DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION OF EPIPHYTES ON THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA
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Keywords

EPIPHYTES
YUCATÁN PENINSULA
epiphytes
epiphyte species
epiphytes habitats

How to Cite

Olmsted, I., & Juarez, M. G. (1996). DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION OF EPIPHYTES ON THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA. Selbyana, 17(1), 58–70. Retrieved from https://ojs.test.flvc.org/selbyana/article/view/120694

Abstract

Approximately 100 species of epiphytes of the Orchidaceae, Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, Araceae, Piperaceae and Polypodiaceae occupy the canopy and tree trunks of the various tropical forests of the Yucatán Peninsula. We established the geographic distributions of most of these epiphytes, and at the same time assigned them to different habitats: tall and medium-statured semi-evergreen and subdeciduous forest, and low-statured deciduous and seasonally inundated forests, as well as mangroves. The number of epiphyte species vary between forests. The low-statured inundated forests, unique to the Peninsula and the least disturbed, are home to about 56% of the epiphyte species, while the tall semi-evergreen forest hosts approximately 78%. Perturbations of the tropical forests are widespread but patchy. For example, in southern Quintana Roo between 1975 and 1990, the increase (hectares) in agriculture and cattle ranching was 80% whereas in secondary vegetation it was 48%. With > 50 % of the original forest gone, the Peninsula's eleven protected natural areas occupying 10% of the surface area, will give some protection to the epiphytes.

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