Abstract
The role of Bromeliaceae as a canopy microhabitat was investigated in the Yacumama Lodge Reserve in Peru in the summer of 1998. Many bromeliad species have leaves spirally arranged in the shape of a rosette, forming a phytotelma (tank) that holds water and detritus and creates a microhabitat for plants and animals. By using single-rope-technique, the author collected and examined canopy bromeliads, selecting a range of sizes and leaf numbers to sample leaf architectural variation. Results of the study showed a bromeliad community dominated by arthropods (primarily insects and arachnids) in various stages of development, although Gastropoda and Annelida were also present. Canopy bromeliads provide a microhabitat for larval forms of many animal species. The function of bromeliad tanks as a canopy microhabitat is indicated by the abundance and diversity of fauna found in phytotelmata.
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