Keywords :
canopy gap dynamics,
forest stand structure,
liana-tree interactions,
light environment,
spatial distribution
บทคัดย่อ :
Lianas require host trees to reach and stay in the forest canopy, but as seedlings and
juveniles, they benefit from canopy gaps created by treefalls. Here, we evaluated the
relative importance of these two aspects, that is, the availability of potential hosts
vs. the legacy effect of past treefall gaps, on the local abundance of liana stems in a
seasonal tropical evergreen forest in the Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve in northeastern
Thailand. Within a 2.5-ha
plot for forest dynamics monitoring, canopy height was
measured in 1993 and 2018 at 5-m
intervals to distinguish areas of mature (canopy
height >= 20 m), building (10-20
m), and gap phases (< 10 m). In 2017-2018,
we surveyed
all liana stems >= 1 cm in diameter at breast height within 50 subplots (10 m x 10 m each)
and recorded their diameter and the diameter of the host tree. Of a total of 445 liana
individuals, 242 could be identified at least to the family level, while the others had
clear morphological traits of climbing mechanisms. The number of liana stems was
higher in areas that had been at the building/gap phase than those at the mature
phase in 1993. When this 25-year-
old
legacy of past gap locations was considered,
there was a positive association of local abundance between lianas and trees in areas
at the mature phase in 2018. In conclusion, liana abundance reflected a long-term
legacy
of past treefall gaps more than 25 years earlier in this seasonal evergreen forest.
เอกสารอ้างอิง :
Fujimoto, Y., Kanzaki, M., Meunpong, P., Wachrinrat, C., Waengsothorn, S., & Kitajima, K. (2023). Legacy effects of canopy gaps on liana abundance 25 years later in a seasonal tropical evergreen forest in northeastern Thailand. Biotropica.
