Linking physiology, epidemiology, and demography: Understanding how lianas outcompete trees in a changing world.

ABSTRACT: Extending and safeguarding tropical forest ecosystems is critical for combating climate change and biodiversity loss. One of its constituents, lianas, is spreading and increasing in abundance on a global scale. This is particularly concerning as lianas negatively impact forests' carbon fluxes, dynamics, and overall resilience, potentially exacerbating both crises. While possibly linked to climate-change-induced atmospheric CO₂ elevation and drought intensification, the reasons behind their increasing abundance remain elusive. Prior research shows distinct physiological differences between lianas and trees, but it is unclear whether these differences confer a demographic advantage to lianas with climate change. Guided by extensive datasets collected in Panamanian tropical forests

SUBMITTER: De Deurwaerder HPT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11348021 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature