Species Of Vascular Epiphytes Research Articles

Surviving in a new host: Eight years of monitoring translocated aroids, bromeliads, and orchids in the Andean forests in Colombia

Vascular epiphytes are extraordinarily diverse in the tropical Andean region. Compared to trees and terrestrial herbs, epiphytes are more vulnerable to forest alteration due to their structural dependence on trees and environmental requirements. Based on experimental approaches for ecological purposes, monitoring air pollutants, and seeking propagation alternatives, the rescue and translocation of vascular epiphytes (mainly bromeliads and orchids) from a threatened forest to a safer forest has been recently conducted in Colombia. Preliminary assessments indicate that epiphytes benefit from such well-planned measures, and their mortality and survival might be associated with extrinsic and intrinsic factors, which remain to be understood. We evaluated the survival of 16 vascular epiphyte species after translocation into a secondary forest in Antioquia (Colombia) for 8 years. We assessed the role of intrinsic (foliar area, number of leaves, initial pseudobulbs, stems or rosettes, functional group, and epiphyte species) and extrinsic factors (host tree species, bark water-holding capacity, type of substrate, location on the host tree, nutrients, and hormone addition) and the effect of climatic variables on plant survival. The overall mortality rate in this study ranked 1–7% per year, and survival decreased annually, reaching 44% by the end of the 8th year. Host tree species and intrinsic factors such as the functional group and epiphyte species significantly affected the probability of survival. Bromeliads, in particular, exhibited high mortality, which their monocarpic growth form could explain. Another group of species showing high mortality were the miniature orchids, Masdevalia amanda and M. platyglossa, and are associated with short life cycles. Five host tree species appear to affect the survival of translocated epiphytes; however, the factors or characteristics involved remain unclear. A higher seasonality of precipitation was related to the percentage of overall mortality. This result indicates that extreme precipitation events or drought reduce epiphyte longevity. In conclusion, our study suggests that a wide range of epiphytes may be successfully translocated to secondary forests in the Colombian Andes and demonstrates that the effective introduction of epiphyte assemblages may be useful for ecological restoration efforts in Andean forests.

An updated checklist of vascular epiphytes in the Darjeeling Himalaya, India

The Darjeeling Himalaya, located in eastern part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot in India, is known for its diverse vegetation. The varying climatic conditions along the elevational gradient provide suitable habitats for supporting a rich flora in the region. We provide an updated checklist of vascular epiphytes in Darjeeling Himalaya. A total of 239 vascular epiphyte species belonging to 93 genera and 38 families have been recorded from the region, which include holoepiphytes, hemiepiphytes, facultative and accidental epiphytes. Orchidaceae was the largest family with 70 species, followed by Polypodiaceae comprising 42 species. We make available baseline biodiversity information on vascular epiphytes of the study area and provide details on taxonomic diversity and distribution in terms of vegetation types and along the elevational gradient. We also provide photographs to facilitate field identification.

KEANEKARAGAMAN EPIFIT BERPEMBULUH PADA BATANG POHON INANG ANGIOSPERMAE DAN GYMNOSPERMAE DI KEBUN RAYA CIBODAS

Epiphytes are types of plants that attach and grow on other plants to obtain sunlight, water, air, and minerals for their growth. The aim of this study are knowing the diversity of vascular epiphytes on the host trunks of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms, knowing the differences in vascular epiphytic communities on the host trunks of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms and to determine factors causing vascular epiphytes communities on the host trunk is used in this research. Sampling plot is located on the host tree's trunk to facilitate the calculation of vascular epiphytes; a simple plot measuring 2 m x 0,5 m was made facing east and west. Determination of the number of tree sampling is done based on the Area Species Curve. The results of this study indicate that the vascular epiphyte diversity on trunks of Gymnospermae is higher than Angiospermae, meanwhile that Shannon Wiener diversity index of vascular epiphytes on Angiosperms and Gymnosperms host trunks being moderate category. Jaccard Similarity index was 0.44 and indicated the different of epiphytes community between Angiospermae and Gymnospermae tree host. The dominant species based on Important value index in Angiosperms are Davallia hymenophylloides (35,05%), Goniophlebium subauriculatum (20,92%), and Dendrobium mutabile (20,07) while ini Gymnosperme are Davallia hymenophylloides (41,36%), Goniophlebium subauriculatum (15,94%), and Peperomia tetraphylla (15,55%). In Angiospermae, the factors that influence the diversity of vascular epiphyte species are roughness and thickness, while in Gymnosperms the influential factors are roughness and diameter.

