Liana Diversity and Its Relationship with Host Trees in the Yuanjiang Dry-Hot Valley, Yunnan, China

Lianas constitute an important component of forest ecosystems. In this study, we investigated liana diversity and their relationship with host trees in 30 plots (20 m×20 m) set in a dry-hot savanna valley of Yuanjiang county, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. In total, 945 liana individuals with diameters at breast height (DBH) ≥0.5 cm were recorded, representing 22 species in 20 genera and 11 families. Legume lianas were the most abundant. Stem twining was the most predominant climbing mechanism. The DBH of 63.7% of liana individuals was ≤2 cm. We also recorded 1060 host trees with DBH ≥5 cm, belonging to 38 species in 31 genera and 16 families, 36.0% of which were climbed by at least one liana. There were significant differences in the percentage of trees infested by lianas among different tree size and bark roughness (P<0.001). With the increase in average branch-free bole height, the percentage of tree infestation by lianas decreased. In addition, 76.5% of lianas selected the nearest tree to climb. These results indicated that in the Yuanjiang dry-hot valley, lianas with small DBH were dominant. Tree size, branch-free bole height, bark roughness, and distance from liana rooting point to the closest host tree were the most important factors influencing host tree selection, supporting the hypothesis that lianas exhibited host preference. These findings are important for the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems and biodiversity conservation in the dry-hot valleys of southwestern China.