Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-17T16:42:02.227Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Leaf litter production by lianes and trees in a sub-tropical Australian rain forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Elwyn E. Hegarty
Elwyn E. Hegarty
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia4067
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Leaf litter production by lianes (=lianas) and trees was compared in an evergreen rain forest in subtropical Australia. Several successional stages were represented at the main site. Lianes contributed 2.2% of total basal area (69.6 m2 ha-1) of this site, but 24% of leaf litterfall (5.9–6.5 tha-1 y-2 over two years. Minor year-to-year variation in litterfall was attributed to incidence of severe storms, and drought. Lianes were responsible for about 17% of leaf litterfall in spring, 21% in the summerpeak, and 40% in autumn, more lianes than trees being deciduous. Leaf litter production by 23 individual species of liane, in relation to their basal area within the main site, was, on average, 15 times as great as that by 34 tree species, but declined more steeply between the species-groups of early and later succession. Tendrillar lianes, unlike twiners and scramblers, were confined to the ‘early’ successional group, and their foliage was spread across canopy surfaces, maximizing light interception. It was concluded that this contributed to greater production of leaf litter, per unit basal area, by tendrillar than by other climbers, and to the successional decline in leaf litterfall from lianes.

Keywords

Australialeaflianeslitterfallproductionrain forestsub-tropicalsuccessiontreesvines
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , May 1991 , pp. 201 - 214
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

