Impact of Land-Use Change on Vascular Epiphytes: A Review.

ABSTRACT: Human-caused habitat conversion, degradation, and climate change threaten global biodiversity, particularly in tropical forests where vascular epiphytes-non-parasitic plants growing on other plants-may be especially vulnerable. Epiphytes play vital ecological roles, in nutrient cycling and by providing habitat, but are disproportionately affected by land-use changes due to their reliance on host trees and specific microclimatic conditions. While tree species in secondary forests recover relatively quickly, epiphyte recolonization is slower, especially in humid montane regions, where species richness may decline by up to 96% compared to primary or old-growth forests. A review of nearly 300 pertinent studies has revealed a geographic bias toward the Neotropics, with limited research from tro

SUBMITTER: Kromer T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12030193 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature