Epiphytes: Difference between revisions

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Epiphytes, specifically terrestrial, vascular epiphytes, are those plants that germinate and take root on other plants. These plants generally exhibit commensal relationships with their host plants. Epiphytes can be both obligate and facultative <ref name= "zotz">Zotz, Gerhard. (12 Nov 2012). "The systematic distribution of vascular epiphytes – a critical update." Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.  The Linnean Society of London. 171: 453–481. https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/171/3/453/2416203.</ref>. Plants that grow on other plants for only a portion of their life cycle are referred to as "hemi-epiphytes" <ref name= "nieder">Nieder, J., Prosperi, J., Michaloud, G.. (2001). "Epiphytes and their contribution to canopy diveristy." Plant Ecology.  Kluwer Academic Publishers. 153: 51-63. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226617674_Epiphytes_and_their_contribution_to_canopy_diversity.</ref>. Additionally "accidental epiphytes" can occur when a plant that does not usually grow epiphytically at any point in its life cycle does <ref name= "zotz">Zotz, Gerhard. (12 Nov 2012). "The systematic distribution of vascular epiphytes – a critical update." Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.  The Linnean Society of London. 171: 453–481. https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/171/3/453/2416203.</ref>. Globally, epiphytes account for approximately 10 percent of all plant [[diversity]]. It is estimated that over 24,000 vascular plants are considered to be epiphytes, and these plants are most commonly concentrated in tropical areas, where they provide significant [[Ecosystem Services|ecosystem services]] <ref name= "nieder">Nieder, J., Prosperi, J., Michaloud, G.. (2001). "Epiphytes and their contribution to canopy diveristy." Plant Ecology.  Kluwer Academic Publishers. 153: 51-63. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226617674_Epiphytes_and_their_contribution_to_canopy_diversity.</ref>.
Epiphytes, specifically terrestrial, vascular epiphytes, are those plants that germinate and take root on other plants. These plants generally exhibit commensal relationships with their host plants. Epiphytes can be both obligate and facultative <ref name= "zotz">Zotz, Gerhard. (12 Nov 2012). "The systematic distribution of vascular epiphytes – a critical update." Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.  The Linnean Society of London. 171: 453–481. https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/171/3/453/2416203.</ref>. Plants that grow on other plants for only a portion of their life cycle are referred to as "hemi-epiphytes" <ref name= "nieder">Nieder, J., Prosperi, J., Michaloud, G.. (2001). "Epiphytes and their contribution to canopy diveristy." Plant Ecology.  Kluwer Academic Publishers. 153: 51-63. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226617674_Epiphytes_and_their_contribution_to_canopy_diversity.</ref>. Additionally "accidental epiphytes" can occur when a plant that does not usually grow epiphytically at any point in its life cycle does <ref name= "zotz">Zotz, Gerhard. (12 Nov 2012). "The systematic distribution of vascular epiphytes – a critical update." Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.  The Linnean Society of London. 171: 453–481. https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/171/3/453/2416203.</ref>. Globally, epiphytes account for approximately 10 percent of all plant [[diversity]]. It is estimated that over 24,000 vascular plants are considered to be epiphytes, and these plants are most commonly concentrated in tropical areas, where they provide significant [[Ecosystem Services|ecosystem services]] <ref name= "nieder">Nieder, J., Prosperi, J., Michaloud, G.. (2001). "Epiphytes and their contribution to canopy diveristy." Plant Ecology.  Kluwer Academic Publishers. 153: 51-63. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226617674_Epiphytes_and_their_contribution_to_canopy_diversity.</ref>.
[[File:bromeliad.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Bromeliad Growing On a Tree in Uruguay]]


== [[Ecology]] and Evolution ==
== [[Ecology]] and Evolution ==

Revision as of 18:24, 26 March 2025

Overview

Epiphytes, specifically terrestrial, vascular epiphytes, are those plants that germinate and take root on other plants. These plants generally exhibit commensal relationships with their host plants. Epiphytes can be both obligate and facultative [1]. Plants that grow on other plants for only a portion of their life cycle are referred to as "hemi-epiphytes" [2]. Additionally "accidental epiphytes" can occur when a plant that does not usually grow epiphytically at any point in its life cycle does [1]. Globally, epiphytes account for approximately 10 percent of all plant diversity. It is estimated that over 24,000 vascular plants are considered to be epiphytes, and these plants are most commonly concentrated in tropical areas, where they provide significant ecosystem services [2].

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Bromeliad Growing On a Tree in Uruguay

Ecology and Evolution

Common Terrestrial Epiphytes

References

[1] [2]

  1. Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 Zotz, Gerhard. (12 Nov 2012). "The systematic distribution of vascular epiphytes – a critical update." Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. The Linnean Society of London. 171: 453–481. https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/171/3/453/2416203.
  2. Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 2.2 Nieder, J., Prosperi, J., Michaloud, G.. (2001). "Epiphytes and their contribution to canopy diveristy." Plant Ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers. 153: 51-63. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226617674_Epiphytes_and_their_contribution_to_canopy_diversity.