Longevity of Fallen Epiphytes in a Neotropical Montane Forest

Matelson, Teri J.; Nadkarni, Nalini M.; Longino, John T.

doi:10.2307/1939523

Cited by 70 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…We treated the individual plant as the independent sample unit (regardless of the mat or tree of origin), because a previous study in Monteverde on epiphyte survivorship showed that there was no effect of tree or mat on epiphyte longevity (Matelson et al 1993). In that study, epiphyte longevity was normally distributed, and there was no effect of epiphyte attachment to particular mats (t-test, P<0.35), and no significant regressions of longevity on mat volume (r 2 =0.04, P<0.19) or number of plants per mat (r 2 =0.01, P<0.64).…”

Section: Statistical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential effects of climate change on canopy communities in a tropical cloud forest: an experimental approach

Nadkarni

Solano²

2002

Oecologia

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171

118

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Global climate change models predict reduced cloud water in tropical montane forests. To test the effects of reduced cloud water on epiphytes, plants that are tightly coupled to atmospheric inputs, we transplanted epiphytes and their arboreal soil from upper cloud forest trees to trees at slightly lower elevations that are naturally exposed to less cloud water. Control plants moved between trees within the upper site showed no transplantation effects, but experimental plants at lower sites had significantly higher leaf mortality, lower leaf production, and reduced longevity. After the epiphytes died, seedlings of terrestrial gap-colonizing tree species grew from the seed banks within the residual mats of arboreal soil. Greenhouse experiments confirmed that the death of epiphytes can result in radical compositional changes of canopy communities. Thus, tropical montane epiphyte communities constitute both a potentially powerful tool for detecting climate changes and a rich arena to study plant/soil/seed interactions under natural and manipulated conditions. This study also provides experimental evidence that the potential effects of global climate change on canopy and terrestrial communities can be significant for cloud forest biota. Results suggest there will be negative effects on the productivity and longevity of particular epiphytes and a subsequent emergence of an emerging terrestrial component into the canopy community from a previously suppressed seed bank.

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Section: Statistical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential effects of climate change on canopy communities in a tropical cloud forest: an experimental approach

Nadkarni

Solano²

2002

Oecologia

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171

118

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“…These patterns have been described in long-term canopy and ecosystem studies in Monteverde, Costa Rica, using descriptive and experimental approaches (Nadkarni et al 2000a(Nadkarni et al , 2000b. Indicators that epiphytes and their accompanying canopy dead organic matter influence ecosystem nutrient cycles in the Monteverde forest include their high biomass (Nadkarni et al 2000b), the high capacity of nonvascular epiphytes to absorb atmospheric NO 3 -and NH 4 + (Clark et al 1998), the contribution of epiphyte litterfall to total fine litterfall (Nadkarni and Matelson 1992), and the slow rates of death and decomposition of epiphytes that have fallen to the forest floor (Matelson et al 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen-15 natural abundance in a montane cloud forest canopy as an indicator of nitrogen cycling and epiphyte nutrition

et al. 2002

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Nutrients obtained by epiphytes may either be of atmospheric origin or from organic matter in the canopy, which decomposes to form canopy soil on large branches. We hypothesised that the N supply for epiphytes on small branches was lower, and a larger proportion provided by rainwater, than for epiphytes rooting in canopy soil. We tested this by measuring the N concentration and isotopic composition in terrestrial and canopy soil and in various canopy compartments of a Costa Rican cloud forest. In general, epiphytes on small branches without canopy soil had lower N foliar concentrations and δN signals than plants rooted in canopy soil, suggesting that the former receive a higher proportion of N directly from the rain. Epiphytes on small branches also had less negative δC values, indicating more frequent water stress. Epiphytes had lower δN values (-3.9±2.3‰) than ground-rooted trees (-1.1±1.6‰), and canopy soil had lower values (0.7±1.2‰) than terrestrial soil (3.8±0.7‰). Assuming that the isotopic effect of terrestrial and canopy soil organic matter formation is similar, our findings support earlier results showing that canopy soil is derived mainly from epiphytes, with only minor inputs from host tree matter. Thus, the epiphyte N cycle appears to be largely detached from the tree-soil cycle. Epiphylls on leaves of understorey shrubs had higher δN signals than cryptogams in the upper canopy, as a result of either N accumulation in throughfall or increased N fixation. The correlation between epiphyll and understorey host leaf δN suggests some exchange of N between epiphylls and host leaves. Differences between epiphyte groups also appear to be related to uptake of N through mycorrhizas or N fixation. Thus, the source and quantity of N supply is highly variable, depending on the systematic group and canopy position.

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“…It primarily grows epiphytically in the canopy of old growth lowland forests with high rainfall (Oliver 1930;Burrows 1999) but also in coastal cliff and rocky habitats (Oliver 1930;Cockayne 1958;Wardle 1991;Burrows 1999). Epiphytic habitats are often described as severe because of high insolation, vapour pressure deficits and wind speeds as well as fluctuating water and nutrient supplies, and poor physical stability (Benzing 1990;Matelson et al 1993;Holbrook & Putz 1996). These rigorous conditions are also present in the terrestrial and rupestral habitats of G. lucida.…”

Section: Environmental Requirements and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological flora of New Zealand 12:Griselinia lucida, puka, akapuka, akakōpuka, shining broadleaf

Bryan

Clarkson

Clearwater

2011

New Zealand Journal of Botany

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Longevity of Fallen Epiphytes in a Neotropical Montane Forest

Cited by 70 publications

References 10 publications

Potential effects of climate change on canopy communities in a tropical cloud forest: an experimental approach

Potential effects of climate change on canopy communities in a tropical cloud forest: an experimental approach

Nitrogen-15 natural abundance in a montane cloud forest canopy as an indicator of nitrogen cycling and epiphyte nutrition

Biological flora of New Zealand 12:Griselinia lucida, puka, akapuka, akakōpuka, shining broadleaf

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