Liana Abundance,Diversity, and Distribution on Barro Colorado Island,Panama

Lianas are a key component of tropical forests; however, most surveys are too small to accurately quantify liana community composition, diversity, abundance, and spatial distribution – critical components for measuring the contribution of lianas to forest processes. In 2007, we tagged, mapped, measured the diameter, and identified all lianas ≥1 cm rooted in a 50-ha plot on Barro Colorado Island, Panama (BCI). We calculated liana density, basal area, and species richness for both independently rooted lianas and all rooted liana stems (genets plus clones). We compared spatial aggregation patterns of liana and tree species, and among liana species that varied in the amount of clonal reproduction. We also tested whether liana and tree densities have increased on BCI compared to surveys conducted 30-years earlier. This study represents the most comprehensive spatially contiguous sampling of lianas ever conducted and, over the 50 ha area, we found 67,447 rooted liana stems comprising 162 species. Rooted lianas composed nearly 25% of the woody stems (trees and lianas), 35% of woody species richness, and 3% of woody basal area. Lianas were spatially aggregated within the 50-ha plot and the liana species with the highest proportion of clonal stems more spatially aggregated than the least clonal species, possibly indicating clonal stem recruitment following canopy disturbance. Over the past 30 years, liana density increased by 75% for stems ≥1 cm diameter and nearly 140% for stems ≥5 cm diameter, while tree density on BCI decreased 11.5%; a finding consistent with other neotropical forests. Our data confirm that lianas contribute substantially to tropical forest stem density and diversity, they have highly clumped distributions that appear to be driven by clonal stem recruitment into treefall gaps, and they are increasing relative to trees, thus indicating that lianas will play a greater role in the future dynamics of BCI and other neotropical forests.     

Density‐dependent Survival in Seedlings Differs among Woody Life‐forms in Tropical Wet Forests of a Caribbean Island

Negative density dependence contributes to seedling dynamics in forested ecosystems, but the relative importance of this factor for different woody plant life‐forms is not well‐understood. We used 1 yr of seedling survivorship data for woody seedlings in 17 different plots of lower to mid‐montane rain forests on the island of Dominica to examine how seedling height, abiotic factors, and biotic factors such as negative density dependence are related to seedling survival of five different life‐forms (canopy, midstory, and understory trees; shrubs; and lianas). Across 64 species, taller seedlings in seedling plots with higher canopy openness, greater seedling density, lower relative abundance of conspecific seedlings, and lower relative abundance of conspecific adults generally had a greater probability of surviving. Height was the strongest predictor of seedling survival for all life‐forms except lianas. Greater seedling density was positively related to survival for canopy and midstory trees but negatively related to survival for the other life‐forms. For trees, the relative abundance of conspecific seedling and adult neighbors had weak and strong negative effects on survival respectively. Neither shrub nor liana seedling survival was affected by the relative abundance of conspecific neighbors. Thus, negative density dependence is confirmed as an important structuring mechanism for tree seedling communities but does not seem to be important for lianas and shrubs in Dominican rain forests. These results represent the first direct assessment of controls on seedling survival of all woody life‐forms – an important step in understanding the dynamics and structure of the entire woody plant community.     

Do lianas shape ant communities in an early successional tropical forest?

Almost half of lowland tropical forests are at various stages of regeneration following deforestation or fragmentation. Changes in tree communities along successional gradients have predictable bottom‐up effects on consumers. Liana (woody vine) assemblages also change with succession, but their effects on animal succession remain unexplored. Here we used a large‐scale liana removal experiment across a forest successional chronosequence (7–31 years) to determine the importance of lianas to ant community structure. We conducted 1,088 surveys of ants foraging on and living in trees using tree trunk baiting and hand‐collecting techniques at 34 paired forest plots, half of which had all lianas removed. Ant species composition, β‐diversity, and species richness were not affected by liana removal; however, ant species co‐occurrence (the coexistence of two or more species in a single tree) was more frequent in control plots, where lianas were present, versus removal plots. Forest stand age had a larger effect on ant community structure than the presence of lianas. Mean ant species richness in a forest plot increased by ca. 10% with increasing forest age across the 31‐year chronosequence. Ant surveys from forest >20 years old included more canopy specialists and fewer ground‐nesting ant species versus those from forests <20 years old. Consequently, lianas had a minimal effect on arboreal ant communities in this early successional forest, where rapidly changing tree community structure was more important to ant species richness and composition.     

