Light-demanding tree species are more susceptible to lianas than shade-tolerant tree species in a subtropical secondary forest

Tree-tree competition has been widely studied as a mechanism responsible for maintaining forest plant species diversity. Other common plant types, such as lianas, may influence tree species competition. Previous studies reported the negative effects of lianas on trees; however, variation in susceptibility to lianas among tree species and the species-specificity of liana species for tree hosts remain unclear. If lianas have species-specific interactions with trees, based either on tree or liana species identity, then lianas may influence tree-tree interactions by altering tree species-specific competitiveness. 

We surveyed 5,676 lianas (DBH ≥ 0.5 cm) and 61,538 trees (DBH ≥ 1 cm) in a 12-ha subtropical secondary forest plot to assess liana-tree interactions. We tested variation among the 20 most common tree species in their susceptibility to lianas, including whether light-demanding and shade-tolerant tree species differed. We quantified liana-tree network structure and evaluated the..., Details of data collection and analyses can be found in the Materials and Methods section of the associated manuscript.,