DOI: 10.5061/dryad.m2471
title: Data from: Lianas reduce community-level canopy tree reproduction in a Panamanian forest

description: Lianas are a key component of tropical forests, where they compete
 intensely with trees, reducing tree recruitment, growth and survival. One
 of the most important potential outcomes of liana competition is the
 reduction of tree reproduction; however, no previous study has
 experimentally determined the effects of lianas on tree reproduction
 beyond a single tree species. We used a large-scale liana removal
 experiment to quantify the effect of lianas on community-level canopy and
 understorey tree and palm reproduction. In 2011, we removed lianas from
 eight 6,400-m2 plots (eight plots served as controls) and surveyed
 understorey tree reproduction in 2012, canopy tree and palm reproduction
 in 2013, and a second census of all plants in 2016. We found that lianas
 significantly reduced canopy tree community flowering and fruiting after
 liana removal. Two years after liana removal, the number of canopy trees
 with fruits was 173% higher, fruiting individuals had 50% more of their
 canopy covered by fruits and the number of tree species with fruits was
 169% higher than in control plots where lianas were present. Five years
 after liana removal, the number of canopy trees with fruits was 150%
 higher, fruiting individuals had 31% more of their canopy covered by
 fruits and the number of tree species with fruits was 109% higher than in
 unmanipulated control plots. Liana removal had only a slight positive
 effect on palms and on understorey tree flower and fruit production, even
 though understorey light levels had increased 20% following liana cutting.
 Synthesis. Our findings provide the first experimental demonstration that
 competition from lianas significantly reduces community-level canopy tree
 reproduction. Reduced reproduction increases canopy tree seed and
 dispersal limitations, and may interfere with deterministic mechanisms
 thought to maintain tropical canopy tree species diversity, as well as
 reduce food availability to many animal species. Because lianas are
 increasing in abundance in many neotropical forests, the effects of lianas
 on tree reproduction will likely increase, and if the effects of lianas on
 tree reproduction vary with tree species identity, lianas ultimately could
 have a destabilizing effect on both tree and animal population dynamics.
description: Canopy_Data_FINALCanopy tree reproduction data per plot in 8 liana-removal and 8 control plots (with lianas present) on Gigante Peninsula, Panama. There are 9 columns: plot number, treatment, year sampled, proportion of canopy covered by flowers, proportion of canopy covered by fruits, number of individuals with flowers, number of individuals with fruits, number of species with flowers, number of species with fruits.Understorydata_Data_FINALUnderstory plant reproduction data per plot in 8 liana-removal and 8 control plots (with lianas present) on Gigante Peninsula, Panama. There are 9 columns: plot number, treatment, year sampled, mean number of flowers per understory plant, mean number of fruits per understory plant, number of individuals with flowers, number of individuals with fruits, number of species with flowers, number of species with fruits.palm_data_FINALUnderstory plant reproduction data per plot in 8 liana-removal and 8 control plots (with lianas present) on Gigante Peninsula, Panama. There are 5 columns: plot number, treatment, year sampled, mean number of flower clusters per palm, mean number of fruit clusters per palm.