that facilitate tree regeneration (nurse logs) and bryophyte succession. How bryophyte‐tree seedling interactions vary through log succession remains unclear. We examined the relationships of tree seedlings, bryophyte community composition, bryophyte depth, and percent canopy cover in 166 1.0 m² plots on nurse logs and the forest floor in the Hoh rainforest in Washington, USA, to test the hypothesis that bryophyte‐tree seedling interactions change from facilitative to competitive as the log decays. Tree seedling density was highest on young logs with early‐colonizing bryophyte species (e.g., Rhizomnium glabrescens) and lowest on decayed logs with Hylocomium splendens, a long‐lived moss that reaches depths >20 cm. As a result, bryophyte depth increased with nurse log decay and was negatively associated with tree seedling density. Tree seedling density was 4.6× higher on nurse logs than on the forest floor, which was likely due to competitive exclusion by forest floor plants, such as H. splendens. Nurse logs had 17 species of bryophytes while the forest floor had six, indicating that nurse logs contribute to maintaining bryophyte diversity. Nurse logs enable both tree seedlings and smaller bryophyte species to avoid competition with forest floor plants, including the dominant bryophyte, H. splendens. H. splendens is likely a widespread driver of plant community structure given its dominance in northern temperate forests. Our findings indicate that plant–plant interactions shift with succession on nurse logs from facilitative to competitive and, thus, influence forest community structure and dynamics.     

Herbivory affects salt marsh succession dynamics by suppressing the recovery of dominant species

Disturbance can generate heterogeneous environments and profoundly influence plant diversity by creating patches at different successional stages. Herbivores, in turn, can govern plant succession dynamics by determining the rate of species replacement, ultimately affecting plant community structure. In a south-western Atlantic salt marsh, we experimentally evaluated the role of herbivory in the recovery following disturbance of the plant community and assessed whether herbivory affects the relative importance of sexual and clonal reproduction on these dynamics. Our results show that herbivory strongly affects salt marsh secondary succession by suppressing seedlings and limiting clonal colonization of the dominant marsh grass, allowing subordinate species to dominate disturbed patches. These results demonstrate that herbivores can have an important role in salt marsh community structure and function, and can be a key force during succession dynamics.     

Pathways, mechanisms and predictability of vegetation change during tropical dry forest succession

The development of forest succession theory has been based on studies in temperate and tropical wet forests. As rates and pathways of succession vary with the environment, advances in successional theory and study approaches are challenged by controversies derived from such variation and by the scarcity of studies in other ecosystems. During five years, we studied development pathways and dynamics in a chronosequence spanning from very early to late successional stages (ca. 1–60 years) in a tropical dry forest of Mexico. We (1) contrasted dynamic pathways of change in structure, diversity, and species composition with static, chronosequence-based trends, (2) examined how structure and successional dynamics of guilds of trees shape community change, and (3) assessed the predictability of succession in this system. Forest diversity and structure increased with time but tree density stabilized early in succession. Dynamic pathways matched chronosequence trends. Succession consisted of two tree-dominated phases characterized by the development and dynamics of a pioneer and a mature forest species guild, respectively. Pioneer species dominated early recruitment (until ca. 10 years after abandonment), and declined before slower growing mature-forest species became dominant or reached maximum development rates (after 40–45 years). Pioneers promoted their replacement early in succession, while mature-forest species recruited and grew constantly throughout the process, with their lowest mortality coinciding with the peak of pioneer abundance. In contrast to prevailing stochastic views, we observed an orderly, community driven series of changes in this dry forest secondary succession. Chronosequences thus represent a valuable approach for revealing system-specific successional pathways, formulating hypotheses on causes and mechanisms and, in combination with repeated sampling, evaluating the effects of vegetation dynamics in pathway variation.     

