%0 Journal Article
%T Factors Influencing Liana Species Richness and Structure following Anthropogenic Disturbance in a Tropical Forest, Ghana
%A Patrick Addo-Fordjour
%A Philip El Duah
%A David Kafui Kudjo Agbesi
%J ISRN Forestry
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/920370
%X The study was conducted to determine the factors that influenced liana species richness and structure in forests of different disturbance intensities (high, moderate, and low disturbance forests) in the Southern Scarp Forest Reserve, Ghana. Within each forest, lianas (dbh £¿cm) were enumerated in six £¿m2 plots located along transects. Soil physicochemical properties and forest structure were determined within the plots. Liana species richness and abundance were significantly lower in the high disturbance forest ( ) whereas basal area was significantly higher in the low disturbance forest ( ). Tree abundance and dbh significantly predicted liana species richness and structure in the study ( ). On the basis of the importance value index, three main liana communities, each corresponding with a forest type, were identified. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that exchangeable magnesium and calcium, and total exchangeable bases were the main soil variables that affected liana species richness. Liana structure was influenced by the above-mentioned soil variables as well as exchangeable potassium and sodium, and pH. The present study has demonstrated that changes in liana species richness and structure following human disturbance may be due to variations in soil properties and forest structure. 1. Introduction Lianas are woody climbers that are rooted in the soil and climb other plants to the reach forest canopy [1]. They have significant influence on forest ecology and ecosystem function, particularly in tropical forests (cf. [2]). For instance, they help to stabilise the microclimate of the forest floor by forming a mass of leafy vegetation to close canopy gaps [3]. Lianas may help maintain tree diversity in the forest by causing tree falls which could reduce the dominance of tree species [4]. Heavy liana loads on trees can cause mechanical damage of the hosts and also reduce their growth rates [5, 6]. Additionally, lianas could impact negatively on natural regeneration of trees in forest ecosystems [7]. In the light of recent reports of increasing liana abundance in tropical forests [8¨C14], lianas could modify forest ecosystems through their influence on tree regeneration and growth. Understanding the factors that govern liana community assembly in tropical forests is therefore of utmost priority, and necessary in developing forest conservation strategies. Human disturbance has been identified as one of the main drivers of liana success in tropical forest ecosystems [3, 4, 11, 15, 16]. Both patterns of increasing and decreasing liana diversity
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.forestry/2013/920370/