Diversity,composition, and structure of tropical dry forests in Central America

Tropical dry forests have been reduced to less than 0.1% of their original expanse on the Pacific side of Central America and are considered by some to be the most endangered ecosystem in the lowland tropics. Plots 1000 m² were established in seven tropical dry forests in Costa Rica and Nicaragua in order to compare levels of species richness to other Neotropical dry forest sites and to identify environmental variables associated with species richness and abundance. A total of 204 species and 1484 individuals 2.5 cm were encountered. Santa Rosa National Park was the richest site with the highest family (33), genera (69), and species (75) diversity of all sites. Species richness and forest structure were significantly different between sites. Fabaceae was the dominant tree and shrub family at most sites, but no species was repeatably dominant based on number of stems in all fragments of tropical dry forest. Central American dry forests had similar species richness when compared to other Neotropical forests. There was no correlation between forest cover within reserves, or precipitation and plant species richness. There was a significant correlation between anthropogenic disturbance (intensity and frequency of fire, wood collection, grazing) and total species richness, tree and shrub species richness, and liana abundance. These results suggest controlling levels on anthropogenic disturbance within reserves should be a high priority for resource managers in Central America. Further research in forest fragments which examine individual and a combination of disturbance agents would help clarify the importance of anthropogenic disturbance on species richness and abundance.     

湖北星斗山地形变化对不同生活型植物叶功能性状的影响

探究地形变化对不同生活型植物叶功能性状的影响有助于深入理解森林群落物种组成的维持特征。该研究以湖北星斗山常绿落叶阔叶混交林为研究对象, 测量了50个样地中224种木本植物的叶面积、叶厚度、叶干质量、叶干物质含量和比叶面积, 运用单因素方差分析揭示了乔木、灌木和木质藤本的叶功能性状变异特征, 并采用偏曼特尔检验分别从群落水平和物种水平分析了地形变化对不同生活型木本植物叶功能性状的影响。研究发现: 不同生活型植物叶性状变异系数分布范围为23.42%-110.45%; 不同生活型之间的植物叶功能性状差异明显。群落水平上, 海拔与乔木叶干质量、灌木叶面积和木质藤本叶厚度显著正相关, 坡度仅对灌木和木质藤本比叶面积具有显著影响, 坡向与灌木叶厚度、叶干质量和比叶面积显著正相关。物种水平上, 海拔比坡度和坡向对植物叶功能性状影响更为显著, 且不同物种对地形变化的敏感度不一致; 在控制空间结构影响后, 地形因子对植物叶功能性状的影响降低。该研究结果表明, 不同生活型植物的叶功能性状对地形变化的响应格局不同, 这可能是星斗山常绿落叶阔叶混交林植物多样性的主要维持机制。     

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

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.     

What controls liana success in Neotropical forests?

Aim   We seek to determine the factors which control the success of lianas across macroecological gradients. Lianas have a strong impact on the growth, mortality and biomass of tropical trees, and are reported to be increasing in dominance, so understanding their behaviour is important from the perspectives of both ecological and global change.
Location   Lowland and montane Neotropical forests.
Methods   Using 65 standardized samples of lianas (≥ 2.5 cm diameter) from across the Neotropics, we attempted to account for characteristics of both the environment and the forest in explaining macroecological variation in liana success in Neotropical forests, using regression analyses and structural equation modelling.
Results   We found that both liana density and basal area were unrelated to mean annual precipitation, dry season length or soil variables, except for a weak effect of mean annual precipitation on liana basal area. Structural characteristics of the forest explained more of the variation in liana density and basal area than the physical environment. More disturbed forests generally tended to have a higher liana density. Liana basal area, however, was highest in undisturbed forests.
Main conclusions   The availability of host trees and their characteristics may be more important than the direct effects of the physical environment in controlling the success of lianas in Neotropical forests. Changes to the tropical climate in the coming century may not strongly affect lianas directly, but could have very substantial indirect effects via changes in tree community structure and dynamics.     

