Patterns of liana community diversity and structure in a tropical rainforest reserve, Ghana: effects of human disturbance

Abstract

Most studies have concluded that liana diversity and structure increase with disturbance. However, a contradictory pattern has emerged recently calling for more research in the area. Liana diversity and structure were investigated in three forest types that differ in disturbance intensity (nondisturbed, moderately disturbed and heavily disturbed forest: NDF, MDF and HDF, respectively) in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Ghana. In each forest type, 10 square plots of 0.25 ha were demarcated. Lianas with diameter ! 1 cm located on trees with diameter ! 10 cm were enumerated. A total of 429 individuals representing 40 species, 29 genera and seventeen families were identified in the study. Shannon diversity and species richness of lianas were significantly lower in the HDF (P < 0.05). Liana density and basal area differed significantly across all forest types (P < 0.0001). The importance value index (IVI) of most liana species varied greatly across the forest types. The current study has provided evidence to support the pattern of decreasing liana diversity and structure with disturbance in some tropical forests. Further studies are recommended to gain more understanding of the factors that are responsible for the divergent liana responses to disturbance in tropical forests.

Selective logging in tropical forests decreases the robustness of liana–tree interaction networks to the loss of host tree species

“…Disturbance of tropical forests generally increases the abundance and diversity of lianas which use trees as support to reach the canopy [9,19,20], although some recent African and Asian studies suggest otherwise [21,22]. The increased lianahost ratio has implications for tree recruitment, survival, and species composition, among others [23].…”

Forest structure determines the abundance and distribution of large lianas in Gabon

“…The evidence for higher liana loads in disturbed versus undisturbed forests comes largely from abundances of small lianas (e.g. Putz, ; Addo‐Fordjour et al ., ). Detecting an effect of disturbance on large lianas may be complicated by their relatively low abundance ( c .…”

“…The evidence for higher liana loads in disturbed versus undisturbed forests comes largely from abundances of small lianas (e.g. Putz, 1984;Addo-Fordjour et al, 2013). Detecting an effect of disturbance on large lianas may be complicated by their relatively low abundance (c. 10 lianas ha 21 ) and variation compared with small lianas, which can reach abundances of 76-1414 lianas ha 21 (DeWalt et al, 2015).…”

Biodiversity of Lianas

“…Also, new innovative ways by which invasive vines could be put to use economically and on a large scale should be developed, so that the existing large population of the invasive vines could be minimized. Addo-Fordjour et al 2012aLaurance et al 2001a ). Human impacts on forests will likely shape future patterns of regional liana diversity due to their broad spatial extent and increasing intensity as the human population continues to expand (Gerland et al 2014 ).…”

“…However, such recruitment is not even across all liana species and thus the disturbance may alter local liana-community composition and possibly reduce overall local liana diversity (Benitez-Malvido and Martinez-Ramos 2003 ). Finally, recent studies suggest that excessive disturbance of a forest may result in a collapse of local liana diversity (Addo-Fordjour et al 2009, 2012a.…”