Tropical forest lianas have greater non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in the stem xylem than trees.

ABSTRACT: Lianas (woody vines) are important components of tropical forests and are known to compete with host trees for resources, decrease tree growth and increase tree mortality. Given the observed increases in liana abundance in some forests and their impacts on forest function, an integrated understanding of carbon dynamics of lianas and liana-infested trees is critical for improved prediction of tropical forest responses to climate change. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are the main substrate for plant metabolism (e.g. growth, respiration), and have been implicated in enabling tree survival under environmental stress, but little is known of how they vary among life-forms or of how liana infestation impacts host tree NSC. We quantified stem xylem total NSC concentrations and its fractions (

SUBMITTER: Signori-Muller C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12086676 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature