%0 Journal Article %A Guang-Fu LIU %A Run-Guo ZANG %A Yi DING %A Wen-Yi WANG %A Ru-Cai LI %A Shao-Wei CHEN %A Zhao-Li ZHOU %T Diversity and distribution of epiphytic orchids in different types of old-growth tropical forests in Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan Island, China %D 2010 %R 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.04.005 %J Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology %P 396-408 %V 34 %N 4 %X

Aims Epiphytic orchids are a major group of epiphytes and vital to maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tropical forests. Our objective was to explore diversity and distribution of epiphytic orchids among six different types of old-growth tropical forests (tropical monsoon forest, SF; tropical lowland rain forest, LF; tropical coniferous forest, CF; tropical montane rain forest, MF; tropical mountain evergreen forest, ME; and tropical elfin forest, EF) in Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan Island, China.

Methods We established twelve 0.05 hm2 (10 m × 50 m) plots in each type of old-growth forest and recorded species, individuals and position of epiphytic orchids on each tree and liana with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 5 cm in each plot.

Important findings We recorded a total of 9 634 epiphytic orchids belonging to 60 species and 26 genera in the total sample of 3.6 hm2. Detrended Correspondence Analysis based on the presence-absence and abundance showed that the epiphytic orchids of the six types of forests were divided into five groups (epiphytic orchids in ME and EF were clustered into one group). There was high similarity between neighboring altitudinal forest types, with the highest value (88.9%) between the ME and EF. Species richness and abundance of epiphytic orchids in the high altitude forest types were greater than in the low altitude forest types, with highest value in the ME. Differences in abundance of epiphytic orchids between in the trunk and the crown were crown > trunk in the SF, LF, CF and MF, no difference in ME and trunk > crown in EF. The ratio of the epiphytic orchids phorophytes to the total investigated plants was higher in the high altitude forest types than in the low altitude forest types. Epiphytic orchid abundance and species richness were both significant positive correlated with phorophyte size (DBH) in each forest type.

%U https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.04.005