Journal article
Inner-crown microenvironments of two emergent tree species in a lowland wet forest
Biotropica, Vol.37(2), pp.238-244
2005
Abstract
Vascular epiphyte communities, comprising up to 25 percent of tropical forest flora, contribute to plant diversity and thus ecosystem-level processes; however, one of the proximal determinants of those communities, microclimate, is little studied. Here we present the first comprehensive study of microclimates in the inner crowns of two emergent tree species, Hyeronima alchorneoides and Lecythis ampla, at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We examined photon flux density, temperature, vapor pressure, and humidity in inner-crown branches during the wet and dry seasons and during the wet-season leafless phase of Lecythis. In both seasons, the percentage daily PFD in foliated Lecythis crowns (9%, wet season; 11%, dry season) was significantly higher than in Hyeronima crowns (5%, both seasons), with the leafless wet-season PFD of Lecythis reaching 23 percent of full sun. Temperature and vapor pressure varied less in Hyeronima than in Lecythis crowns during the dry season. Microenvironmental conditions for epiphytes within Hyeronima crowns were more spatially and temporally homogeneous and were more buffered from ambient conditions than within Lecythis crowns. Growing conditions within the crowns of the same trees and among different trees were measurably different and are likely to affect the structure and composition of the resident epiphyte communities.
Details
- Title
- Inner-crown microenvironments of two emergent tree species in a lowland wet forest
- Authors
- C L Cardelús (Author) - University of Connecticut, United StatesRobin L Chazdon (Author) - University of Connecticut, United States
- Publication details
- Biotropica, Vol.37(2), pp.238-244
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.
- Date published
- 2005
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2005.00032.x
- ISSN
- 0006-3606
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99451304602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
901 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Ecology
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites