scholarly journals Species richness and phytogeography of the Bryophyte flora of the Guianas, with special reference to the lowland forest

1990 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Gradstein ◽  
D. Montfoort ◽  
J. H.C. Cornelissen
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
General Character ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest ◽  
Dry Evergreen Forest ◽  
Species Area ◽  
The Guianas

The Guianas (French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana) are probably one of the last areas of the world covered largely by virgin lowland rain forest. Species diversity of epiphytic bryophytes was investigated in dry evergreen forest and mixed forest using mountaineering techniques to ascend into the canopy. The results indicate that the lowland rain forest is richer in species than previously believed due to neglect of the canopy flora, which may hold more than 50% of the local species. The mixed forest holds the richest flora and on one single forest tree up to 67 bryophyte species were found (50 on average); 28 trees yielded 154 species. A species/area curve indicates that epiphytic bryophyte species are usually commonly distributed in the forest and a few trees may yield much of the local flora. A recent checklist of the Guianas includes over 600 species of bryophytes: 375 Hepaticae and 234 Musci. As the region lacks in altitude (except on Mt. Roraima) the general character of the bryophyte flora of the Guianas is typically lowland neotropical. Over 80% of the species are rather widespread in tropical America (Amazonian species included), and the remaining are Guayana Highlands, northern Amazonian or Caribbean elements. Endemism is very low: 2.5 %.

scholarly journals On the occurrence of bryophytes and macrolichens in different lowland rain forest types at Mabura Hill, Guyana

1990 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-35
Author(s):  
J. H.C. Cornelissen ◽  
S. R. Gradstein
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest ◽  
White Sand ◽  
Dry Evergreen Forest ◽  
Canopy Effect ◽  
Vertical Distributions

A floristic and ecological study of bryophytes and macrolichens in different lowland rain forest types around Mabura Hill, Guyana, South America, yielded 170 species: 52 mosses, 82 liverworts and 36 macrolichens. Lejeuneaceae account for about 30% of the species and are the dominant cryptogamic family of the lowland rain forest. Special attention was paid to the flora of the forest canopy, by using mountaineering techniques. It appeared that 50% of the bryophyte species and 86% of the macrolichens occurred exclusively in the canopy. Dry evergreen ‘walaba’ forest on white sand is particularly rich in lichens whereas the more humid ‘mixed’ forest on loamy soil is characterized by a rather rich liverwort flora. More species are exclusive to the mixed forest than to dry evergreen forest due to the ‘canopy effect’, i.e. the occurrence of xerophytic species in the outer canopy of both dry and humid forests. Furthermore, canopy species have wider vertical distributions on trees in the dry evergreen forest than in the mixed forest, due to the more open canopy foliage of the dry evergreen forest.

Fig-eating by birds in a Malaysian lowland rain forest

1989 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest

ABSTRACTSixty bird species ate the figs of 29 Ficus taxa at a lowland forest site in Peninsular Malaysia. Although most bird-eaten figs were brightly coloured, four Ficus species produced dull-coloured ripe fruits. Whilst there was tremendous overlap in the sizes of figs eaten by different bird species, data presented show that the fig resource was partitioned by birds. Large birds were commoner visitors to large-fruited Ficus, but small birds tended to eat small figs. Within two avian genera, the Treron pigeons and Megalaima barbets, there was distinct partitioning of figs consumed according to fig size.

Specialization for canopy position by hemiepiphytic Ficus species in a Bornean rain forest

1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 789-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy G. Laman
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Host Preferences ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest ◽  
Host Trees ◽  
Large Trees ◽  
Canopy Position ◽  
Fig Trees ◽  
Growth Habits ◽  
Alluvial Terraces

ABSTRACTThe growth habits of five species of hemiepiphytic fig trees (Ficus subgenus Urostigma) were compared to see if any species occupied distinct canopy positions or showed unique host preferences in lowland rain forest in Gunung Palung National Park, Indonesian Borneo. Highly significant differences among species were found in the height of establishment on hosts, the level at which fig crowns were deployed, and the size and taxa of host trees. Ficus stupenda, F. dubia, and F. subtecta all had mean establishment heights between 29 and 31m above the ground, had their crowns in the upper canopy, and predominantly occupied large trees in the Dipterocarpaceae. F. consociata and F. xylophylla established at significantly lower mean heights of 24 and 18 m respectively, had their crowns predominantly in lower canopy layers, and disproportionately occupied smaller non-dipterocarp trees. These patterns were consistent both within lowland forest on alluvial terraces, which was most intensively sampled, and when data were combined from three other contiguous lowland forest habitats. Ficus species appear to be specialized to some extent for distinct microhabitats within the canopy.

scholarly journals Composition and Structure of Lowland Rain-Forest Tree Communities on Ta'u, American Samoa

