Title: Lianas Reduce Biomass Accumulation in Early‐Successional Tropical Forests
Abstract:Liana (woody vine) abundance has been increasing in tropical forests over the past decades, but the effect of such increase in tree biomass accumulation remains poorly understood. We evaluated tree bi...Liana (woody vine) abundance has been increasing in tropical forests over the past decades, but the effect of such increase in tree biomass accumulation remains poorly understood. We evaluated tree biomass accumulation using a liana removal experiment in forest stands that ranged from 10 to 35 years old. Large trees (≥20 cm diameter) accumulated significantly more biomass in the absence of lianas (compared to controls) even after accounting for the effect of canopy completeness and crown illumination. Our results imply that the detrimental effects of lianas go well beyond resource availability and crown health, and show that lianas decrease the capacity of young secondary forests to mitigate climate change. These photographs illustrate the article “Lianas reduce biomass accumulation in early-successional tropical forests” by Sergio Estrada-Villegas, Jefferson S. Hall, Michiel van Breugel, and Stefan A. Schnitzer published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2989Read More