Stability in ecosystem functioning across a climatic threshold and contrasting forest regimes

Classical ecological theory predicts that changes in the availability of essential resources such as nitrogen should lead to changes in plant community composition due to differences in species-specific nutrient requirements. What remains unknown, however, is the extent to which climate change will alter the relationship between plant communities and the nitrogen cycle. During intervals of climate change, do changes in nitrogen cycling lead to vegetation change or do changes in community composition alter the nitrogen dynamics? We used long-term ecological data to determine the role of nitrogen availability in changes of forest species composition under a rapidly changing climate during the early Holocene (16k to 8k cal. yrs. BP). A statistical computational analysis of ecological data spanning 8,000 years showed that secondary succession from a coniferous to deciduous forest occurred independently of changes in the nitrogen cycle. As oak replaced pine under a warming climate, nitrogen cycling rates increased. Interestingly, the mechanism by which the species interacted with nitrogen remained stable across this threshold change in climate and in the dominant tree species. This suggests that changes in tree population density over successional time scales are not driven by nitrogen availability. Thus, current models of forest succession that incorporate the effects of available nitrogen may be over-estimating tree population responses to changes in this resource, which may result in biased predictions of future forest dynamics under climate warming.     

植物病原菌在森林动态中的作用

植物病原菌作为森林生态系统的重要组成成分及调控因子之一,在森林动态中扮演着重要的角色。植物病原菌通过侵染过程导致寄主植物的幼苗及成熟个体死亡、成熟个体的种子量降低或不实,或造成植物个体或群落中不同物种不同程度的病害,影响它们之间的营养竞争,从而导致群落结构、物种及个体数量的变化。感染散布前、后的种子和土壤种子库中的种子,以及由种子萌发产生的幼苗,它们的存活率降低,进而影响森林中的种子散布、幼苗更新与增补格局。在天然林中,先锋树种比顶极树种对病原菌更敏感,群落演替的早期阶段对病原菌比较敏感。植物病原菌主要通过密度依赖机制造成森林树种不同的死亡格局,从而参与森林的动态过程。     

热带北缘鹅凰嶂季雨林四种群落特征及成熟度分析

为分析我国热带北缘季雨林的不同演替阶段的群落特征,该研究对广东阳春鹅凰嶂典型季雨林中4种(A、B、C、D)不同植物群落展开调查,对群落的物种组成、多样性和空间结构等进行分析,判断成熟度差异,预测演替方向,并提出优化建议。结果表明:(1)4种群落林层单一,小径级木与下层木占主体地位,具有1～3种明显的优势树种。(2)Shannon-Wiener指数为2.72～3.74,Simpson指数为0.90～0.97,Pielou均匀度指数为0.74～0.89,各群落多样性特征差异显著。(3)4种群落乔木胸径大小比数为0.49～0.51,角尺度为0.56～0.61,混交度为0.54～0.83,林分空间结构指数为60.57～71.44,林分空间结构距离为53.15～68.53。(4)综合群落基本特征、多样性和空间结构特征的分析得出,各群落的成熟度排名为D>A>C>B。综上认为,4种群落都处于演替前期或中期,乔木个体胸径和树高发展空间较大; 群落整体处于中庸生长状态,个体均呈轻微聚集分布,树种表现为中度、强度或极强度混交,空间结构与理想林分存在一定距离。随着成熟度的增加,4种群落都继续以阳性树种作为主要优势树种进行演替,并初步具备该区域地带性顶极群落的典型植被特征; 季雨林群落物种多样性提高,并向混交度增加、空间结构优化、稳定性增强的趋势演替。该研究结果为群落构建机制和森林结构优化等提供科学依据。未来应对该区域加强监管与保护,同时应对该地区的植被生态学和生物多样性保护展开广泛监测与深入研究。     

云贵鹅耳枥群落演替中乔木树种间协变的研究

采用Ｓｐｅａｒｍａｎ秩相关系数探讨了贵阳喀斯特山地云贵鹅耳枥群落演替中１６种常见乔木树种间的协变,并对这些乔木树种间的协变关系及其对群落的性质、结构和动态的影响进行了分析。     

Measuring succession: methods for establishing long-term vegetation monitoring sites

Successional stages are often characterized by dominant plant species (species with the highest cover) and their effect on the structure and function of an area through time. However, the plant species determining the ecosystem properties and plant community dynamics may not be the dominant, especially when it is exotic. Understanding plant community dynamics in ecosystems that are uncharacterized and/or affected by invasive plant species requires a data-driven approach and proper placement of monitoring plots. To generate robust datasets on vegetation change through time, monitoring plot placement must consider the scale of ecological variation for both vegetation and soils and plots would ideally be replicated within similar ecological site types to quantify the consistency of successional transitions. We characterized soil and vegetation across and within seven floodplains affected by Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana, USA. Using modern Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and multivariate net differentiation, we identified five distinct plant community types, or classes, characterized by their tertiary woody plant cover, not the primary species, Russian olive. Our findings indicate that Russian olive communities differ across space, and these riparian areas can be classified into distinct plant community types. Characterizing plant community types via this analytical approach should allow practitioners to modify management decisions and forecast succession within relevant plant communities.     

