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Global distribution of root climbers is positively associated with precipitation and negatively associated with seasonality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2013

Jaqueline Durigon ,
Sandra Milena Durán  and
Ernesto Gianoli
Jaqueline Durigon*
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil
Sandra Milena Durán
Affiliation:
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
Ernesto Gianoli
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Universidad de la Serena, La Serena, Chile Departamento de Botánica, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
*
1Corresponding author. Email: jaquelinedurigon@gmail.com
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Abstract:

Root climbers constitute a distinctive group within climbing plants and some evidence suggests that they are associated with high precipitation and low light availability at local scales, which is in contrast with general patterns of liana distribution in the tropics. The influence of precipitation and seasonality on the occurrence of root climbers was evaluated both globally and in the tropics. The presence/absence of root climbers was recorded in 174 sites of Alwyn H. Gentry Forest Transect Data Set. The effects of mean annual precipitation and dry-season length (and temperature) on their occurrence were analysed using logistic regressions. Root climbers were significantly more frequent in sites with greater precipitation and reduced seasonality. Increasing temperature reduced root-climber occurrence in tropical sites, but this effect was marginally significant at a global scale. Dry and open habitats appear unsuitable for root climbers. This can be explained by the susceptibility to desiccation of adventitious roots and/or the low acclimation ability of these climbers to high irradiance.

Keywords

climbing mechanismdistribution patternsenvironmental constraintslianas
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 29 , Issue 4 , July 2013 , pp. 357 - 360
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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