The effect of altitude,patch size and disturbance on species richness and density of lianas in montane forest patches

The species richness and density of lianas (woody vines) in tropical forests is determined by various abiotic and biotic factors. Factors such as altitude, forest patch size and the degree of forest disturbance are known to exert strong influences on liana species richness and density. We investigated how liana species richness and density were concurrently influenced by altitude (1700–2360 m), forest patch size, forest patch location (edge or interior) and disturbance intensity in the tropical montane evergreen forests, of the Nilgiri and Palni hills, Western Ghats, southern India. All woody lianas (≥1 cm dbh) were enumerated in plots of 30 × 30 m in small, medium and large forest patches, which were located along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1700 to 2360 m. A total of 1980 individual lianas were recorded, belonging to 45 species, 32 genera and 21 families, from a total sampling area of 13.86 ha (across 154 plots). Liana species richness and density decreased significantly with increasing altitude and increased with increasing forest patch size. Within forest patches, the proportion of forest edge or interior habitat influenced liana distribution and succession especially when compared across the patch size categories. Liana species richness and density also varied along the altitudinal gradient when examined using eco-physiological guilds (i.e. shade tolerance, dispersal mode and climbing mechanism). The species richness and density of lianas within these ecological guilds responded negatively to increasing altitude and positively to increasing patch size and additionally displayed differing sensitivities to forest disturbance. Importantly, the degree of forest disturbance significantly altered the relationship between liana species richness and density to increasing altitude and patches size, and as such is likely the primary influence on liana response to montane forest succession. Our findings suggest that managing forest disturbance in the examined montane forests would assist in conserving local liana diversity across the examined altitudinal range.     

The relative importance of trees versus lianas as hosts for phytophagous beetles (Coleoptera) in tropical forests

Aim Insect assemblages associated with lianas in tropical forests are poorly studied compared with those associated with trees. The importance of lianas for the maintenance of local species richness of insect herbivores in tropical forests is therefore poorly understood. With this in mind, a comparative study of the relative importance of trees and lianas as hosts for phytophagous beetles was carried out. Location The study area was located in the canopy of a dry tropical forest in Parque Natural Metropolitano, Panama province, Republic of Panama. Methods A crane system was utilized to access the canopy. The number of species and host specialization of adult phytophagous beetles associated with twenty‐six liana species of ten different families, and twenty‐four tree species of twelve different families were compared. Results A total of 2561 host associations of 697 species of beetles were determined (1339 for trees and 1222 for lianas). On average 55.8 ± 6.8 beetle species were found to be associated with each tree species while the comparable number for lianas was 47.0 ± 6.1. The pooled numbers of phytophagous beetle species associated with trees and lianas, respectively, were not significantly different. However, there were significantly more species feeding on green plant parts on lianas than on trees, and there were significantly more wood eaters on trees than on lianas. Phytophagous beetles associated with lianas were significantly more specialized than the tree associates due to a higher degree of specialization among the species feeding on green plant parts of lianas. Wood eaters and flower visitors showed no differences in host specialization on different growth forms. Main conclusion The present study shows that lianas are at least as important as trees for the maintenance of local species diversity of phytophagous beetles at this site. The mechanisms that drive the patterns can only be hypothesized. Plant architecture, size, and length of growing season are probably involved. Further studies, should include measurements of plant traits to elucidate experimentally what mechanisms that drive the patterns. Additional insight would come from similar studies in other forest types, and also studies of other major taxonomic groups of arthropod herbivores.     

Structure and pattern in temperate seasonal forests

Demography, spatial pattern, and diversity of canopy and subcanopy trees, shrubs, and lianas were compared in two cool and two warm temperate North American forests, paired at 30° and 40° north latitudes. All woody stems 1 cm dbh in 16 randomly located, non-contiguous plots totalling 1 ha at each of the four sites were measured, mapped, and identified. Basal area and overall density did not differ between latitudes. Demographic and spatial analyses revealed remarkable similarity in spatial dispersion, irrespective of density or species composition. At all sites, dispersion of canopy trees was random but all understory stems were uniformly distributed relative to all canopy trees. Species diversity and vertical structure differed between the warm and cool temperate sites, especially in species composition of individual strata. Associations of understory species relative to canopy species were more random at 30° than at 40° north, where a higher degree of association between canopy and understory species' patterns, coupled with their size class distributions, suggested more lengthy regeneration cycles and an alternation of species assemblages. The forests at 30°, those subject to periodic canopy disturbance by hurricanes, had more vertical mixing of species (i.e., canopy species represented in all size classes), more tree saplings, and significantly more shrub and liana species.     