Influences of herbaceous vines on community characteristics in pioneer succession stages

In the continental tropics, herbaceous vines and lianas are roughly equal in abundance, and the former are even more abundant in the temperate region. However, only little attention has been paid to the study of biological and ecological characteristics of herbaceous vines. In particular, research about effects of herbaceous vines acting as a biological control on plant communities has not been carried out in depth. Herbaceous vines are widely distributed and abundant also in humid subtropical areas, especially in the early stages of forest community succession, but their ecology is little known. The aim of our study is to understand the effect of local herbaceous vines on community characteristics in pioneer succession stages. The hypothesis was tested that herbaceous vines would have predominantly negative effects on co-occurring species, thereby reducing their diversity. Based on a quadrate method, a detailed survey of shrub and herb communities covered by herbaceous vines was conducted in the Jinyun Mountain Nature Reserve of Chongqing, SW China. The sample plots were selected based on the numbers and coverage of vines, distinguishing among high vine coverage plots, middle vine coverage plots and low vine coverage plots. All species in the plots with different herbaceous vine coverage were identified and measured. The measurements for each species included number, average height and coverage. Because of abundant tree seedlings in the habitat of forest edge plots, we only recorded the number of tree seedlings in those plots to evaluate the overall effects of vines on tree seedling regeneration. After the field investigation, herbaceous vines and other species in the plots were harvested respectively, then oven dried and weighed. The results showed that herbaceous vines had high productivity and produced a lot of branches, which caused above-ground competition and mechanical stress to other species. Herbaceous vines seriously affected species composition and species importance values of self-supporting species. In all three habitats, the number of species and families in low coverage samples was larger than that in high coverage samples, and furthermore the identities of species were different between them. Species richness significantly decreased with increasing herbaceous vine coverage, illustrating that some species disappeared. Herbaceous vines reduced species diversity of communities, and as a result, community complexity was decreased, which might also decrease community stability. Biomass of communities of self-supporting species significantly decreased with increasing herbaceous vine coverage, which suggested that herbaceous vines significantly decreased community productivity. The number of seedlings also significantly decreased with increasing herbaceous vine coverage, and seedlings were mainly distributed in lower coverage samples. Herbaceous vines reduced the light exposure in the understory, which may be the mechanistic explanation for the negative influence of vines on the performance of tree seedlings. It was concluded that herbaceous vines affected seedling quantitative dynamics and distribution, and inhibited the natural succession from shrub and herb communities to tree communities. Thus herbaceous vines not only had significant influences on community characteristics in pioneer succession stages, but also on subsequent succession stages.     

Influences of herbaceous vines on community characteristics in pioneer succession stages

