Abstract
We provide a check list of angiosperm climbing plant species, along with their climbing modes, enumerated from a total of one hundred and fifty grids in tropical forests of southern Eastern Ghats, peninsular India. The Eastern Ghats constitute an important biodiversity area in India and have been studied earlier mainly for the floristics, and that too confined to a few prioritized sites. Lianas, the woody vines contribute substantially to the diversity and structure of most tropical forests. Yet, little is known about the importance of habitat specialization in maintaining tropical liana diversity. A genera and 40 families are included in this enumeration.
Highlights
Lianas, the woody vines are an important, but understudied growth-form, common to most forests throughout the world, in the tropics (Schnitzer and Bongers 2002)
Recent studies on lianas have focused on the significant contribution of this life-form to the overall density and species diversity of tropical forests (Mascaro et al 2004; Rice et al 2004), mechanisms by which lianas alter the tropical forest diversity and regeneration (Schnitzer and Carson 2001), harming some shade tolerant species, while promoting some pioneer species (Schnitzer et al 2000; Toledo-Acewes and Swaine 2007), and their significant contribution to carbon sequestration (Restom and Nepstad 2001; Schnitzer and Bongers 2002)
The mean abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition of lianas in lowland tropical moist and wet forests are similar among tropical regions, liana abundance is higher in Africa (Schnitzer and Bongers 2002)
Summary
The woody vines are an important, but understudied growth-form, common to most forests throughout the world, in the tropics (Schnitzer and Bongers 2002). Introduction Lianas, the woody vines are an important, but understudied growth-form, common to most forests throughout the world, in the tropics (Schnitzer and Bongers 2002). Lianas constitute ~ 25 % of the woody stem density and species diversity in tropical forests (Gentry 1991). Enumeration of angiosperm climbing plants was carried in a total of 150 grids in forests of southern Eastern Ghats.
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