Vascular epiphyte populations with higher leaf nutrient concentrations showed weaker resilience to an extreme drought in a montane cloud forest.

Leaf stoichiometry can characterize plant ecological strategies and correlate with plant responses to climate change. The role of vascular epiphytes in the ecosystem processes of tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems cannot be ignored. Vascular epiphytes are very vulnerable to climate change, however, the relationship between the response of epiphytes to climate change and leaf stoichiometry is not well understood. We present data for 19 vascular epiphyte species that were collected during four consecutive censuses (in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020) over 15 years in a subtropical montane cloud forest. We assessed the relationships between the population dynamics and leaf stoichiometry of these vascular epiphytes. Experiencing an extreme drought, 14 of the 19 epiphyte species showed an obvious decrease in the number of individuals, and all species showed negative growth in the number of populations. Subsequently, the total number of individuals gradually recovered, increasing from 7,195 in 2010 to 10,121 in 2015, then to 13,667 in 2020. The increase in the number of vascular epiphyte individuals from 2010 to 2015 was significantly negatively correlated with leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, and was significantly positively correlated with the leaf carbon-nitrogen ratio. Vascular epiphyte populations with higher leaf nutrient concentrations exhibited weaker resilience to the extreme drought, which demonstrated that a resource-conservative strategy was advantageous for the recovery of epiphyte populations. Our findings suggest that ecological stoichiometry can be a useful framework for forecasting the dynamics of vascular epiphyte populations in response to climate change.

Broad‐ and small‐scale environmental gradients drive variation in chemical, but not morphological, leaf traits of vascular epiphytes

Abstract Variation in leaf functional traits along environmental gradients can reveal how vascular epiphytes respond to broad‐ and small‐scale environmental gradients. Along elevational gradients, both temperature and precipitation likely play an important role as drivers of leaf trait variation, but these traits may also respond to small‐scale changes in light, temperature and humidity along the vertical environmental gradient within forest canopies. However, the relative importance of broad‐ and small‐scale environmental gradients as drivers of variation in leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes is poorly understood. Here, we examined variation in morphological and chemical leaf traits of 102 vascular epiphyte species spanning two environmental gradients along Cofre de Perote mountain in Mexico: (i) a broad‐scale environmental gradient approximated by elevation as well as by species' lower and upper elevational limits, and (ii) small‐scale environmental gradients using the relative height of attachment of an epiphyte on a host tree as a proxy for variation in environmental conditions within the forest canopy. We also assessed whether variation in morphological and chemical leaf traits along these gradients was consistent across photosynthetic pathways (CAM and C3). Broad‐ and small‐scale environmental gradients explained more variation in chemical traits (marginal R2: 11%–89%) than in morphological traits (marginal R2: 2%–31%). For example, leaf carbon isotope signatures (δ13C), which reflects water‐use efficiency, varied systematically across both environmental gradients, suggesting a decrease in water‐use efficiency with increasing lower and upper elevational limits and an increase in water‐use efficiency with relative height of attachment. The influence of lower and upper elevational limits on trait variation differed between photosynthetic pathways, except for leaf dry matter content and leaf nitrogen‐to‐phosphorus ratio. Contrary to our expectations, broad‐ and small‐scale environmental gradients explained minimal variation in morphological leaf traits, suggesting that environmental conditions do not constrain morphological leaf trait values of vascular epiphytes. Our findings suggest that assessing multiple drivers of leaf trait variation among photosynthetic pathways is key for disentangling the mechanisms underlying responses of vascular epiphytes to environmental conditions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Variation in cloud immersion, not precipitation, drives leaf trait plasticity and water relations in vascular epiphytes during an extreme drought.

