The Contribution of Lianas to Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Dynamics
Document Type
Contribution to Book
Publication Date
2015
Publisher
Springer
Source Publication
Biodiversity of Lianas
Source ISSN
9783319145921
Abstract
Lianas are a common component of forests worldwide and they contribute to forest ecology, diversity, and dynamics. Lianas can have both positive and negative effects in forests. Lianas can be an important resource for animals, as food (in the form of nectar, pollen, fruits, leaves, or sap), providing nesting sites, shelter and, by climbing among many tree crowns, lianas can provide aerial highways for many animal species. By contrast, lianas also compete intensively with trees, reducing tree recruitment, growth, reproduction, and survival, as well as tree diversity and forest-level carbon sequestration. While the inclusion of lianas in ecological studies have lagged behind that of trees, over the past three decades, the study of liana ecology has grown significantly, revealing many important contributions of lianas to forest ecology. In this chapter, I review the state of knowledge about the ecology of lianas and their contribution to forest ecology, diversity, and dynamics.
Recommended Citation
Schnitzer, Stefan A., "The Contribution of Lianas to Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Dynamics" (2015). Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 874.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/874
Comments
"The Contribution of Lianas to Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Dynamics," in Biodiversity of Lianas edited by N. Parthasarathy. Cham Springer International Publishing, (2015): 149-160. DOI.