2006 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Webb ◽  
Martin van de Bult ◽  
Wanlop Chutipong ◽  
Md. Enamul Kabir
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
American Samoa ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Tree Communities

scholarly journals Uvariopsis ebo (Annonaceae) a new, Critically Endangered tree species from the Ebo Forest, Cameroon and a key to the Cameroonian species of Uvariopsis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Gosline ◽  
Martin Cheek ◽  
Jean Michel Onana ◽  
Eric Ngansop ◽  
Xander van der Burgt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Threatened Species ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressure ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Endangered Tree ◽  
Endangered Tree Species ◽  
Littoral Region

A new species to science of evergreen forest tree, Uvariopsis ebo (Annonaceae) is described, illustrated, mapped, and compared morphologically with the other cauliflorous species of the genus. Restricted so far to a single site in evergreen lowland forest in the Ebo Forest, Yabassi, Littoral Region, Cameroon, this species is Critically Endangered using the IUCN 2012 standard, because the forest habitat of this species remains unprotected, and there exists threats of logging and conversion to plantations. This species adds to the growing list of threatened species resulting from anthropogenic pressure on Cameroon forests. Observations on the unusual corolla structure of the new species are made. A revised key to the 14 Cameroonian species of Uvariopsis is presented. Notes are given on other narrowly endemic and threatened species in the Ebo forest area, a highly threatened centre of diversity in Littoral Region, globally important for conservation.

Apigenin-7-O-Β-D-Glucuronide Methyl Ester Isolated from Manilkara zapota Leaves

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamalakararao K ◽  
Krishna Chaitanya K ◽  
Gopalakrishnan V. K. ◽  
Zenebe Hagos ◽  
Kalayu Mesfin Arefaye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Methyl Ester ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Bioactive Compound ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Inhibitory Effects ◽  
Nmr Studies ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest ◽  
Manilkara Zapota

In nature there are numerous plants available with medicinal properties. Around 70 % of medicinal plants are found in tropical areas of India. The search for natural products and compounds derived from natural sources has played a vital role in drug discovery due to their pharmacological importance. Compounds isolated from botanical sources remain an important source of several clinically useful anti-inflammatory agents. Manilkara zapota is a large, evergreen forest tree belongs to family sapotaceae. It is commonly known as chiku (Hindi), sofeda (Bengali) sapodilla and sapoti (French), chickle tree, hase berry, tree potato (English). Manilkara zapota is a species of lowland rain forest. Manilkara zapota and its different parts have been traditionally used for alleviating inflammation related diseases such as arthritis, cancer and skin infections. The present study aims to isolate, structurally characterize and analyze the bioactive compound from Manilkara zapota by using chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques on the basis of inhibitory effects on sPLA2 by activity guided fractionation of ethyl acetate extract of Manilkara zapota leaves. Among the six fractions (F1-F6) tested fraction-5 showed significant inhibitory effects on sPLA2 activity hence fraction -5 was further subjected to structural analysis for identification of bioactive compounds by using analytical techniques such as TLC, HPLC, FT-IR, LC-MS and 1H ,13C NMR studies. The isolated compound identified as apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester.

Ants accelerate litter decomposition in a Costa Rican lowland tropical rain forest

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence P. McGlynn ◽  
Evan K. Poirson
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Costa Rican ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Rain Forests ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest

Abstract:The decomposition of leaf litter is governed, in part, by litter invertebrates. In tropical rain forests, ants are dominant predators in the leaf litter and may alter litter decomposition through the action of a top-down control of food web structure. The role of ants in litter decomposition was investigated in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest with two experiments. In a mesocosm experiment, we manipulated ant presence in 50 ambient leaf-litter mesocosms. In a litterbag gradient experiment, Cecropia obtusifolia litter was used to measure decomposition rate constants across gradients in nutrients, ant density and richness, with 27 separate litterbag treatments for total arthropod exclusion or partial arthropod exclusion. After 2 mo, mass loss in mesocosms containing ants was 30.9%, significantly greater than the 23.5% mass loss in mesocosms without ants. In the litter bags with all arthropods excluded, decomposition was best accounted by the carbon: phosphorus content of soil (r2 = 0.41). In litter bags permitting smaller arthropods but excluding ants, decomposition was best explained by the local biomass of ants in the vicinity of the litter bags (r2 = 0.50). Once the microarthropod prey of ants are permitted to enter litterbags, the biomass of ants near the litterbags overtakes soil chemistry as the regulator of decomposition. In concert, these results support a working hypothesis that litter-dwelling ants are responsible for accelerating litter decomposition in lowland tropical rain forests.

Yams and megapode mounds in the lowland rain forest of Papua New Guinea

Human Ecology ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. Dwyer ◽  
Monica Minnegal
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest
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