Epiphytes are abundant in ecosystems such as tropical montane cloud forests where low-lying clouds are often in contact with vegetation. Climate projections for these regions include more variability in rainfall and an increase in cloud base heights, which would lead to drier conditions in the soil and atmosphere. While recent studies have examined the effects of drought on epiphytic water relations, the influence that atmospheric moisture has, either alone or in combination with drought, on the health and performance of epiphyte communities remains unclear. We conducted a 10-week drought experiment on seven vascular epiphyte species in two shadehouses, one with warmer and drier conditions and another that was cooler and more humid. We measured water relations across control and drought-treatment groups and assessed functional traits of leaves produced during drought conditions to evaluate trait plasticity. Epiphytes exposed to drought and drier atmospheric conditions had a significant reduction in stomatal conductance and leaf water potential and an increase in leaf dry matter. Nonsucculent epiphytes from the drier shadehouse had the greatest shifts in functional traits, whereas succulent epiphytes released stored leaf water to maintain water status. Individuals in the drier shadehouse had a substantial reduction in performance, whereas drought-treated individuals that experienced cloud immersion displayed minimal changes in water status. Our results indicate that projected increases in the cloud base height will reduce growth and performance of epiphytic communities and that nonsucculent epiphytes may be particularly vulnerable.

Leaf structural adaptations in vascular epiphytes from the Atlantic rainforest along phorophyte vertical stratification

Epiphytes are constantly exposed to light, water and nutrient stress, and thereby they frequently show anatomical adaptations in response to their habit. We aimed to investigate the variation in foliar anatomical traits of epiphytes along vertical stratification. We hypothesized that different species from varied groups would show a variation in foliar anatomical traits that would reflect the variation in microclimatic variables found across phorophyte strata. To address our hypothesis, we studied 23 vascular epiphyte species from different groups (ferns, magnoliids, monocots, and eudicots), occurring on ten phorophytes from a trail at an Atlantic Rainforest fragment in southeastern Brazil. We measured six microclimatic parameters at different phorophyte heights: light intensity, temperature, relative air humidity, altitude, evaporation rate, and wind speed. We then collected expanded-leaf samples for quantitative and descriptive anatomical evaluation, seeking to detect possible correlations between structural traits and microclimatic variations. We found that overall the analyzed species showed pronounced xeromorphic characters in response to epiphytic habit, such as thick outer periclinal wall of pavement cells, lignified epidermis, multiseriate epidermis, stomata below the level of pavement cells, water-storing tissues, and parenchymatous cells with wall thickenings, among others. In most epiphytes, we also found a trend for thicker mesophyll in plants exposed to higher light intensity along different phorophyte strata. The ecophysiological significance of these adaptations is discussed in detail. Our hypothesis was accepted, since we found that species from different groups showed a variation in foliar characters that reflected the variation found in microclimatic parameters along phorophyte strata. Some anatomical traits, e.g. thick mesophyll, were influenced by height differences along phorophytes and by the consequent variation in light intensity along vertical stratification, while other traits were directly related either to the epiphytic habit, especially to the water and nutrient deficits imposed by it, or to the taxonomic group, as seen in ferns.

Leaf economics in a three‐dimensional environment: Testing leaf trait responses in vascular epiphytes to land use, climate and tree zone

Abstract The study of functional traits offers predictive power for community ecology. Particularly in cases where individual species are difficult to study, known properties of trait spectra, such as the leaf economics spectrum (LES), and trait–environment relationships can provide crucial generalizable information that can contribute to forecasts of distributional shifts in response to the abiotic effects of climate and land use changes. Vascular epiphytes have been proposed as indicators of environmental change, but we know little about the ecology of most species. Key functional trait assumptions are based on terrestrial plants; testing these in epiphytes verifies their universality and will inform applying functional traits in predicting epiphyte responses to climate and land use change. In this study, we use functional traits from 37 vascular epiphyte species from forests and shade coffee farms at two sites in northern Nicaragua. We compare correlations among traits and intraspecific trait variances with those of terrestrial plants and among epiphyte taxonomic groups. We also test trait responses to environmental differences between sites and land use types, and within zones of the tree. We find that epiphyte leaf traits fall towards the slower end of the LES, but with about one‐third lower leaf nitrogen per change in specific leaf area (SLA) relative to terrestrial herbaceous plants. Bromeliads show less relationship between these traits than other epiphyte groups and also deviate in other trait interrelationships, suggesting unique leaf construction. Trait–environment relationships varied most strongly along vertical gradients within trees, but some traits, including SLA and carbon isotope ratio, also responded to land use and site differences. We present evidence that trait relationships established for terrestrial plants appear to translate to epiphytes, but identify some possible caveats. Strong trait response to vertical gradients within trees suggests that within‐canopy shifts could provide resilience to climate and land use changes for some epiphyte species.

Putting vascular epiphytes on the traits map

Abstract Plant functional traits impact the fitness and environmental niche of plants. Major plant functional types have been characterized by their trait spectrum, and the environmental and phylogenetic imprints on traits have advanced several ecological fields. Yet, very few trait data on epiphytes, which represent almost 10% of vascular plants, are available. We collated 76,561 trait observations for 2,882 species of vascular epiphytes and compared these to non‐epiphytic herbs and trees to test hypotheses related to how the epiphytic habit affects traits, and if epiphytes occupy a distinct region in the global trait space. We also compared variation in traits among major groups of epiphytes, and investigated the coordination of traits in epiphytes, ground‐rooted herbs and trees. Epiphytes differ from ground‐rooted plants mainly in traits related to water relations. Unexpectedly, we did not find lower leaf nutrient concentrations, except for nitrogen. Mean photosynthetic rates are much lower than in ground‐rooted plants and lower than expected from the nitrogen concentrations. Trait syndromes clearly distinguish epiphytes from trees and from most non‐epiphytic herbs. Among the three largest epiphytic taxa, orchids differ from bromeliads and ferns mainly by having smaller and more numerous stomata, while ferns differ from bromeliads by having thinner leaves, higher nutrient concentrations, and lower water content and water use efficiency. Trait networks differ among epiphytes, herbs and trees. While all have central nodes represented by SLA and mass‐based photosynthesis, in epiphytes, traits related to plant water relations have stronger connections, and nutrients other than potassium have weaker connections to the remainder of the trait network. Whereas stem‐specific density reflects mechanical support related to plant size in herbs and trees, in epiphytes it mostly reflects water storage and scales with leaf water content. Synthesis. Our findings advance our understanding of epiphyte ecology, but we note that currently mainly leaf traits are available. Important gaps are root, shoot and whole plant, demographic and gas exchange traits. We suggest how future research might use available data and fill data gaps.

Persistent Effects of Historical Selective Logging on a Vascular Epiphyte Assemblage in the Forest Canopy of the Western Ghats, India

Forest canopies have been dubbed the last biological frontier and continue to remain underexplored. Vascular epiphytes form a rich assemblage of plants within the forest canopy and apart from sustaining diverse taxa, they also fulfill critical ecological functions. Vascular epiphytes are particularly sensitive to perturbations of microclimate and microhabitat within the canopy, especially from anthropogenic changes such as logging. The forests of the megadiverse Western Ghats in India harbor a rich assemblage of vascular epiphytes, but their ecology has not been examined systematically. We compared the diversity, abundance, and composition of a vascular epiphyte assemblage between an unlogged and a historically selectively logged forest in the southern Western Ghats, India, and identified factors affecting the epiphyte assemblage. Canopies of 100 trees each in selectively logged and unlogged forests were accessed using the single-rope technique. We found 20 species of vascular epiphytes with the assemblage dominated by members of Orchidaceae. The diversity and abundance of epiphytes were significantly greater in the selectively logged forest. One host tree, Cullenia exarillata, supported the greatest number of epiphytes in both forest stands. The niche widths of epiphyte species, computed with host tree species as a resource, were similar between the two stands but a greater number of species pairs overlapped in the selectively logged forest. Overall, epiphyte abundance was negatively associated with unlogged forests. Host tree species, tree height, and presence of moss on branches were positively associated with the abundance of epiphytes. Despite being ecologically important, no study has thus far examined the impact of selective logging on the epiphyte assemblage in the Western Ghats. Our findings contribute to the knowledge of vascular epiphytes from South and Southeast Asia and set the stage for future research and conservation.

