Summary
This large-scale field survey across 27 plots in southern Amazonia quantified liana infestation in over 16,000 trees and identified key drivers at multiple ecological scales. Forest structure (but not climate or soil fertility) predicted plot-level infestation, whilst at the individual tree level, larger, denser-wooded, slow-growing species were more susceptible to liana colonisation. Liana infestation reduced tree growth by 33% in heavily infested trees, with the greatest impact on well-lit crowns, suggesting lianas compress competitive hierarchies within the canopy.
Regional applicability
This study is geographically specific to southern Amazonia and addresses tropical forest ecology rather than agricultural systems. The findings have limited direct applicability to United Kingdom farming or land management, though the mechanistic insights into vegetation competition and forest structure dynamics may inform understanding of woodland management in temperate climates.
Key measures
Liana infestation prevalence and intensity; tree diameter; crown proportion infested; tree growth rates; forest structure variables; climate and soil fertility parameters; wood density; species-level growth potential
Outcomes reported
The study quantified liana infestation across 16,066 trees in 27 southern Amazonian plots and evaluated drivers of infestation at plot, species and individual tree levels, as well as the negative impact of liana infestation on tree growth rates.
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