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Vertical stratification of vascular epiphytes in submontane and montane forest of the Bolivian Andes: the importance of the understory

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Abstract

We studied species richness, composition, and vertical distribution of vascular epiphytes at two sites in the Bolivian Andes. To account for the epiphyte flora on understory trees, epiphytes on shrubs and small trees were sampled in 20 × 20 m2 subplots around each sampled canopy tree; this understory zone U is introduced as an addition to the well-established five vertical Johansson tree zones. More than 20% of about 500 species recorded were found only in the understory subplots, including ca. 40% of aroids, 35%–40% of piperoids, and 25%–30% of ferns. Habitat generalists (occurring in three or more zones) were most common, contributing about 50% of all species, specialists (occurring only in two zones, or in three continuous ones) 34%–42%, and hemiepiphytes 6%–16%. Canopy epiphytes (occurring  > 90% in tree zones Z3–5) were mainly represented by orchids and ferns, many with special adaptations to drought stress such as pseudobulbs, succulence, and poikilohydry. Trunk epiphytes ( > 90% in understory and tree zones Z1–2) reached highest relative species numbers among piperoids and ferns. Most hemiepiphytes were also trunk epiphytes, due to their characteristic growth pattern, and included mainly aroids. The vertical distribution of epiphytes within a tree is determined by several microenvironmental gradients, with light intensity, wind speed, and air temperature increasing and air humidity decreasing from the ground level to the canopy.

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Acknowledgments

We thank A. Acebey and D. Chairiqui for fieldwork assistance, T.B. Croat, H.E. Luther, R.␣Vásquez, R. Callejas and A.R. Smith for specimen identification, the staff of the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia in La Paz for logistical support, and two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments. This study was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the A.F.W. Schimper-Stiftung (grants to T.␣Krömer).

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  1. Thorsten Krömer

    Present address: Estación de Biología Tropical ,,Los Tuxtlas“, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 94, San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, 95701, México

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systematic Botany, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Thorsten Krömer, Michael Kessler & S. Robbert Gradstein

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  1. Thorsten Krömer
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  2. Michael Kessler
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  3. S. Robbert Gradstein
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Correspondence to Thorsten Krömer.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 Number of records of 242 epiphyte species at two study sites (Sapecho: Sa; n = 40 trees, Cotapata: Co; n = 24) in Bolivian montane forest
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Krömer, T., Kessler, M. & Gradstein, S.R. Vertical stratification of vascular epiphytes in submontane and montane forest of the Bolivian Andes: the importance of the understory. Plant Ecol 189, 261–278 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-006-9182-8

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