Biovera-Epi: A new database on species diversity, community composition and leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes along gradients of elevation and forest-use intensity in Mexico.

BackgroundThis data paper describes a new, comprehensive database (BIOVERA-Epi) on species distributions and leaf functional traits of vascular epiphytes, a poorly studied plant group, along gradients of elevation and forest-use intensity in the central part of Veracruz State, Mexico. The distribution data include frequencies of 271 vascular epiphyte species belonging to 92 genera and 23 families across 120 20 m × 20 m forest plots at eight study sites along an elevational gradient from sea level to 3500 m a.s.l. In addition, BIOVERA-Epi provides information on 1595 measurements of nine morphological and chemical leaf traits from 474 individuals and 102 species. For morphological leaf traits, we provide data on each sampled leaf. For chemical leaf traits, we provide data at the species level per site and land-use type. We also provide complementary information for each of the sampled plots and host trees. BIOVERA-Epi contributes to an emerging body of synthetic epiphytes studies combining functional traits and community composition.New informationBIOVERA-Epi includes data on species frequency and leaf traits from 120 forest plots distributed along an elevational gradient, including six different forest types and three levels of forest-use intensity. It will expand the breadth of studies on epiphyte diversity, conservation and functional plant ecology in the Neotropics and will contribute to future synthetic studies on the ecology and diversity of tropical epiphyte assemblages.

A 30-year update of the climbers and vascular epiphytes inventory of the Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument (La Araucanía, Chile): a database.

BackgroundPlant species diversity may be seriously threatened in ecotone zones under global climate change. Therefore, keeping updated inventories of indicator species seems to be a good strategy for monitoring wild areas located in these strips. The database comes from an inventory of climbers and vascular epiphytes conducted in the Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument, a small protected area (89 hectares) located in Chile's Mediterranean-temperate phytogeographic region, within the boundaries of the city of Temuco, La Araucaína Region.The data represent the update of the first inventory carried out between 1980 and 1984. In this current contribution, data collection was carried out in 27 quadrats using the trails as transects. The data provide the record of 45 species (16 climbers, 15 epiphytes and 10 trees), including two accidental epiphytes (Acerpsudoplatanus L. and Gavileaodoratissima (L.) Endl. ex Griseb.), two species that can be found as epiphytes or terricolous (Hymenophyllumtunbrigense (L.) Sm. and Nerteragranadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce) and one species (Chusqueaquila Kunth) that can be found as terricolous and climber. Species of interest were recorded on live trees (n = 51), snags (n = 9), stumps (n = 4), fallen log (n = 5) and on the forest soil (n = 17).The most abundant climbers were Hydrangeaserratifolia (Hook. & Arn.) F. Phil. (n = 77 stems), Lapageria rosea Ruiz & Pav. (n = 70 stems), Raukauavaldiviensis (Gay) Frodin (n = 48 stems) and Cissusstriata Ruiz & Pav. (n = 33 stems). In contrast, the most abundant epiphytes were Hymenophyllumplicatum Kaulf. (n = 1728 fronds) and Hymenophyllumtunbrigense (L.) Sm. (n = 2375 fronds). These latter two species represent the highest frequency and abundance in the whole inventory, respectively. Several ecosystem traits are, in fact, new reports since the first inventory was conducted in 1980-1984; for example, the presence of the filmy fern Hymenophyllumtunbrigense, the record of the climber Elytropuschilensis , fallen logs or the species-host relationship. Accordingly, the database is made available in this manuscript.New informationThis study updates the climbers and vascular epiphyte species list in the Cerro Ñielol Natural Monument, a small patch of forest under severe anthropogenic pressure. This protected area is characterised by floristic elements of the Mediterranean and temperate phytogeographic region of Chile, in a zone where forests have been severely deforested. The database includes the record of 45 species – including six species that were not recorded in the first inventory – in 211 records.The main novelty of this contribution is the systematic classification of species, on ten traits rarely reported in a floristic inventory: (i) species taxonomic identity (as usual), (ii) species abundance (number of stems and fronds), (iii) habit (herb, shrub, subshrub, tree), (iv) growth form (accidental epiphyte, epiphyte, vine, liana, terricolous), (v) climbing mechanism (tendrils, adhesive roots, twining, scrambling), (vi) microhabitat (fallen log, footpath slope, soil, stump, trunk), (vii) host species (where appropriate), (viii) host condition (live, woody debris, snag), (ix) host diameter at breast height (DBH) and (x) target species found over 2.3 m on trees.Thirty years after the first inventory conducted between 1980 and 1984, the climber assemblage has remained relatively stable over time, although there are some differences in species composition. Specifically, the climber Elytropuschilensis are recorded in the current inventory, but the Mitrariacoccinea (recorded in the first inventory) is not present. On the other hand, the epiphyte assemblage showed an increase in the species richness of filmy ferns, with five previously unrecorded species: Hymenophyllumcuneatum, H.dicranotrichum, H.pectinatum, H.peltatum and H.tunbrigense. One of the novel features was the presence of Sarmientascandens and Synammiafeuillei on a Pinusradiata D. Don tree. Additionally, the introduced species Acerpseudoplatanus is included, which is new to the Chilean vascular plant catalogue. All these data are available in the present manuscript.

Role of spatial and environmental factors in structuring vascular epiphyte communities in two neotropical ecosystems

The great heterogeneity of tropical systems challenges our understanding of how niche and neutral processes structure epiphyte communities. Dispersal, phorophyte identity and the environmental conditions created by phorophytes are the main determinants of vascular epiphyte structure and diversity. However, these forces comprise multiple causal factors that need to be decomposed to address the complex patterns of independent and confounded effects acting upon epiphyte communities. We tested the hypothesis that the environment created by phorophytes (size, bark characteristics, microenvironmental conditions, and substrate type) is more important than phorophyte species identity and space in determining the structure of epiphyte communities, with phorophyte size being a major determinant within the environmental component. We also expected larger phorophytes to exhibit greater epiphyte richness and diversity. The study was carried out on an inselberg within a semi-deciduous montane forest and a cloud forest in southeastern Brazil. Partial redundancy analysis was used to hierarchically decompose the relative abundances of vascular epiphytes into three components: association with particular phorophyte species, the environment created by phorophytes, and space (Moran’s eigenvector maps). Linear models were used to analyze the relationship between epiphytic diversity and richness with size descriptors. We show that neutral and niche-based processes act simultaneously on the dynamics of vascular epiphyte species, but distinctly on the inselberg and cloud forest. The potential for an epiphyte to occupy all favorable phorophytes was larger in the cloud forest due to the higher connectivity offered by trees. Abundance, richness and diversity of epiphytes increased with phorophyte size, probably due to an increase in the area, time of colonization or increase in microhabitat heterogeneity within phorophytes. Larger phorophytes are a major determinant of local environmental conditions and the spatial organization of epiphytes, as they promote their abundance and maintain their diversity in tropical systems.

<p><strong>Rediscovering <em>Rhipsalis hoelleri</em> (Cactaceae), a Critically Endangered species from Brazilian Atlantic Forest </strong></p>

Rhipsalis Gaertner (1788: 138) belongs to Cactaceae Juss., which is among the major taxonomic groups including the highest numbers of threatened species in the world (Goettsch et al. 2015). The center of diversity and endemism of this genus is in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, a world hotspot of biodiversity (Myers et al. 2000). This forests harbors 5% of all flowering plants species on the planet (Stehmann et al. 2009), including a high diversity of vascular epiphytes. Cactaceae is the sixth most expressive family in terms of number of epiphytes in the Atlantic Forest (2.2% of all vascular epiphyte species at the domain; Freitas et al. 2016) and Rhipsalis is the largest genus of epiphytic cacti (40 species according to Calvente 2012), highlighting the importance of this genus amongst the global epiphytic flora.

