Distribution, abundance and biomass of epiphyte‐lianoid communities in a New Zealand lowland Nothofagus‐podocarp temperate rain forest: tropical comparisons

Abstract

Aim In tropical rain forests, epiphytes can contribute signi®cantly to species diversity and biomass, a feature not generally associated with temperate forest systems. This study investigates epiphyte-liane diversity and biomass on three host trees (two Dacrycarpus dacrydioides [Podocarpaceae] and one Nothofagus menziesii [Fagaceae]).Location These trees were of varying architecture on different sites in a New Zealand lowland temperate rain forest at 45°43¢ S.Methods Cover of epiphytic and lianoid species (vascular and non-vascular) was recorded in 5 m vertical height segments (trunk), on four aspects (north, south, east and west); and in four sections (inner, middle, outer branches and branch extremes) on four branch faces (positions: topside, both sides, underside) on each tree. Inclination, branch face, and diameter of branch/trunk substrate, height above ground, duff thickness, and location on tree (trunkfoot, main trunk, inner branches, middle branches, outer branches, branch extremes) were all recorded in 359 samples. Epiphytic biomass was derived for one tree.Results Sixty-one vascular and ninety-four non-vascular taxa were recorded. Eight communities associated with the highly vegetated inner branches and main trunk, and seven indicative of the less vegetated middle to outer branches and branch extremes were recognized. Thirteen of the ®fteen communities were present on a forest interior D. dacrydioides tree, nine on a riverside D. dacrydioides tree and seven on a N. menziesii tree. Most of the seven measured environmental variables were statistically signi®cant in relation to ordination analyses of the samples. Dry mass per unit area and dry bulk density recorded were 350 AE 125 and 118 AE 13 g dm ±2 , respectively (trunkbase), and 206 AE 21 and 91 AE 4 g dm ±2 , respectively (inner and middle branches combined).Main conclusions Epiphytic community analyses that do not include non-vascular¯ora either as generalized categories or as individual taxa are incomplete. Values for epiphytic dry weight for the trunkfoot of one tree appear to exceed comparable ®gures recorded from tropical rain forest systems. Epiphytic communities and biomass within at least some temperate rain forests can be validly compared with those of tropical rain forests.

Epiphyte diversity and biomass loads of canopy emergent trees in Chilean temperate rain forests: A neglected functional component

“…Adding the biomass of the hemi-epiphyte R. laetevirens to this estimate, then the trees of E. cordifolia in this forest should support 100 t epiphytes/ha, one of the largest estimates for temperate or tropical forests worldwide. Considering that other tree species in the stand also supported a dense carpet of epiphytes (personal observations), epiphyte loads in Valdivian temperate rainforest, as in other southern temperate rainforests, may approach estimates for epiphyte-rich tropical cloud forests (Table 5; Hofstede et al, 2001).…”

Vascular epiphytes in the temperate zones–a review

“…At least in lowland tropical forests accidentals are rare, whereas their number frequently exceeds the number of obligate epiphyte species in the temperate zones ͑Punetha 1989; Sharp 1957;Tewari et al 1985;Zotz and List 2003͒, even in regions with a rich epiphyte flora such as New Zealand ͑e.g., Hofstede et al 2001͒.…”

Liana habitat and host preferences in northern temperate forests

“…Recently, their importance in succession and other community dynamics has been more thoroughly examined (Cai et al, 2009;Carrasco-Urra and Gianoli, 2009;DeWalt et al, 2000;Gianoli et al, 2010;Ladwig and Meiners, 2010a;Letcher and Chazdon, 2009;Schnitzer and Bongers, 2002;Wright et al, 2004). In tropical forest ecosystems, lianas have the ability to abundance of lianas than these northern temperate areas, a consequence of differences in historical biogeography (Hofstede et al, 2001;Qian and Ricklefs, 1999) and milder winters (Gianoli et al, 2010;Hofstede et al, 2001).…”