Microhabitat diversity structures vascular epiphyte communities

What is it about?

This paper shows that there are diverse microhabitats within tropical tree crowns that vary in branch diameter, % canopy humus cover, % canopy cover, and vapor pressure deficit that particular vascular epiphyte species are specialized to. This may explain why up to 65 vascular epiphyte species can be found to in a single tropical tree crown.

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Why is it important?

This paper is important because it was the first to use a null model to elucidate the associations of vascular epiphyte species to particular microhabitats within tree crowns.