Browsing by Author "Tapay Cajamarca, Wilmer Ramiro"

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Evaluación de epifitas en árboles hospederos dentro de bosques andinos en la provincia del Azuay
(2017-09-19) Pangol Sangurima, Christian Ismael; Tapay Cajamarca, Wilmer Ramiro; Jadán Maza, Ángel Oswaldo
Deforestation causes negative effects on the native flora including epiphytes that are particularly vulnerable to pressures on the structure and diversity of the forests. The diversity of epiphytes in high-Andean forests has been barely evaluated. This study evaluated the richness, diversity and abundance of vascular epiphytes in host trees within high-Andean forests and established associations among vascular epiphytes with the diversity and structure of the hosts. Three forest communities were compared: Forest Community 1 (Pillachiquir and Irquis-secondary forests), Forestry Community 2 (Gañadel and Irquis – secondary forests) and forest Community 3 (Llaviuco – primary forest). We used 22 sampling plots, where the epiphytes were registered on the surface of three vertical strata: 1) the trunk, 2) the first branch and, 3) the canopy. Seventy-six epiphytic species were recorded, covering 61001 individuals present in the three forest communities. The highest species richness was recorded in the third community, corresponding to the forest of Llaviuco. Based on the vertical stratification, the canopy was the richest stratum in all three forest communities. Based on the index value of importance (IVI) Orchidaceae, Bromeliaceae, Polypodiaceae and Piperacea were the most important families among the three forest communities. The Spearman correlation coefficient showed a decrease in epiphytic richness as host richness increased. It is concluded that the richness, diversity and abundance of vascular epiphytes are irregularly influenced by the diversity and structure of the hosts, in the three forest communities studied.
Successional forests stages influence the composition and diversity of vascular epiphytes communities from Andean Montane Forests
(2022) Pangol Sangurima, Christian Ismael; Tapay Cajamarca, Wilmer Ramiro; Cedillo Tapia, Hugo Alberto; Jadán Maza, Ángel Oswaldo; Cabrera Cisneros, Hugo Omar; Quizhpe Coronel, Wilson Rodrigo
Vascular epiphytes layer is an important component of the forests; to understand their contribution to the ecosystem, it is imperative to assess the factors which affect their distribution, composition, and diversity. We studied the ecology of vascular epiphytes in Andean Mountain Forests of different successional stages, in a scenario that allowed us to determine some relationships between the composition of the epiphyte community and the tree communities, along with environmental and historic land use gradients. The research design included the sampling of 22 plots with a total of 3248 trees, including tree ferns with DBH ≥10 cm. Each tree was measured and identified to species level and was divided into three vertical strata, recording the diversity and frequency of vascular epiphytes present in each stratum. In these forests, we evaluated the variation of the composition, richness, and density of vascular epiphytes using the ADONIS analysis, evaluating the influence of two factors: the successional stage of the forest community and the tree vertical strata. We then explored which predictor variables, such as climate, spatial correlation, and host tree characteristics, explained the variation in epiphytes, using linear and variance partitioning models. In addition, we determined the preference of epiphytes for host tree species, using indicator tree species of successional stages. For each host tree species, we identified associated vascular epiphytes and their indicator species level was analyzed to determine epiphyte-host species with traits of specialist species. We found that epiphyte species richness and density were significantly higher in older forest communities. Epiphyte density was higher in the upper canopy of the hosts. The climate affected the composition of the epiphytes, while precipitation, elevation, crown height, and basal area significantly explained epiphyte richness and density. Preferential and indifferent epiphytes on indicator host species of intermediate and late succession suggest the existence of complex associations. The age of the forest succession, climatic factors, and certain characteristics of the host species have a major impact on the ecology of vascular epiphytes.