Elevational parallels of latitudinal variation in the proportion of lianas in woody floras

Aim  To determine if elevational variation in the proportion of lianas in woody floras parallels the variation observed on latitudinal gradients. This is to be expected if the poleward decrease in the importance of lianas is related to the vulnerability of their wide vessels to freeze embolism.
Location  Coastal ranges of south-central Chile (latitude 37°–40° S) and western South Island of New Zealand (41°–43° S).
Methods  The presence of all woody species was recorded in plots of 2500 m² (Chile) or 100–400 m² (New Zealand) on four elevational gradients in temperate rain forest. Each species was classified as a tree, shrub or liana. Original data were obtained from 22 plots at two sites in Chile. In New Zealand, two surveys comprising a total of 296 plots were extracted from the National Vegetation Survey data base.
Results  Liana species richness declined more or less monotonically on all four gradients, whereas richness of trees and shrubs showed more varied elevational patterns. The proportion of woody species contributed by the liana life-form was negatively correlated with elevation on all four gradients, falling from 15 to 35% of the woody flora at c . 200 m a.s.l. to nil well below the tree line. The elevational and latitudinal limits of liana species were marginally significantly correlated in Chile, but not in New Zealand.
Main conclusions  The elevational parallel of the well-documented decline in liana representation with increasing latitude is consistent with the hypothesis that cold intolerance is a strong control on the global distribution of the liana life-form.     

Colonization of Tubú (Montanoa guatemalensis,Asteraceae) Windbreaks by Woody Species1

Tubú (Montanoa guatemalensis, Asteraceae) is a popular tree used in windbreaks in the San Luis valley near the Monteverde cloud forests of Costa Rica. Seventy‐eight woody taxa from 32 families were found in the understory of 19 tubú windbreaks (five 4‐yr‐old, eight 12‐yr‐old, and six 20‐yr‐old). Mean size of tubú increased with stand age, but tubú was neither replacing itself nor spreading from the windbreaks. Density of other trees and shrubs ≥1 m was higher in 4‐yr‐old plots than in 20‐yr‐old plots, but density of other trees <1 m tall did not vary with windbreak age. Whereas richness of species ≥1 m was higher for 12‐ and 20‐yr‐old plots than for 4‐yr‐old plots, species richness of trees <1 m tall did not vary with windbreak stand age. Higher proportions of the woody colonists in 12‐ and 20‐yr‐old plots were animal dispersed than in 4‐yr‐old plots. Tubú windbreaks may undergo major changes in woody species composition, with Daphnopsis americana, Inga punctata, and Trichilia havanensis likely to predominate in the future.     

Trees as islands: canopy ant species richness increases with the size of liana‐free trees in a Neotropical forest

The physical characteristics of habitats shape local community structure; a classic example is the positive relationship between the size of insular habitats and species richness. Despite the high density and proximity of tree crowns in forests, trees are insular habitats for some taxa. Specifically, crown isolation (i.e. crown shyness) prevents the movement of small cursorial animals among trees. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the species richness of ants (S_a) in individual, isolated trees embedded within tropical forest canopies increases with tree size. We predicted that this pattern disappears when trees are connected by lianas (woody vines) or when strong interactions among ant species determine tree occupancy. We surveyed the resident ants of 213 tree crowns in lowland tropical forest of Panama. On average, 9.2 (range = 2–20) ant species occupied a single tree crown. Average (± SE) S_a was ca 25% higher in trees with lianas (10.2 ± 0.26) than trees lacking lianas (8.0 ± 0.51). S_a increased with tree size in liana‐free trees (S_a = 10.99A^0.256), but not in trees with lianas. Ant species composition also differed between trees with and without lianas. Specifically, ant species with solitary foragers occurred more frequently in trees with lianas. The mosaic‐like pattern of species co‐occurrence observed in other arboreal ant communities was not found in this forest. Collectively, the results of this study indicate that lianas play an important role in shaping the local community structure of arboreal ants by overcoming the insular nature of tree crowns.     

鼎湖山自然林豆科固氮植物资源的调查研究

本文在调查鼎湖山自然林木本豆科植物结瘤固氮的基础上,参阅了国内外有关豆科植物结瘤固氮的主要文献,研究了鼎湖山自然林木本豆科植物的固氮资源。结果得出鼎湖山自然林中常见的木本豆科植物共有41种,其中乔木15种,灌木6种,木质藤本20种;有结瘤固氮特性的26种,其中乔木11种,灌木5种,木质藤本10种;经初步调查未见根瘤的6种,其中乔木2种,灌木1种,木质藤本3种;未调查的9种,其中乔木2种,木质藤本7种。本研究结果为鼎湖山木本豆科固氮植物资源的保护、管理和开发利用提供了科学论据,在理论和应用方面均有重要意义。     

