Abstract

AGUIRRE MENDOZA, Zhofre Huberto; GEADA-LOPEZ, Gretel; BUSTAMANTE JUMBO, Jorge  and  JARAMILLO DIAZ, Nelson. Vascular epiphytes in a permanent plot in Andean forest in the "Francisco Vivar Castro" University Park, Loja, Ecuador. Rev CFORES [online]. 2023, vol.11, n.3  Epub Sep 02, 2023. ISSN 2310-3469.

Most trees in Andean forests are covered by epiphytes. The objective of the study was to evaluate the floristic composition, structure and preference of vascular epiphytes in certain phorophytes. Three phorophytes were selected in each 20 x 20 m subplot of a one hectare permanent plot and recorded: D 1.30 > 20 cm, crown foliage, visibility and branching. The inventory of the epiphytes was carried out by climbing the phorophytes following their vertical distribution. Structural parameters such as density, abundance, frequency, importance value index and Shannon diversity were calculated. The habitat preference of epiphytes was calculated by the number of individuals per host and per section. 7,610 individuals of 12 species, 8 genera and 4 families were recorded. The most ecologically important species in all sections of the phorophytes are: Anthurium oxybelium, Peperomia galioides, Tillandsia tovarensis, Cyrtochilum aureum, Pleurothallis maxima, Tillandsia biflora. The vascular epiphytes recorded prefer to live in section 3, Tillandsia tovarensis, Pleurothallis maxima and Tillandsia biflora are the most abundant. Alnus acuminata and Cedrela montana are the most preferred phorophytes for vascular epiphytes.

Keywords : Andean forest; diversity of vascular epiphytes; phorophyte; vertical distribution and habitat preference..

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