Abstract
To illustrate the ecological factors and process leading to the observed diversity patterns of vascular epiphytes, we examined the effect and importance of host tree traits on epiphyte richness and spatial aggregation of epiphytes. The study was conducted in warm-temperate forest in Japan. The recorded host traits were diameter, height, species, habitat topography, and growth rate, and we analyzed the effects and importance of these traits on three species groups: total epiphytic species, epiphytic orchid species, and epiphytic pteridophyte species. Diameter and species of host trees had the greatest influence on epiphytes and their magnitudes were roughly similar in all species groups. Growth rate and topography were less important than host size and species. Growth rate had a negative effect on all three groups, and topography was important for pteridophytes. Epiphyte richness did not exhibit clear spatial aggregation. Our results suggest that size, stability, and quality of the host are equally important in determining epiphyte colonization.
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Acknowledgments
We thank H. Nomiya, K. Kawano, N. Kawano, Y. Cheng, M. Kawagoe, and K. Hashiba for their support and helpful suggestions for our study. We also thank the Miyazaki District Forestry Office for allowing the use of their facilities for our study. For analysis, we used some data of Forest Dynamics Data Base (FDDB) established by FFPRI (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute) and JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency).
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Hirata, A., Kamijo, T. & Saito, S. Host trait preferences and distribution of vascular epiphytes in a warm-temperate forest. Plant Ecol 201, 247–254 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-008-9519-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-008-9519-6