Are lianas more drought-tolerant than trees? A test for the role of hydraulic architecture and other stem and leaf traits

Lianas are an important component of Neotropical forests, where evidence suggests that they are increasing in abundance and biomass. Lianas are especially abundant in seasonally dry tropical forests, and as such it has been hypothesized that they are better adapted to drought, or that they are at an advantage under the higher light conditions in these forests. However, the physiological and morphological characteristics that allow lianas to capitalize more on seasonal forest conditions compared to trees are poorly understood. Here, we evaluate how saplings of 21 tree and liana species from a seasonal tropical forest in Panama differ in cavitation resistance (P ₅₀) and maximum hydraulic conductivity (K _h), and how saplings of 24 tree and liana species differ in four photosynthetic leaf traits (e.g., maximum assimilation and stomatal conductance) and six morphological leaf and stem traits (e.g., wood density, maximum vessel length, and specific leaf area). At the sapling stage, lianas had a lower cavitation resistance than trees, implying lower drought tolerance, and they tended to have a higher potential hydraulic conductivity. In contrast to studies focusing on adult trees and lianas, we found no clear differences in morphological and photosynthetic traits between the life forms. Possibly, lianas and trees are functionally different at later ontogenetic stages, with lianas having deeper root systems than trees, or experience their main growth advantage during wet periods, when they are less vulnerable to cavitation and can achieve high conductivity. This study shows, however, that the hydraulic characteristics and functional traits that we examined do not explain differences in liana and tree distributions in seasonal forests.     

Liana community and functional trait analysis in tropical dry evergreen forest of India

Aim Lianas are abundant and diverse throughout the world and constitute an important structural and functional component of tropical forests. This study aims to investigate liana diversity, abundance and their functional traits in Indian tropical dry evergreen forest (TDEF).Methods A total of ten 1-ha plots, one each in 10 Indian TDEF sites were demarcated. Each 1-ha plot was divided into one-hundred 10- × 10-m quadrats to facilitate woody species inventory. All lianas ≥1cm diameter measured at 130cm from the rooting point and all trees ≥10-cm girth at breast height (gbh) were recorded from the study sites to analyze the patterns of liana diversity and abundance and also to compare the contribution of lianas to the total woody species richness, density and basal area. Liana variables across the study sites were compared using one-way analysis of variance. The qualitative functional traits of inventoried lianas and trees were assessed on the field and referring to pertinent field manuals.Important findings A total of 9237 liana individuals (ranged from 408–1658 individuals ha^-1) representing 52 species, 45 genera and 28 families were encountered from the 10 study sites. Liana species richness ranged from 11–31 species ha^-1 in 10 sites, which averaged 23.4 (±5.7) species ha^-1. The total basal area of lianas in the study sites was 7. 3 m 2 (0.20–1.76 m 2 ha^-1). There was a significant variation in liana species richness, density and basal area across the studied sites. On the whole, lianas contributed 52%, 49.3% and 4.1% to the total woody species (lianas and trees) richness, density and basal area, respectively. Liana trait analysis revealed the majority (50%) of lianas belonged to brevi-deciduous type. Stem twining was the chief climbing mechanism, exhibited by 21 species (52.6% of total abundance). More than half of the liana species (34 species; 6925 individuals) had microphyllous leaves. Fleshy-fruited lianas mostly bearing berries and drupes constituted the major fruit type in the studied sites. Zoochory was the predominant dispersal mode observed in 63.4% of species. Considering the ecological and functional role of lianas in Indian TDEF, the need for conservation is emphasized.     

Large‐scale assessment of regeneration and diversity in Mediterranean planted pine forests along ecological gradients