Bamber, R. K. 1984. Wood anatomy of some Australian rainforest vines. Pp. 58–60 in Sudo, S. (ed.). Proceedings of Pacific regional wood anatomy conference. Wood Technology Division of Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Ibaraki, Japan.Google Scholar
Beekman, F. 1981. Structural and dynamic aspects of the occurrence and development of lianes in the tropical rain forest. Dept. Forestry, Agricultural University, Wageningen.Google Scholar
Brasell, H. M., Unwin, G. L. & Stocker, G. C. 1980. The quantity, temporal distribution and mineralelement content in two forest types at two sites in tropical Australia. Journal of Ecology 68:123–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CaballÉ, G. 1984. Essai sur la dynamique des peuplements de lianes ligneuses d'une forêt du nord-est du Gabon. Revues Ecologique (Terre el Vie) 39:3–35.Google Scholar
Clifford, H. T. & Stephenson, W. 1975. An introduction to numerical classification. Academic Press, New York. 229 pp.Google Scholar
Dantas, M. & Phillipson, J. 1989. Litterfall and litter nutrient content in primary and secondary Amazonian ‘terra firme’ rain forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 5:27–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darwin, C. 1875. The movements and habits of climbing plants. John Murray, London.Google Scholar
Edwards, P. F. 1977. Studies of mineral cycling in a montane rain forest in New Guinea. II. The production and disappearance of litter. Journal of Ecology 65:971–992.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, P. F. & Grubb, P. F. 1977. Studies of mineral cycling in a montane rain forest in New Guinea. I. The distribution of organic matter in the vegetation and soil. Journal of Ecology 65:943–969.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gentry, A. H. 1982. Patterns of neotropical plant species diversity. Evolutionary Biology 15:1–84.Google Scholar
Gentry, A. H. 1983. Lianas and the ‘paradox’ of contrasting latitudinal gradients in wood and litter production. Tropical Ecology 24:63–67.Google Scholar
Gentry, A. H. 1988. Changes in plant community diversity and floristic composition on environmental and geographical gradients. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 75:1–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gentry, A. H. & Dodson, . 1987. Contribution of nontrees to species richness of a tropical rain forest. Bioiropica 19:149–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crubb, P. J., Lloyd, J. R., Pennington, T. D. & Whitmore, T. C. 1963. A comparison of montane and lowland rain forest in Ecuador. I. The forest structure, physiognomy and floristics. Journal of Ecology 51:567–601.Google Scholar
Hegarty, E. E. 1988. Canopy dynamics of Hants and trees in subtropical rain forest. PhD thesis, Department of Botany, University of Queensland, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Hegarty, E. E. 1989. The climbers – lianes and trees. Pp. 339–353 in Lieth, H. & Werger, M. (eds). Tropical rainforest ecosystems. Ecosystems of the World 14B. Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Hegarty, E. E. 1990. Leaf life-span and leafing phenology of lianes and associated trees during a rain forest succession. Journal of Ecology 78:300–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hegarty, E. E. 1991. Vine-host relationships. In Putz, F. E. & Mooney, H. A. (eds). The Biology of Vines. Cambridge University Press. In press.Google Scholar
Hegarty, E. E. & Caballe, G. 1991. Distribution and abundance of vines in forest communities. Chapter 11 in Putz, F. E. & Mooney, H. A. (eds). Biology of Vines. Cambridge University Press. In press.Google Scholar
Hladik, A. 1974. Importance des lianes dans la production foliaire de la forẽt équatoriale du Nord-Est du Gabon. Comptes Rendus de I'Académie des Sciences, Paris, 278 (série D):2527–2530.Google Scholar
Hopkins, M. S. 1975. Species patterns and diversity in the subtropical rainforest. PhD thesis, Department of Botany, University of Queensland, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Hopkins, M. S., Kikkawa, J., Green, A. W., Tracey, J. G. & Webb, L. J. 1977. An ecological basis for the management of rainforests. Pp. 57–66 in Monroe, R. & Stevens, N. C. (eds). The Border Ranges: a land-use conflict in regional perspective. Royal Society of Queensland, St Lucia.Google Scholar
Jeffers, J. N. R. 1978. An introduction to systems analysis: with ecological applications. Edward Arnold, London. 198 pp.Google Scholar
Lam, P. K. S. & Dudgeon, D. 1986. Seasonal effects in litterfall in a Hong Kong mixed forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 1:55–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowman, M. D. 1984. An assessment of techniques for measuring herbivory: is rainforest defoliation more intense than we thought? Bioiropica 16:264–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowman, M. D. & Box, J. R. 1983. Variation in leaf toughness and phenolic content among five species of Australian rain forest trees. Australian Journal of Ecology 8:17–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcdonald, W. J. F. & Whiteman, W. C. 1979. Moreton region vegetation map series. Explanatory booklet for Murwillumbah sheet. Botany Branch, Dept. of Primary Industries, Brisbane. 58 pp.Google Scholar
Medina, E. 1986. Forests, savannas and montane tropical environments. Pp. 139–171 in Baker, N. R. & Long, S. P. (eds). Photosynthsis in contrasting environments. Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Olsen, M. & Lamb, D. 1988. Recovery of subtropical rainforest following storm damage. Pp. 297–301 in Kitching, R. L. (ed.). Ecology of Australia's wet tropics. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 15.Google Scholar
O'Neill, R. V. & Deangelis, D. L. 1981. Comparative productivity and biomass relations of forest ecosystems. Pp. 411–449 in Reichle, D. E. (ed.). Dynamic properties of forest ecosystems. IBP No. 23, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Orloci, L. 1978. Multivariate analysis in vegetation research. Dr W. Junk, The Hague.Google Scholar
Penalosa, J. 1984. Basal branching and vegetative spread in two tropical rainforest lianas. Bioiropica 16:1–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plowman, K. P. 1979. Litter and soil fauna of two Australian subtropical forests. Australian Journal of Ecology 4:87–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Proctor, J. 1984. Tropical forest litterfall II: the data set. Pp. 83–113 in: Chadwick, A. C. & Sutton, S. L. (eds). Tropical Rain Forest. Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society, Leeds.Google Scholar
Putz, F. E. 1983. Liana biomass and leaf area of a ‘Tierra Firme’ forest in the Rio Negro Basin, Venezuela. Bioiropica 15:185–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Putz, F. E. & Chai, P. 1987. Ecological studies of lianas in Lambir National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. Journal of Ecology 75:523–531.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rich, P. M., Lum, S., Munoz, E. L. & Quesada, A. M. 1987. Shedding of vines by the palms Welfiageorgii and Iriarlea gigantea. Principes 31:31–40.Google Scholar
Shugart, H. H. Jr, Hopkins, M. S., Burgess, I. P. & Mortlock, A. T. 1980. The development of a succession model for subtropical rain forest and its application to assess the effects of timber harvest at Wiangarec State Forest, New South Wales. Journal of Environmental Management 11:243–265.Google Scholar
Shukla, R. P. & Ramakrishnan, P. S. 1984. Leaf dynamics of tropical trees related to successional status. New Phytologist 97:697–706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Songwe, N. C., Fasehun, F. E. & Okali, D. U. U. 1988. Litterfall and productivity in a tropical rain forest, Southern Bakundu Forest Reserve, Cameroon. Journal of Tropical Ecology 4:25–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spain, A. V. 1984, Litterfall and the standing crop of litter in three tropical Australian rain forests. Journal of Ecology 72:947–961.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Specht, R. L. & Brouwer, Y. M. 1975. Seasonal shoot growth of eucalypt species in the Brisbane area of Queensland (with notes on shoot growth and litter fall in other areas of Australia). Australian Journal of Botany 23:459–479.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanley, T. D. & Ross, E. M. 1983–1989. Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Queensland Department of Primary Industries Miscellaneous Publication 81020.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Swaine, M. D. & Whitmore, T. C. 1988. On the definition of ecological species groups in tropical rain forests. Vegetatio 75:81–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turnbull, C. R. A. & Madden, J. L. (1983). Relationship of litterfall to basal area and climatic variables in cool temperate forests of southern Tasmania. Australian Journal of Ecology 8:425–431.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Unesco, (1978). Tropical forest ecosystems. Natural Resources Research 14. Paris.Google Scholar
Webb, L. J. 1959. A physiognomic classification of Australian rainforests. Journal of Ecology 47:551–570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webb, L. J., Tracey, J. G., Williams, W. T. & Lance, G. N. 1967. Studies in the numerical sampling of complex rain forest communities. II. The problem of species sampling. Journal of Ecology 55:525–538.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webb, L. J., Tracey, J. G. & Williams, W. T. 1972. Regeneration and pattern in the subtropical rain forest. Journal of Ecology 60:675–695.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, W. T. 1971. Strategy and tactics in the acquisition of biological data. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 6:57–62.Google Scholar
Williams, W. T., Lance, G. N., Webb, L. J. & Tracey, J. G. 1973. Studies in the numerical analysis of complex rain-forest communities. VI. Models for the classification of quantitative data. Journal of Ecology 61:47–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar