Liana Assemblages in Tropical Forests of Africa and Southeast Asia: Diversity, Abundance, and Management

Abstract

Lianas form an important component of tropical forest ecosystems in Africa and Southeast Asia, but there is scanty information on liana ecology in these two eco-regions. Furthermore, there is dearth of information about intercontinental comparison of liana ecology in the tropics. This chapter therefore, describes and synthesises studies conducted in these two regions. The patterns of liana abundance and diversity, and the factors that affect them in the two continents were described and compared in the chapter. Additionally, the chapter describes various management interventions used to control lianas in Africa and Southeast Asia, and their consequences on liana assemblages and forest biodiversity. Tropical forests of Africa tend to harbour higher liana diversity and abundance than Southeast Asian forests. Liana assemblages in the two regions are related with a number of factors including human disturbance, soil properties, rainfall and topography. Liana cutting was the main silvicultural tool used in controlling lianas in Africa and Southeast Asia. This silvicultural tool is integrated in many forest management systems in the two regions. Although liana cutting reduces liana abundance, it adversely affects liana diversity which could infl uence the overall forest biodiversity of treated forests.