When a tree falls in the forest, lianas hear an opportunity. Figuratively, at least. These long-stemmed woody vines hitch a ride to the canopy by climbing up trees, rather than investing in their own structural support, i.e. a trunk. Evolving an impressive arsenal of adaptations, lianas compete aggressively with other plants for nutrients, water and sunlight — especially near gaps in the canopy. This botanical battle plays out in forests across the world, but it’s particularly prevalent in tropical forests, where lianas can comprise up to 25% of woody plant species. Researchers have known for decades that woody vines are becoming more abundant, with negative impacts on tree growth and carbon sequestration. Now, a new study published in the journal Global Change Biology shows that forest disturbance and climate change are driving lianas’ dominance over trees in a way that could intensify harm to forest recovery and carbon drawdown. “These changes could lead to a shift in the balance of competitive power between lianas and trees, altering forest structure, dynamics, and function, with negative consequences for forest biodiversity and carbon storage,” says study co-author Alain Ngute from the Forest Research Institute at Australia’s University of the Sunshine Coast. Boosted by climate change and forest disturbance (like the treefall gap pictured above), lianas are becoming increasingly dominant in tropical forests around the world. Image by Logan Rance. According to a growing body of research, lianas are getting too good at what they do. The new study analyzes data from more than…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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