Abstract
Epiphytes are one of the most diversified plant life forms, whose species richness peaks in the tropics and subtropics. Here we examined vertical distribution metrics (i.e., number of epiphyte individuals and epiphyte species richness) of vascular epiphytes (i.e., orchids and ferns) on two dominant host trees (i.e., Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. and Quercus lanata Sm.) in sub-tropical forests of Nepal. We sampled a total number of 72 host trees of Q. lanata and S. wallichii from two forest sites: a government protected national park forest and community managed forest. We applied generalized linear mixed models and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests to explain epiphyte diversity by tree architecture (i.e., diameter at breast height, tree height, crown size, number of forks, bark rugosity, bark pH and tree layer), host species and forest management types. After variable selection via multi-model inference technique, we found diameter at breast height to be the most powerful and significant explanatory variable for the number of epiphyte individuals and epiphyte species richness across host tree species, tree layers, and forest management types. Interestingly, epiphyte diversity was on average higher in the community managed forest than in the national park forest, on S. wallichii than on Q. lanata and particularly on the trunk below forks. We conclude that effective conservation of epiphyte diversity in the Nepal Himalaya requires conservation of old-growth host trees through community approaches. If large and old tree stands are maintained, community managed forests can host high diversity of vascular epiphytes and provide ecosystem goods to local people alike.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by-nc-nd. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Host tree diameter at breast height was the strongest significant explanatory variable for epiphyte abundance and species richness.
- Taxon
- epiphytee0
- Outcome
- number of epiphyte individuals and epiphyte species richnesse0
- Qualifier
- across host tree species, tree layers, and forest management typese0
Not reportedOrgan / stageDirection
Verbatim
e0“diameter at breast height to be the most powerful and significant explanatory variable for the number of epiphyte individuals and epiphyte species richness across host tree species, tree layers, and forest management types”
Claim · model-written summary
Epiphyte diversity was higher in community managed forest than national park forest.
Verbatim
e0“epiphyte diversity was on average higher in the community managed forest than in the national park forest”
Claim · model-written summary
Epiphyte diversity was higher on Schima wallichii than Quercus lanata.
- Taxon
- epiphytet0
- Interactor
- S. wallichii
Schima wallichiie0host - Outcome
- epiphyte diversitye1
- Direction
- highere1
- Comparator
- Q. lanatae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“on S. wallichii than on Q. lanata”
t0“Vascular epiphyte diversity”
e1“epiphyte diversity was on average higher in the community managed forest than in the national park forest, on S. wallichii than on Q. lanata”
Claim · model-written summary
Epiphyte diversity was particularly high on trunks below forks.
Verbatim
e0“particularly on the trunk below forks”
t0“Vascular epiphyte diversity”
e1“epiphyte diversity was on average higher in the community managed forest than in the national park forest, on S. wallichii than on Q. lanata and particularly on the trunk below forks”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend conserving old-growth host trees through community approaches to conserve epiphyte diversity.
Verbatim
e0“effective conservation of epiphyte diversity in the Nepal Himalaya requires conservation of old-growth host trees through community approaches”
Claim · model-written summary
Maintained large and old stands may enable community forests to host diverse vascular epiphytes.
Verbatim
e0“If large and old tree stands are maintained, community managed forests can host high diversity of vascular epiphytes”