In the continental tropics, herbaceous vines and lianas are roughly equal in abundance, and the former are even more abundant in the temperate region. However, only little attention has been paid to the study of biological and ecological characteristics of herbaceous vines. In particular, research about effects of herbaceous vines acting as a biological control on plant communities has not been carried out in depth. Herbaceous vines are widely distributed and abundant also in humid subtropical areas, especially in the early stages of forest community succession, but their ecology is little known. The aim of our study is to understand the effect of local herbaceous vines on community characteristics in pioneer succession stages. The hypothesis was tested that herbaceous vines would have predominantly negative effects on co-occurring species, thereby reducing their diversity. Based on a quadrate method, a detailed survey of shrub and herb communities covered by herbaceous vines was conducted in the Jinyun Mountain Nature Reserve of Chongqing, SW China. The sample plots were selected based on the numbers and coverage of vines, distinguishing among high vine coverage plots, middle vine coverage plots and low vine coverage plots. All species in the plots with different herbaceous vine coverage were identified and measured. The measurements for each species included number, average height and coverage. Because of abundant tree seedlings in the habitat of forest edge plots, we only recorded the number of tree seedlings in those plots to evaluate the overall effects of vines on tree seedling regeneration. After the field investigation, herbaceous vines and other species in the plots were harvested respectively, then oven dried and weighed. The results showed that herbaceous vines had high productivity and produced a lot of branches, which caused above-ground competition and mechanical stress to other species. Herbaceous vines seriously affected species composition and species importance values of self-supporting species. In all three habitats, the number of species and families in low coverage samples was larger than that in high coverage samples, and furthermore the identities of species were different between them. Species richness significantly decreased with increasing herbaceous vine coverage, illustrating that some species disappeared. Herbaceous vines reduced species diversity of communities, and as a result, community complexity was decreased, which might also decrease community stability. Biomass of communities of self-supporting species significantly decreased with increasing herbaceous vine coverage, which suggested that herbaceous vines significantly decreased community productivity. The number of seedlings also significantly decreased with increasing herbaceous vine coverage, and seedlings were mainly distributed in lower coverage samples. Herbaceous vines reduced the light exposure in the understory, which may be the mechanistic explanation for the negative influence of vines on the performance of tree seedlings. It was concluded that herbaceous vines affected seedling quantitative dynamics and distribution, and inhibited the natural succession from shrub and herb communities to tree communities. Thus herbaceous vines not only had significant influences on community characteristics in pioneer succession stages, but also on subsequent succession stages.     

Effects of earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi depend on the successional stage of a grassland plant community

Earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have profound impacts on plant performance. However, it is largely unknown if and how earthworms and AMF may affect plant succession. We planted mesocosms with an early-mid successional and a mid-late successional grassland plant community and added endogeic earthworms and commercial AMF in a full-factorial way to natural background soil. Earthworms had a positive effect on the total root and shoot biomass of both plant communities, with the effect on the shoots being slightly enhanced by co-inoculation with AMF. Surprisingly, the earthworm effect on the mid successional plant species depended on the successional stage of the plant community. Earthworms had a positive effect on the mid successional plant species when they were growing in the mid-late successional plant community, but no effect when the same plant species were growing in the early-mid successional plant community. Addition of AMF alone tended to reduce the shoot biomass of the early successional plant species, while the addition of earthworms in the presence or absence of AMF increased their shoot biomass. We conclude that the impacts of earthworms on plant species may depend on the successional stage of the plant community, while the effect of AMF addition depends on the successional stage of the plant community and may be changed by the presence of earthworms. Earthworms and AMF addition affect plants and plant communities of different successional stages differently with potential effects on plant succession.     

Structural changes of vegetation and its association with microclimate in a successional gradient of low thorn forest in northeastern Mexico

Understanding how microclimate and vegetation are associated during secondary succession is of primary importance for plant conservation in the face of the increasing land cover modification. However, these patterns are still unstudied for many plant communities. This study aimed to evaluate the structure (species richness, Shannon's diversity index, Simpson´s dominance index, abundance of each species, average height of species, species cover (%), species composition, and indicator values) of a low thorn forest fragment and to analyze its relation with microclimate along a successional gradient. Four stages of succession were delimited by the analysis of Landsat images, in the state of Tamaulipas, northeast Mexico. Statistical models incorporated species richness, diversity indices, abundance, height, and cover, as variables for searching differences between stages, or to evaluate microclimate associations. A total of 70 species, 54 genera, and 27 families were determined. Height of tree layer was the most important variable for discrimination of the successional stages. Conserved areas differed floristically from other stages, associated mainly with the lowest values of wind speed originated by tree layer characteristics. A significant association between species and microclimate was found, being wind speed and relative humidity the most important variables. Some species, due to their high importance values and their patterns of association with microclimate, may be considered as key taxa for low thorn forest, which is a threatened semitropical community in northeast Mexico. Conserved and late successional areas account for climatic regulation of this plant community, and the importance of these forest patches may be considered when establishing biodiversity protection areas.

