DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND

Many studies have attempted to explain the diversity and abundance of epiphytic plants in major ecosystems, worldwide. However, investigations on the abundance of epiphytic plants in mangroves have remained rare. The aim of this research was to study the diversity and vertical distribution of vascu...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shahrudin Rohani, Fei Lin Lee, Abdul Shukor Yusoff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SEAMEO, BIOTROP 2020-08-01
Series:Biotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.biotrop.org/index.php/biotropia/article/view/1182
_version_ 1797782006138929152
author Shahrudin Rohani
Fei Lin Lee
Abdul Shukor Yusoff
author_facet Shahrudin Rohani
Fei Lin Lee
Abdul Shukor Yusoff
author_sort Shahrudin Rohani
collection DOAJ
description Many studies have attempted to explain the diversity and abundance of epiphytic plants in major ecosystems, worldwide. However, investigations on the abundance of epiphytic plants in mangroves have remained rare. The aim of this research was to study the diversity and vertical distribution of vascular epiphytes in a mangrove forest in peninsular Malaysia. The sampling was done over a 0.1 hectare of Pulau Telaga Tujuh, a mangrove island in Terengganu, Malaysia. Trees with vascular epiphytes were divided into three strata: basal, trunk and canopy. The vascular epiphytes were identified, and the number of individuals in each stratum was recorded. In total, 8 species of vascular epiphytes from 6 genera and 4 families were recorded. Pulau Telaga Tujuh mangrove forest exhibited a relatively low diversity of vascular epiphytes (H’ = 1.43). The dominance of Hydnopytum formicarum significantly contributed to the diversity of vascular epiphytes in this forest. The highest abundance of epiphytes was observed on the trunks of the host trees. The vertical distribution pattern observed in this study is associated with the adaptation of the epiphytic plants to stresses in the mangrove ecosystem, particularly, drought and salt spray. Pulau Telaga Tujuh had a high density of vascular epiphytes but lower diversity compared with other ecosystems.
first_indexed 2024-03-13T00:04:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-87c6660166af4e289070dffb4ee31493
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0215-6334
1907-770X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-13T00:04:57Z
publishDate 2020-08-01
publisher SEAMEO, BIOTROP
record_format Article
series Biotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology
spelling doaj.art-87c6660166af4e289070dffb4ee314932023-07-13T04:29:08ZengSEAMEO, BIOTROPBiotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology0215-63341907-770X2020-08-0127210.11598/btb.2020.27.2.1182DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLANDShahrudin Rohani0Fei Lin LeeAbdul Shukor YusoffUniversiti Malaysia Terengganu Many studies have attempted to explain the diversity and abundance of epiphytic plants in major ecosystems, worldwide. However, investigations on the abundance of epiphytic plants in mangroves have remained rare. The aim of this research was to study the diversity and vertical distribution of vascular epiphytes in a mangrove forest in peninsular Malaysia. The sampling was done over a 0.1 hectare of Pulau Telaga Tujuh, a mangrove island in Terengganu, Malaysia. Trees with vascular epiphytes were divided into three strata: basal, trunk and canopy. The vascular epiphytes were identified, and the number of individuals in each stratum was recorded. In total, 8 species of vascular epiphytes from 6 genera and 4 families were recorded. Pulau Telaga Tujuh mangrove forest exhibited a relatively low diversity of vascular epiphytes (H’ = 1.43). The dominance of Hydnopytum formicarum significantly contributed to the diversity of vascular epiphytes in this forest. The highest abundance of epiphytes was observed on the trunks of the host trees. The vertical distribution pattern observed in this study is associated with the adaptation of the epiphytic plants to stresses in the mangrove ecosystem, particularly, drought and salt spray. Pulau Telaga Tujuh had a high density of vascular epiphytes but lower diversity compared with other ecosystems. https://journal.biotrop.org/index.php/biotropia/article/view/1182epiphyte ecologymangrovesSetiu Wetlandsspatial distribution
spellingShingle Shahrudin Rohani
Fei Lin Lee
Abdul Shukor Yusoff
DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND
Biotropia: The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Biology
epiphyte ecology
mangroves
Setiu Wetlands
spatial distribution
title DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND
title_full DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND
title_fullStr DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND
title_full_unstemmed DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND
title_short DIVERSITY AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES ON A MALAYSIAN MANGROVE ISLAND
title_sort diversity and vertical distribution of vascular epiphytes on a malaysian mangrove island
topic epiphyte ecology
mangroves
Setiu Wetlands
spatial distribution
url https://journal.biotrop.org/index.php/biotropia/article/view/1182
work_keys_str_mv AT shahrudinrohani diversityandverticaldistributionofvascularepiphytesonamalaysianmangroveisland
AT feilinlee diversityandverticaldistributionofvascularepiphytesonamalaysianmangroveisland
AT abdulshukoryusoff diversityandverticaldistributionofvascularepiphytesonamalaysianmangroveisland