EpiList 1.0: a global checklist of vascular epiphytes.

Epiphytes make up roughly 10% of all vascular plant species globally and play important functional roles, especially in tropical forests. However, to date, there is no comprehensive list of vascular epiphyte species. Here, we present EpiList 1.0, the first global list of vascular epiphytes based on standardized definitions and taxonomy. We include obligate epiphytes, facultative epiphytes, and hemiepiphytes, as the latter share the vulnerable epiphytic stage as juveniles. Based on 978 references, the checklist includes >31,000 species of 79 plant families. Species names were standardized against World Flora Online for seed plants and against the World Ferns database for lycophytes and ferns. In cases of species missing from these databases, we used other databases (mostly World Checklist of Selected Plant Families). For all species, author names and IDs for World Flora Online entries are provided to facilitate the alignment with other plant databases, and to avoid ambiguities. EpiList 1.0 will be a rich source for synthetic studies in ecology, biogeography, and evolutionary biology as it offers, for the first time, a species-level overview over all currently known vascular epiphytes. At the same time, the list represents work in progress: species descriptions of epiphytic taxa are ongoing and published life form information in floristic inventories and trait and distribution databases is often incomplete and sometimes even wrong. Since the epiphytic growth blends into soil-rooted growth and vice versa, the inclusion or exclusion of particular species in the current list will sometimes be contentious. Thus, initiating a well-founded discussion was one of the motivations for compiling this database; our list represents 31,311 hypotheses on the life form of plant species, and we welcome feedback on possible omission or erroneous inclusions. We release these data into the public domain under a Creative Commons Zero license waiver. When you use the data in your publication, we request that you cite this data paper. If EpiList 1.0 is a major part of the data analyzed in your study, you may consider inviting the EpiList 1.0 core team as collaborators.

Functional Traits of a Rainforest Vascular Epiphyte Community: Trait Covariation and Indications for Host Specificity

Trait matching between interacting species may foster diversity. Thus, high epiphyte diversity in tropical forests may be partly due to the high diversity of trees and some degree of host specificity. However, possible trait matching between epiphyte and host is basically unexplored. Since the epiphytic habitat poses particular challenges to plants, their trait correlations should differ from terrestrial plants, but to what extent is unclear as epiphytes are underrepresented or missing in the large trait databases. We quantified 28 traits of 99 species of vascular epiphytes in a lowland forest in Panama that were related to plant size, leaf, stem, and root morphology; photosynthetic mode; and nutrient concentrations. We analyzed trait covariation, community weighted means, and functional diversity for assemblages on stems and in crowns of four tree species. We found intriguing differences between epiphytes and terrestrial plants regarding trait covariation in trait relations between plant maximal height, stem specific density, specific root length, and root tissue den-sity, i.e., stem and root economic spectra. Regarding host specificity, we found strong evidence for environmental filtering of epiphyte traits, but only in tree crowns. On stems, community weighted means differed in only one case, whereas > 2/3 of all traits differed in tree crowns. Although we were only partly able to interpret these differences in the light of tree trait differences, these findings mark an important step towards a functional understanding of epiphyte host specificity.

Assemblage of vascular epiphytes associated to seasonally inundated forest in the Southeastern Mexico: Challenges for its conservation

