Data from: Changes in tree and liana communities along a successional gradient in a tropical dry forest in south-eastern Brazil

We investigated changes in species composition and structure of tree and liana communities along a successional gradient in a seasonally dry tropical forest. There was a progressive increase in tree richness and all tree structural traits from early to late stages, as well as marked changes in tree species composition and dominance. This pattern is probably related to pasture management practices such as ploughing, which remove tree roots and preclude regeneration by resprouting. On the other hand, liana density decreased from intermediate to late stages, showing a negative correlation with tree density. The higher liana abundance in intermediate stage is probably due to a balanced availability of support and light availability, since these variables may show opposite trends during forest growth. Predicted succession models may represent extremes in a continuum of possible successional pathways strongly influenced by land use history, climate, soil type, and by the outcomes of tree–liana interactions.

本研究针对季节性干燥热带森林中沿演替梯度分布的乔木与藤本植物（liana）群落的物种组成及结构变化展开调查。从演替早期至晚期，乔木物种丰富度及所有乔木结构特征均呈逐步上升趋势，同时乔木物种组成与优势度也发生了显著变化。该演替模式或与牧场管理措施（如翻耕）密切相关：翻耕会移除乔木根系，从而阻断植物通过萌蘖进行的自然更新过程。与之相对，藤本植物的种群密度从中期至晚期逐渐降低，且与乔木密度呈显著负相关关系。演替中期藤本植物丰度更高的现象，或源于支撑物与光照资源的可获得性达到平衡：在森林发育过程中，这两类资源的变化趋势往往呈反向关系。现有预测演替模型或仅代表了一系列连续演替路径中的极端情况，而这些演替路径的形成强烈受土地利用历史、气候、土壤类型以及乔木-藤本植物相互作用结果的调控。