Aim There is increasing concern regarding sustainable management and restoration of planted forests, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin where pine species have been widely used. The aim of this study was to analyse the environmental and structural characteristics of Mediterranean planted pine forests in relation to natural pine forests. Specifically, we assessed recruitment and woody species richness along climatic, structural and perturbation gradients to aid in developing restoration guidelines. Location Continental Spain. Methods We conducted a multivariate comparison of ecological characteristics in planted and natural stands of main Iberian native pine species (Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinea, Pinus pinaster, Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris). We fitted species‐specific statistical models of recruitment and woody species richness and analysed the response of natural and planted stands along ecological gradients. Results Planted pine forests occurred on average on poorer soils and experienced higher anthropic disturbance rates (fire frequency and anthropic mortality) than natural pine forests. Planted pine forests had lower regeneration and diversity levels than natural pine forests, and these differences were more pronounced in mountain pine stands. The largest differences in recruitment – chiefly oak seedling abundance – and species richness between planted and natural stands occurred at low‐medium values of annual precipitation, stand tree density, distance to Quercus forests and fire frequency, whereas differences usually disappeared in the upper part of the gradients. Main conclusions Structural characteristics and patterns of recruitment and species richness differ in pine planted forests compared to natural pine ecosystems in the Mediterranean, especially for mountain pines. However, management options exist that would reduce differences between these forest types, where restoration towards more natural conditions is feasible. To increase recruitment and diversity, vertical and horizontal heterogeneity could be promoted by thinning in high‐density and homogeneous stands, while enrichment planting would be desirable in mesic and medium‐density planted forests.     

Impact of habitat disturbance in the wetland forests of East Usambara,Tanzania

We evaluated habitat characteristics of East Usambara wetland forests. The abundance and species composition in the tree, shrub and herbaceous layers were enumerated in two sets of nested plots, one set in a natural wetland forest and the second in a wetland forest that had been disturbed by small‐scale gold mining activities. Each set had thirty‐six 1 m × 1 m plots for herbs, inside nine 5 m × 5 m plots for shrubs, in three 20 m × 20 m plots for trees. The habitat profile of herbaceous – shrub – tree layers was found to be sharply different from one obtained in previous studies at the surrounding nonwetland forests as were species composition and abundance. Unlike in the nonwetland forests, the herbaceous layer was thick, the shrub layer very thin and the woody species density and richness much lower. Disturbance significantly reduced woody cover and changed species composition in the herbaceous layer. Recovery of the woody vegetation was low. Wetland forests in the East Usambaras form a small fraction of the total area, but they are a unique biodiversity repository, they appear to be an important carbon dioxide sink and to reserve and purify water. They are sensitive to disturbance and need protection.     

Vegetation Structure,Composition, and Species Richness Across a 56‐year Chronosequence of Dry Tropical Forest on Providencia Island,Colombia1

We compared vegetation structure and species richness across a 56‐yr chronosequence of six replicated age classes of dry tropical forest on the island of Providencia, Colombia, in the Southwest Caribbean. Stand age classes were determined using sequential, orthorectified panchromatic aerial photos acquired between 1944 and 1996 and Landsat 7 ETM + satellite imagery from 2000. Along the chronosequence we established 59 plots of 2 × 50 m (0.01 ha) to document changes in species richness, basal area, tree height, stem density, and sprouting ability. All woody trees and shrubs >2.5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were censused and measured. Although woody species density reached a peak in stands from 32 to 56 yr old, rarefaction analysis showed that species richness increased linearly with stand age and was highest in stands 56 yr old or greater. Nonparametric, abundance‐based estimators of species richness also showed positive and linear associations with age. Basal area and mean tree height were positively associated with age since abandonment, while sprouting ability showed a negative relationship. Our results indicate rapid recovery of woody species richness and structural characteristics along this tropical dry forest chronosequence.     

Alternative pathways of liana communities in the forests of northwestern Argentina

Liana dynamics in secondary and mature forests are well known in tropical areas dominated by native tree species. Outside the tropics and in secondary forests invaded by exotic species, knowledge is scarce. In this study, we compare liana communities between secondary and mature forests dominated by native species in a subtropical montane area of Sierra de San Javier, Tucuman, Argentina. Additionally, we evaluate changes of liana communities in secondary forests with increasing densities of Ligustrum lucidum and Morus alba, two of the most invasive exotic trees of the area. We surveyed liana species richness and density in three 30-year secondary patches, four 60-year secondary patches, and four mature patches dominated by native tree species, to analyze changes in liana communities with forest age. Within each patch, we sampled 10–25 20 × 20 m quadrats. Additionally, we surveyed liana density and species richness in secondary forest patches with different densities of L. lucidum and M. alba. In native-dominated forests, liana species richness increased and showed a tendency of increasing basal area from 30-year secondary forests to mature forests. Liana density was highly variable, and most of the species were shared between native-dominated secondary and mature forests. Liana density and species richness decreased with L. lucidum density, whereas in secondary forests highly dominated by M. alba, lianas increased in density. Overall, lianas followed different pathways influenced by native forest succession and exotic tree invasions.