Wetlands are ecosystems characterized by a high level of biodiversity and among those most under threat from human activities. Tintal (seasonally inundated forest dominated by Haematoxylum campechianum L.) are a characteristic wetland of the Yucatan Peninsula, and have a long history of commercial exploitation. In both conserved and human-disturbed wetlands, differences in relation to species richness, diversity and degree of specialization are expected. The objectives of this study were to analyze the variations in the richness and abundance between preserved and human-disturbed tintales, and to identify relationships between the characteristics of the epiphyte assemblage and the tintal assemblage. The study was carried out at 21 tintal sites in the Yucatan Peninsula, 10 preserved and 11 human-disturbed. At each sampled tintal sites, two 100 × 8 m (800 m2) transects were randomly plotted, in which the vascular epiphytes were quantified and identified. All the phorophytes (any plant on which an epiphyte grows) within the transects were divided into three microsites (low and middle trunk section, and branches), and all vascular epiphytes were recorded in each one of these microsites. Species-accumulation curves, dominance-diversity graph, Hill series diversity indices and species richness were calculated. Similarity matrices were calculated taking into account the relative abundance and the presence absence of the species, and a similarity analysis was performed. To assess the effect of the three microsites and the conservation status of tintales a generalized linear model was applied. The similarity matrices between locations for vascular epiphytes and phorophytes were correlated. The richness and abundance of vascular epiphyte species were related to degree of conservation but not with the richness, evenness, density, average DBH and average height of forophytes. A total of 55 taxa of vascular epiphytes (51 angiosperms, 4 ferns), 12 families and 7051 individuals were registered. The Orchidaceae family was the best represented (26 species, 3225 individuals). In preserved tintales, 6396 individuals (90.71% of the total), belonging to 49 taxa and 9 families were recorded. There is a similarity of 45.07% between both types of tintales. The preferred microsite in preserved and human-disturbed tintales was the branches (47 species; 5262 individuals). The most abundant species of tree was H. campechianum (62.84% of the total). The tintales can be important reservoirs of vascular epiphytes (richness and abundance) and they can function as islands and sources of diversity in degraded land matrices. In addition to working on the restoration of disturbed tintales, it is also essential to protect preserved tintales, considering the ecological importance of the latter. The tree species H. campechianum must be considered as a key species in this ecosystem.

DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND

Many studies have attempted to explain the diversity and abundance of epiphytic plants in major ecosystems, worldwide. However, investigations on the abundance of epiphytic plants in mangroves have remained rare. The aim of this research was to study the diversity and vertical distribution of vascular epiphytes in a mangrove forest in peninsular Malaysia. The sampling was done over a 0.1 hectare of Pulau Telaga Tujuh, a mangrove island in Terengganu, Malaysia. Trees with vascular epiphytes were divided into three strata: basal, trunk and canopy. The vascular epiphytes were identified, and the number of individuals in each stratum was recorded. In total, 8 species of vascular epiphytes from 6 genera and 4 families were recorded. Pulau Telaga Tujuh mangrove forest exhibited a relatively low diversity of vascular epiphytes (H’ = 1.43). The dominance of Hydnopytum formicarum significantly contributed to the diversity of vascular epiphytes in this forest. The highest abundance of epiphytes was observed on the trunks of the host trees. The vertical distribution pattern observed in this study is associated with the adaptation of the epiphytic plants to stresses in the mangrove ecosystem, particularly, drought and salt spray. Pulau Telaga Tujuh had a high density of vascular epiphytes but lower diversity compared with other ecosystems.

Epífitas vasculares do Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana, Sergipe, Brasil

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar um levantamento florístico das epífitas vasculares do Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana, Sergipe. A falta de pesquisa sobre epifitismo no estado de Sergipe motivou o estudo no Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana (PARNASI), que detém uma grande importância para a conservação de espécies no estado. Diante disso, o trabalho buscou responder as seguintes perguntas: quantas e quem são as espécies de epífitas vasculares que ocorrem no PARNASI?; a quais categorias ecológicas as epífitas amostradas pertencem?; e qual a similaridade florística epifítica do PARNASI com outras áreas estudadas no Brasil? O inventário foi realizado através de caminhadas por todo o local (busca ativa), com coleta, herborização e acervo, no Herbário da Universidade Federal de Sergipe (ASE), de amostras de todas as espécies epífitas vasculares presentes no local. Foram coletadas 47 espécies distribuídas em 29 gêneros e 10 famílias. Os resultados da análise de similaridade demonstraram uma baixa semelhança florística entre a área de estudo e demais regiões brasileiras. O elevado número de táxons exclusivos nas áreas, estudadas e comparadas, revelam a grande importância de cada local para a conservação das espécies epífitas.

Distribución de epífitas vasculares sobre cuatro especies arbóreas en un bosque xerofítico del Chaco Húmedo, Argentina

Fil: Alvarez Arnesi, Eugenio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario; Argentina