Characteristics and habitat preferences of woody climber lianas on host trees in the Sumber Pawon Forest area, Kediri, East Java

¹ Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Kampus ITS Keputih-Sukolilo, 60111 Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
² Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Tropical forests differ from temperate forests in that they have woody climbing lianas, a diverse and prolific vegetation type. In the Sumber Pawon Forest, Kediri, East Java, this study examined the composition, quantity, and distribution of liana species in relation to host tree parameters as canopy cover, bark texture, and diameter at breast height (DBH). Purposive sampling was used to identify liana species by climbing mode: tendrils, twiners, branch twiners, root climbers, and leaners. The survey found 717 lianas from 19 species in 10 families. The most common family was Menispermaceae (37%), followed by Arecaceae (23%), and Piperaceae (16%). Three species have exceptionally high abundances: Anamirta cocculus (200 individuals), Calamus sp. (146 individuals), and Piper sp. (119 individuals). In the forest, twining lianas were the most common climbing mode. It was shown that a single host tree could maintain many lianas, suggesting that host tree traits affect liana growth and colonization. Spearman significance analysis showed that host tree bark texture, DBH, and canopy cover substantially affect liana abundance and distribution (p-values 0.00001, 0.0002, and 0.021). These findings show the ecological importance of host tree features in shaping liana communities, as well as the Sumber Pawon Forests’ diverse liana population.