| dc.description.abstract | Epiphytic bromeliads from the genus Aechmea are found on many different tree
species in the tropics. These bromeliads have evolved water storage tanks where they
are able to host many different macro-invertebrate species. The aim of the present
study was to assess if six physical variables: i) tree height, ii) tree width, iii)
bromeliad weight, iv) bromeliad longest leaf length, v) bromeliad temperature and vi)
bromeliad position, have an effect on macro-invertebrate assemblages in Aechmea
bromeliads found on the canopy of the endangered Fiddlewood tree (Vitex gaumeri).
Twenty-five Aechmea bromeliads from 15 Fiddlewood trees were collected, and a
total of 136 morpho-species where recorded. A sample-rarefaction curve showed that
new species are expected to be added with increased sampling effort. Results of
backward stepwise regression examining aspects of physical variables affecting
morpho-species richness showed that bromeliad weight was the only variable that
yielded significant results (P= 0.005, R2= 29.77). Additionally, results from a nonmetric
multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) ordination shows that each bromeliad
sampled contained very dissimilar faunal assemblages in terms of composition and
abundance. Results are consistent with other studies showing that weight is a
significant predictor of macro-invertebrate richness. I conclude that the importance of
these plants and their associated animal communities must not be underestimated.
Further research on epiphytic communities may bring increased insights on potential
effects of climate change on tropical ecosystems and may prove useful for the
enhancement of forest management strategies. | no_NO |
