Topography and logging structure liana community assemblages in an upland evergreen forest, Ghana

Aims: Lianas form an important component of tropical forests as they
contribute to maintain biodiversity. Thus, understanding the factors that
control them is essential for forest management and biodiversity
conservation. However, how topography and logging, as well as their
interaction, affect liana community structure is not well understood.
Therefore, we sought to evaluate the effects of topography and logging on
the structure of liana communities in a tropical upland evergreen forest
in Ghana. Location: Tano Offin Forest Reserve, Ghana Methods: We assessed
liana community structure by quantifying liana species diversity and
composition, abundance, and basal area in nine 20 × 20 m plots each of
three topographic habitats (valley, slope, hilltop) in two land-use types
(non-logged and logged-over forests) of the Tano Offin Forest Reserve,
Ghana. We measured elevation and slope angle, and quantified host tree
abundance and basal area for each plot. Results: Topographic position
influenced liana species diversity, abundance and basal area across the
forest land-use types, with the valley habitat supporting a significantly
greater values than the other habitats. In the same vein, topographic
position was a significant predictor of liana species diversity, abundance
and basal area in the logged-over forest, but not the non-logged forest.
Selective logging also showed significant negative effects on liana
species diversity, abundance, and basal area both across forest land-use
types and within slope and hilltop habitats. Similarly, there were
significant effects of topographic habitat and logging, and their
interaction on liana species composition. Liana species composition was
significantly driven by elevation, while liana abundance and basal area
were predicted by elevation, slope angle, and tree abundance and basal
area.