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Comparative biology of Neotropical epiphytic and saxicolous Tillandsia species: population structure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Bradley C. Bennett
Bradley C. Bennett
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280, USA
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Abstract

In comparing the population structure of epiphytic and saxicolous Tillandsia species I found no significant differences between polycarpic species. Epiphytic T. ionochroma populations had a higher seedling:adult ratio than saxicolous T. ionochroma populations, but the difference was not statistically significant. Tillandsia ultriculala, a monocarpic epiphyte, had a significantly higher seedling:adult ratio than the polycarpic species. T. utriculata's higher ratio may result from its greater seed production and lack of vegetative propagation. Unlike the polycarpic species, all adult-size rosettes grow from seeds in T. utriculata. Tillandsia sphaerocephala, an obligate saxicole, occurred in larger clusters (i.e. more rosettes per genet) than T. ionochroma. The increased tendency for vegetative reproduction in T. sphaerocephala suggests that spatial patchiness is less of a constraint than with epiphytes.

Keywords

BromeliaceaedemographyepiphytesPerupopulation structuresouthern FloridaTillandsia
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , August 1991 , pp. 361 - 371
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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