Impact of host tree bark roughness on epiphytic vascular plant diversity and fern spore attachment in tropical cloud forests

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2025.0235

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The rough bark provides essential physical supports and creates diverse microhabitats for epiphytic vascular plants. Studying the impacts of bark roughness of host tree on the diversity and spore attachment of epiphytic vascular plants is important to understand species coexistence of these species.

Methods Epiphyte vascular diversity as well as bark roughness and diameter at breast height of host trees were investigated in 21 20 m × 20 m plots in the Bawangling area of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. Also, experiments of epiphyte spore attachment were conducted using a homemade device. The effects of host tree bark roughness and diameter at breast height on the epiphytic vascular plant diversity were assessed. The effects of host tree bark roughness on the spore attachment of epiphytic vascular plants were examined.

Important findings The bark roughness of host tree significantly increased from sapling stage to adult tree stage. The bark roughness and growth stage of host trees significantly impacted on the richness and abundance of all epiphytic vascular plants, epiphytic ferns and orchidaceae. The variance proportions of species richness and abundance explained by the bark roughness ranged 0-1.4% and 2.8%-7.4%, respectively. The variance proportions of species richness and abundance explained by the growth stage ranged 3.1%-79.8% and 5.4%- 40.1%, respectively. The variance proportions of species richness and abundance explained by the interactions of bark roughness and growth stage ranged 3.1%-5.3% and 5.4%-20.6%, respectively. This results indicated that the effects of growth stage of the host tree on epiphytic vascular plant diversity were mediated by bark roughness. The number of attached spores on the host trees, moreover, significantly increased with the bark roughness. Overall, our findings show that the rough bark of host trees provides abundant attachment points and microhabitats for epiphytic vascular plants, facilitate the establishment of epiphytic vascular plant communities, and is of great significance for the conservation of epiphytic vascular plants.

Key words: roughness, vascular epiphyte, host tree, growth stage, diversity, colonization

HU Guang-Ming, XIAO Chu-Chu, OU Xu, LONG Wen-Xing. Impact of host tree bark roughness on epiphytic vascular plant diversity and fern spore attachment in tropical cloud forests[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2026, 50(4): 929-936.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2025.0235

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2026/V50/I4/929

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Experimental device for the fern spore attachment.

Fig. 2 Bark roughness of different host trees (Michelia mediocris, Syzygium buxifolium, Quercus disciformis, Cryptocarya chinensis, and Schima superba from the left pannel to the right one).

Table 1 Host tree species used for the experiments of fern spore attachment

序号 No.	物种名 Species name	拉丁名 Scientific name
1	赤楠	Syzygium buxifolium
2	蚊母树	Distylium racemosum
3	黄杞	Engelhardia roxburghiana
4	碟斗青冈	Quercus disciformis
5	白花含笑	Michelia mediocris
6	岭南青冈	Quercus championii
7	陆均松	Dacrydium pectinatum
8	平托桂	Cinnamomum tsoi
9	光叶山矾	Symplocos lancifolia
10	木荷	Schima superba
11	厚壳桂	Cryptocarya chinensis
12	线枝蒲桃	Syzygium araiocladum
13	锈毛杜英	Elaeocarpus howii
14	绒毛润楠	Machilus velutina

Fig. 3 Comparisons of bark roughness across different growth stages of host trees. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.001).

Fig. 4 Variance proportion of the richness and abundance of vascular epiphytic plants explained by the bark roughness and growth stages of host trees. A, Ferns. B, Orchidaceae. C, All epiphytic plants in the plot.

Fig. 5 Comparisons of number of fern spores across different bark roughness of host trees. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences in the number of fern spores (p < 0.001).

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