Climbing Strategies: A Key to Understanding Liana Ecology in Tropical Forests

Abstract

Abstract

Lianas are a central component of tropical forests, yet the relationship between their climbing mechanisms and the functional and taxonomic diversity across the tropics remains poorly understood. In this study, we tested two main hypotheses: (a) that the functional diversity of lianas varies with climbing mechanism, distinguishing between active (e.g., twining, tendrils) and passive (e.g., scramblers, hookers) climbers, and (b) that the association between taxonomic diversity and factors such as contemporary climate, forest structure, and phylogeny differs between climbing mechanisms. By analyzing functional traits and taxonomic diversity across a broad range of tropical environments, the study aims to clarify the ecological and evolutionary drivers shaping liana diversity. Our findings are expected to provide novel insights into the role of climbing strategies in the adaptive success of lianas and their contribution to forest dynamics under varying environmental conditions. The study highlights significant differences in functional diversity specifically in terms of richness, dispersion, evenness, and originality between active and passive climbing species. These differences likely reflect distinct ecological strategies for resource use, stress tolerance, and dispersal. By integrating taxonomic and functional diversity metrics with data on climbing mechanisms, it provides more comprehensive understanding of the ecological roles of lianas and their varying responses to environmental factors, including climate change. This approach offers deeper insights into how lianas may adapt to or be affected by shifting climatic conditions in tropical forests.