Liana communities in three tropical forest types in Xishuangbanna south-west China

Chen Y. J., . and Schnitzer S. A., . and Bongers F., . and Cai Z. Q., . and Wen B., . Liana communities in three tropical forest types in Xishuangbanna south-west China. pp. 252-264. ISSN 0128-1283

Lianas are an important growth form in tropical forests around the world. However they are relatively unknown in south-east Asia. We identified measured and determined the climbing and dispersal modes for lianas in five 0.1-ha plots in three common forest types at the tropical-temperate transitional zone in Xishuangbanna SW China namely montane forest evergreen broad-leaved forest and seasonally wet forest. Liana diversity in the three forests combined was high; we found a total of 147 liana species representing 48 families and 75 genera. The mean density of lianas was 3407 ha-1 and varied significantly between the three forests with 445 276 and 301 individuals 0.1 ha-1 in the seasonally wet montane and evergreen forests respectively. Similarity coefficients between the forests were low and mean species richness varied among different forests indicating that species turnover among the forests was high. In all three forests most lianas were stem twiners and scramblers with relatively few hook tendril and root climbers. Liana species were mostly wind dispersed in the evergreen forest but were animal and gravity dispersed in the other two forests. Compared with other Asian tropical forests the diversity and abundance of lianas are relatively high in Xishuangbanna which may be due to the warm climate as well as high seasonal rainfall and high rates of disturbance and forest fragmentation.

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Abstract

Lianas are an important growth form in tropical forests around the world. However they are relatively unknown in south-east Asia. We identified measured and determined the climbing and dispersal modes for lianas in five 0.1-ha plots in three common forest types at the tropical-temperate transitional zone in Xishuangbanna SW China namely montane forest evergreen broad-leaved forest and seasonally wet forest. Liana diversity in the three forests combined was high; we found a total of 147 liana species representing 48 families and 75 genera. The mean density of lianas was 3407 ha-1 and varied significantly between the three forests with 445 276 and 301 individuals 0.1 ha-1 in the seasonally wet montane and evergreen forests respectively. Similarity coefficients between the forests were low and mean species richness varied among different forests indicating that species turnover among the forests was high. In all three forests most lianas were stem twiners and scramblers with relatively few hook tendril and root climbers. Liana species were mostly wind dispersed in the evergreen forest but were animal and gravity dispersed in the other two forests. Compared with other Asian tropical forests the diversity and abundance of lianas are relatively high in Xishuangbanna which may be due to the warm climate as well as high seasonal rainfall and high rates of disturbance and forest fragmentation.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Tropical forests
AGROVOC Term:	Mountains
AGROVOC Term:	Species diversity
AGROVOC Term:	Warm season
AGROVOC Term:	Tropical seasonal forests
AGROVOC Term:	Broadleaved evergreen forests
AGROVOC Term:	Monsoon forest
AGROVOC Term:	Dominant species
AGROVOC Term:	Fauna
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 06:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/21684

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