     

Assessing the potential for indirect interactions between tropical tree species via shared insect seed predators

Natural enemies of plants have the potential to influence the dynamics of plant populations and the structure of plant communities. In diverse tropical forests, research on the effects of plant enemies has largely focused on the diversity-enhancing effects of highly specialized enemies, while the community-level effects of enemies with broader diets have rarely been considered. We investigated the community of insect seed predators interacting with seven tree species in the family Lauraceae on Barro Colorado Island (Panama). We present one of the first quantitative food webs for pre-dispersal insect seed predators and their host plants, and use the information in the web to assess the potential for indirect interactions between the tree species. Our data suggest that there is high potential for indirect interactions between Lauraceae species via their shared seed predators. The strength and direction of these interactions are largely unrelated to the phylogenetic distance and trait similarity between species but are likely governed by the volume of fruit produced by each tree species.     

鹤山退化草坡生态系统的自然恢复

研究了鹤山南亚热带退化草坡20a的自然恢复动态,发现群落虽有阳生乔木入侵,但仍处于草本和灌丛占优势的生物多样性较低的阶段;土壤中的有机质、水解氮、有效磷和有效钾等营养元素已基本恢复到同地带顶级森林群落的水平;虽然群落的空间结构与生物多样性尚未恢复,但其部分生态功能已经恢复,其中水土保持最先恢复,生产力等功能还需要较长的时间恢复;对于鹤山草坡这类一般退化生态系统来说,可能需要通过构建合适的人工林来加速生物多样性和生物量等指标的恢复过程,仅仅通过自然恢复是难以在较短的时间内迅速恢复其物质循环等功能的。     

Exploring the symbiont diversity of ancient western redcedars: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of long‐lived hosts

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are globally distributed, monophyletic root symbionts with ancient origins. Their contribution to carbon cycling and nutrient dynamics is ecologically important, given their obligate association with over 70% of vascular plant species. Current understanding of AMF species richness and community structure is based primarily on studies of grasses, herbs and agricultural crops, typically in disturbed environments. Few studies have considered AMF interactions with long‐lived woody perennial species in undisturbed ecosystems. Here we examined AMF communities associated with roots and soils of young, mature and old western redcedar (Thuja plicata) at two sites in the old‐growth temperate rainforests of British Columbia. Due to the unique biology of AMF, community richness and structure were assessed using a conservative, clade‐based approach. We found 91 AMF OTUs across all samples, with significantly greater AMF richness in the southern site, but no differences in richness along the host chronosequence at either site. All host age classes harboured AMF communities that were overdispersed (more different to each other than expected by chance), with young tree communities most resembling old tree communities. A comparison with similar clade richness data obtained from the literature indicates that western redcedar AMF communities are as rich as those of grasses, tropical trees and palms. Our examination of undisturbed temperate old‐growth rainforests suggests that priority effects, rather than succession, are an important aspect of AMF community assembly in this ecosystem.     

喀斯特森林不同演替阶段植物群落物种多样性、功能性状、化学计量及其关联

探讨森林植物群落物种多样性、功能性状与化学计量特征及其内在关联,有助于构建结构-性状-功能的研究脉络,深入理解生态系统的过程与功能,为群落结构优化配置和调控提供科学依据。以贵州喀斯特高原峡谷区森林草灌、灌木、灌乔和乔木4个演替阶段的植物群落为对象,通过群落学调查和植物功能性状、生态化学计量测度,研究其物种多样性、功能性状和化学计量特征及其互作关系。结果表明:(1)乔木阶段的Shannon-Wiener指数与Pielou均匀度指数均为最高,依次达8.62、2.41,表明伴随着群落演替,物种分布的均匀程度增加。(2)植物群落物种多样性指数之间仅Margalef丰富度指数与Simpson优势度指数未呈显著相关(-0.644),其余均为显著或极显著相关关系,表明物种多样性指数之间存在较强的促进或抑制作用。(3)叶片厚度与其余指标,以及群落物种多样性指数与功能性状、化学计量之间均未呈显著相关,比叶面积(SLA)仅与土壤N∶P呈显著正相关(0.742),表明群落物种多样性、功能性状和生态化学计量特征之间的相关性较弱。(4)SLA为灌木阶段的272.13 cm2/g为最大,δ13C值在演替后期略高,草灌、灌木阶段倾向于受N、P共同限制,说明随演替进展,植物的适应策略和资源利用对策等均发生了一定的调整,表明植物和环境之间存在较强的协变关系。(5)该区森林培育时,应构建完整的乔木、灌木和草本层片,提高生态系统对养分矿化、转化和循环等的自调控能力。     

