Summary
This global meta-analysis of 651 vegetation samples from 556 locations demonstrates that lianas increasingly outcompete trees in disturbed forests, particularly under warm, dry tropical conditions. High liana dominance can persist for decades following disturbance when mean annual temperature exceeds 27.8°C, precipitation falls below 1614 mm, and climatic water deficit exceeds 829 mm. The findings suggest that degraded tropical forests with liana-favourable climates are at heightened risk of ecological stalling, with significant implications for forest carbon sequestration and restoration prioritisation.
Regional applicability
This study is global in scope and does not focus on United Kingdom forest systems. However, the theoretical framework on disturbance-climate-liana interactions may have limited relevance to the United Kingdom, where lianas are not ecologically dominant and temperate forest recovery dynamics differ substantially from tropical systems. The findings have greatest applicability to tropical and subtropical forest restoration programmes.
Key measures
Liana-to-tree ratio; forest disturbance status; mean annual temperature; annual precipitation; climatic water deficit; chronosequence data from disturbed forests
Outcomes reported
The study assessed liana-to-tree ratios across 651 global vegetation samples and identified environmental conditions (temperature, precipitation, climatic water deficit) under which lianas outcompete trees in disturbed forests. The research quantified how liana dominance can persist for decades post-disturbance and impede forest recovery in degraded tropical forests.
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