Home Institution

Boston College

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Program Name

Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems, and Biodiversity Conservation

Abstract

Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants non-parasitically, and globally, epiphytes compose a very large and diverse group. They are especially abundant and species-rich in the tropics- particularly, in tropical montane forest ecosystems. Human population growth in the tropics, however, has resulted in significant declines in forest cover with land being converted largely for agricultural purposes. Studies on epiphytes have traditionally been undertaken in pristine, undisturbed forest ecosystems, yet terrestrial land conversion has increased the need to understand the value of human-modified ecosystems for epiphytic populations and biodiversity conservation. This study sought to understand the relationship between human modification and epiphytic abundance and diversity. It was hypothesized that as the degree of human modification increased, the abundance and diversity of vascular epiphytes would decrease. Three study sites were selected according to their perceived level of anthropogenic modification, and 20 trees along a 100 m transect from each site were surveyed for their epiphytic composition. The diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, and canopy cover were also measured for each tree to offer a more holistic understanding of forest ecosystem dynamics and factors shaping epiphyte communities. Results revealed a significant decline in epiphytic abundance with an increasing degree of human modification, although there was no identifiable difference in epiphytic diversity according to family-level classification. However, differences in family-level composition by abundance were present between sites, and DBH was found to be the most significant host-tree factor influencing epiphytic abundance, followed by tree height. These results provide support for the hypothesis that epiphytic abundance would show declines due to modification and are consistent with existing literature that suggests human modification may play a large role in shaping epiphyte populations. This research emphasizes the importance of conserving existing intact forest ecosystems and further exploring the relationship between landscape type and epiphyte populations, and other microclimatic factors and host-tree characteristics that may impact these relationships.

Disciplines

Biodiversity | Botany | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Forest Biology | Human Ecology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Download

Share

Article Location

 
COinS