Bole epiphytic lichens as potential indicators of environmental change in subtropical forest ecosystems in southwest China

Lichen epiphytes are applied as excellent environmental indicators worldwide. However, very little is known about epiphytic lichen communities and their response to forest dynamics in subtropical China. This paper proposes the applications of the cover, diversity, and functional traits of epiphytic lichens to assess environmental changes associated with succession in subtropical forests of southwest China. Bole lichens were sampled from 120 plots of eight representative forest types in the Ailao Mountains. Total cover, species richness, diversity and community structure of bole lichens differed significantly among forest types, and the highest cover and diversity occurred in the Populus bonatii secondary forest (PBSF). Sixty-one indicator species were associated with particular forest types and more than 50% occurred in the PBSF. Both cover and diversity of most lichen functional groups varied regularly during forest succession. Lichen pioneer species were not displaced by competitively superior species as succession proceeds and cyanolichens were more prevalent in secondary forests. The results also highlight the importance of habitat variables such as canopy openness, host diversity, forest age, tree size, the size of the largest tree, tree density, and basal area on the lichen community. Consequently, our findings support the notion that epiphytic lichens, in terms of cover, diversity, species composition and functional traits can be used as effective indicators for large-scale and long-term forest monitoring. More importantly, the narrowly lobed foliose group was the best candidate indicator of environmental conditions in this region. The combined application of lichen indicator species and functional groups seemed to be a more reliable and more powerful method for monitoring forest dynamics in subtropical montane ecosystems.     

广西大青山南亚热带森林植物群落的种间联结性

广西大青山地处广西西南部,对该地区的研究主要集中在人工林,而对其天然次生林植物群落种间联结性的研究尚未见有报道。该研究基于广西友谊关森林生态系统定位观测研究站1 km2固定样地的调查数据,用方差比率法( VR)和基于2×2联列表,通过χ2统计量检验、共同出现百分率( PC)、联结系数( AC),对广西大青山主要乔木层17个树种、灌木层8个树种、草本层12个树种的种间联结性进行了研究。方差分析结果表明,乔木层的总体种间联结性表现为显著正关联,灌木层的总体种间联结性表现为不显著负关联,草本层的总体种间联结性表现为不显著正关联。不同检验结果表明,该区域植物群落主要乔木树种间具有正联结性的种对较多,大多数乔木树种的种间联结性较紧密;主要灌木树种的种间联结性较松散,草本层主要种间表现为弱联结性。物种生态习性、群落演替阶段等因素可能是造成这一特性的主要原因。未来应加强对其自然环境的管理和保护,如果有必要,可适度人工干预,促进天然次生林的演替。该研究结果为进一步研究南亚热带天然次生林植物群落演替规律、维持和保护其物种多样性奠定基础,也可为该地区人工林的树种选择与配置提供数据支撑,进而对其人工林的近自然经营提供一定的理论参考。     

Fire-induced shifts in overstory tree species composition and associated understory plant composition in Glacier National Park,Montana

In Rocky Mountain forests, fire can act as a mechanism of change in plant community composition if postfire conditions favor establishment of species other than those that dominated prefire tree communities. We sampled pre and postfire overstory and postfire understory species following recent (1988–2006) stand-replacing fires in Glacier National Park (GNP), Montana. We identified changes in relative density of tree species and groups of species (xerophytes vs. mesophytes and reseeders vs. resprouters) in early succession. Postfire tree seedling densities were adequate to maintain prefire forest structure, but relative densities among species were variously changed. Changes were directly related to individual species’ response to severe fires. Most notably, relative density of the mesophytic resprouter quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and the xerophytic reseeder lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) increased substantially following fire, with a concomitant decline in proportional abundance of other tree species that, in some cases, dominated stands before fire. Trends identified in our study suggest that forest community shifts toward those dominated by lodgepole pine and quaking aspen are occurring in GNP. Cover of understory species was not affected by tree species composition or density. These forest communities will likely change throughout succession with the addition of shade-intolerant species in early seral stages and shade-tolerant species later in succession. However, with increased fire frequency, the lodgepole pine-dominated postfire communities observed in our study may become more common throughout time.     

Rapid Liana Colonization along a Secondary Forest Chronosequence

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.