Annual Rainfall and Seasonality Predict Pan‐tropical Patterns of Liana Density and Basal Area

We test the hypotheses proposed by Gentry and Schnitzer that liana density and basal area in tropical forests vary negatively with mean annual precipitation (MAP) and positively with seasonality. Previous studies correlating liana abundance with these climatic variables have produced conflicting results, warranting a new analysis of drivers of liana abundance based on a different dataset. We compiled a pan‐tropical dataset containing 28,953 lianas (≥2.5 cm diam.) from studies conducted at 13 Neotropical and 11 Paleotropical dry to wet lowland tropical forests. The ranges in MAP and dry season length (DSL) (number of months with mean rainfall <100 mm) represented by these datasets were 860–7250 mm/yr and 0–7 mo, respectively. Pan‐tropically, liana density and basal area decreased significantly with increasing annual rainfall and increased with increasing DSL, supporting the hypotheses of Gentry and Schnitzer. Our results suggest that much of the variation in liana density and basal area in the tropics can be accounted for by the relatively simple metrics of MAP and DSL.

[1]  F. Bongers,et al.  Seasonal differences in leaf-level physiology give lianas a competitive advantage over trees in a tropical seasonal forest , 2009, Oecologia.

[2]  G. Gerold,et al.  Effects of lianas and Hurricane Wilma on tree damage in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico , 2008, Journal of Tropical Ecology.

[3]  O. Phillips,et al.  What controls liana success in Neotropical forests , 2008 .

[4]  S. Schnitzer,et al.  Supplemental protocol for liana censuses , 2008 .

[5]  L. Gautier,et al.  The odd man out? Might climate explain the lower tree α‐diversity of African rain forests relative to Amazonian rain forests? , 2007 .

[6]  Stephen P. Hubbell,et al.  Drought sensitivity shapes species distribution patterns in tropical forests , 2007, Nature.

[7]  R. Sharitz,et al.  Are lianas increasing in importance in temperate floodplain forests in the southeastern United States , 2007 .

[8]  J. Chave,et al.  Censusing and Measuring Lianas: A Quantitative Comparison of the Common Methods 1 , 2006 .

[9]  David Kenfack,et al.  Comparing tropical forest tree size distributions with the predictions of metabolic ecology and equilibrium models. , 2006, Ecology letters.

[10]  D. Burslem,et al.  Liana habitat associations and community structure in a Bornean lowland tropical forest , 2006, Plant Ecology.

[11]  F. Putz,et al.  A Standard Protocol for Liana Censuses 1 , 2006 .

[12]  D. Mudappa,et al.  Plant Community Structure in Tropical Rain Forest Fragments of the Western Ghats, India 1 , 2006 .

[13]  W. Carson,et al.  Predicting Liana Crown Location from Stem Diameter in Three Panamanian Lowland Forests 1 , 2006 .

[14]  Robin L. Chazdon,et al.  Successional dynamics of woody seedling communities in wet tropical secondary forests , 2005 .

[15]  Osvaldo Calderón,et al.  Seasonal, El Niño and longer term changes in flower and seed production in a moist tropical forest. , 2005, Ecology letters.

[16]  S. Schnitzer.  A Mechanistic Explanation for Global Patterns of Liana Abundance and Distribution , 2005, The American Naturalist.

[17]  G. Goldstein,et al.  Water uptake and transport in lianas and co-occurring trees of a seasonally dry tropical forest , 2005, Trees.

[18]  Jill Thompson,et al.  Liana abundance in a Puerto Rican forest , 2004 .

[19]  J. Mascaro,et al.  Liana diversity, abundance, and mortality in a tropical wet forest in Costa Rica , 2004 .

[20]  D. Nepstad,et al.  Seedling growth dynamics of a deeply rooting liana in a secondary forest in eastern Amazonia , 2004 .

[21]  J. Chave,et al.  Structure and Biomass of Four Lowland Neotropical Forests , 2004 .

[22]  S. Paton,et al.  ARE LIANAS INCREASING IN IMPORTANCE IN TROPICAL FORESTS? A 17‐YEAR RECORD FROM PANAMA , 2004 .

[23]  N. Parthasarathy,et al.  Liana diversity and distribution in four tropical dry evergreen forests on the Coromandel coast of south India , 2003, Biodiversity & Conservation.

[24]  Kevin D. Janni.  Global Patterns of Plant Diversity: Alwyn H. Gentry’s Forest Transect Data Set , 2003 .

[25]  W. Platt,et al.  COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF SEASONALLY DECIDUOUS FORESTS IN THE AMERICAS , 2003 .

[26]  Yadvinder Malhi,et al.  Energy and water dynamics of a central Amazonian rain forest , 2002 .

[27]  R. Burnham.  Dominance, diversity and distribution of lianas in Yasuní, Ecuador: who is on top? , 2002, Journal of Tropical Ecology.

[28]  Yadvinder Malhi,et al.  Increasing dominance of large lianas in Amazonian forests , 2002, Nature.

[29]  M. Martínez‐Ramos,et al.  Landscape variation of liana communities in a Neotropical rain forest , 2002, Plant Ecology.

[30]  Frans Bongers,et al.  The ecology of lianas and their role in forests , 2002 .

[31]  W. Carson,et al.  TREEFALL GAPS AND THE MAINTENANCE OF SPECIES DIVERSITY IN A TROPICAL FOREST , 2001 .

[32]  F. Putz,et al.  Lianas and Trees in a Liana Forest of Amazonian Bolivia1 , 2001 .

[33]  Stephanie A. Bohlman,et al.  Quantifying the deciduousness of tropical forest canopies under varying climates , 2000 .

[34]  Walter P. Carson,et al.  The impact of lianas on tree regeneration in tropical forest canopy gaps: evidence for an alternative pathway of gap‐phase regeneration , 2000 .

[35]  Simon J. Turner.  The odd man out , 2000, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[36]  Stefan A. Schnitzer,et al.  Density and diversity of lianas along a chronosequence in a central Panamanian lowland forest , 2000, Journal of Tropical Ecology.

[37]  N. Parthasarathy,et al.  Alpha diversity of lianas in a tropical evergreen forest in the Anamalais, Western Ghats, India , 2000 .

[38]  O. Phillips,et al.  Prediction of neotropical tree and liana species richness from soil and climatic data , 1995, Biodiversity and Conservation.

[39]  E. J. Campbell,et al.  Ecological relationships between lianas and trees in lowland rain forest in Sabah, East Malaysia , 1993, Journal of Tropical Ecology.

[40]  W. Bond,et al.  Factors limiting climber distribution and abundance in a southern African forest , 1993 .

[41]  F. Bongers,et al.  Structure and floristic composition of the lowland rain forest of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico , 1988, Vegetatio.

[42]  F. Putz,et al.  Ecological studies of lianas in Lambir National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia , 1987 .

[43]  F. Putz.  The natural history of lianas on Barro Colorado Island, Panama , 1984 .

[44]  J. Proctor,et al.  Ecological studies in four contrasting lowland rain forests in Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak I. Forest environment, structure, and floristics , 1983 .

[45]  H.,et al.  1 The distribution and evolution of climbing plants , 2012 .

[46]  F. Bongers,et al.  LIANA COMMUNITIES IN THREE TROPICAL FOREST TYPES IN XISHUANGBANNA, SOUTH-wEST CHINA , 2009 .

[47]  N. Parthasarathy,et al.  Liana diversity and distribution on host trees in four inland tropical dry evergreen forests of peninsular India , 2006 .

[48]  M. Parren.  Lianas and logging in West Africa. , 2003 .

[49]  O. Phillips,et al.  Global Patterns of Plant Diversity: Alwyn H. Gentry's Forest Transect Data Set , 2002 .

[50]  P. Fearnside,et al.  RAIN FOREST FRAGMENTATION AND THE STRUCTURE OF AMAZONIAN LIANA COMMUNITIES , 2001 .

[51]  N. Parthasarathy,et al.  Abundance and distribution of lianas in tropical lowland evergreen forest of Agumbe, central Western Ghats, India , 2000 .

[52]  F. Ewers,et al.  Hydraulic Architecture of Woody Tropical Plants , 1996 .

[53]  A. Gentry.  Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests: Diversity and floristic composition of neotropical dry forests , 1995 .

[54]  A. Gentry.  The Biology of Vines : The distribution and evolution of climbing plants , 1992 .

[55]  F. Putz,et al.  The Biology of Vines : Biomechanical studies of vines , 1991 .

[56]  A. Gentry,et al.  Changes in Plant Community Diversity and Floristic Composition on Environmental and Geographical Gradients , 1988 .

[57]  A. Gentry,et al.  Patterns of neotropical plant species diversity. , 1982 .