Climbing plants form a substantial component of tropical forest diversity. Climbers are a diverse group comprising various ecological strategies dependent on tree support and are affected by biotic and abiotic forest conditions. In a lowland primary tropical rainforest in Papua New Guinea, we studied the distribution of root climbers from genus Piper in relation to topography (slope, convexity, altitude) and properties of vegetation and of individual host trees (basal area of trees, and host tree size, abundance and species identity). In total, 1,058 Piper climber individuals belonging to 8 species occupied 13.7% of tree trunks with a diameter at breast height (DBH) > 1 cm. All Piper species generally avoided similar habitat conditions – higher altitude, steeper slopes, more closed canopy layer and bigger total basal area of host vegetation. The preferences of Piper climbers for some tree species are primarily determined by properties of host trees, mainly their DBH. Therefore, the probability of Piper presence on a tree increased with individual host tree DBH. Piper species were more frequently found on rare than common tree species. However, this relationship might be also explained by their affinity for higher tree DBH. Our findings point to non-random association between climbers and their host trees, in a complicated interplay with local environmental conditions. These interactions have very probably consequences for forest vegetation dynamics and maintenance of diversity.

中文翻译：

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新几内亚低地热带雨林中胡椒（Piperaceae）攀缘植物组成的决定因素

攀援植物是热带森林多样性的重要组成部分。登山者是一个多样化的群体，包括依赖树木支持的各种生态策略，并受到生物和非生物森林条件的影响。在巴布亚新几内亚的低地原始热带雨林中，我们研究了与地形（坡度、凸度、海拔）和植被特性以及单个寄主树（树木的基面积和寄主树大小、丰度和物种特性）。总共有 1,058 只属于 8 种的攀爬树个体占据了胸高直径 (DBH) > 1 cm 树干的 13.7%。所有派珀物种通常都避免类似的栖息地条件——更高的海拔、更陡的坡度、更封闭的冠层和更大的寄主植被总基面积。Piper 攀缘者对某些树种的偏好主要取决于寄主树的特性，主要是它们的 DBH。因此，Piper 出现在树上的概率随着单个宿主树 DBH 的增加而增加。胡椒树种在稀有树种上比在普通树种上更常见。然而，这种关系也可以通过它们对较高树 DBH 的亲和力来解释。我们的研究结果表明，攀缘者与其寄主树木之间存在非随机关联，与当地环境条件存在复杂的相互作用。这些相互作用很可能对森林植被动态和多样性的维持产生影响。Piper 出现在树上的概率随着单个寄主树的 DBH 增加。胡椒树种在稀有树种上比在普通树种上更常见。然而，这种关系也可以通过它们对较高树 DBH 的亲和力来解释。我们的研究结果表明，攀缘者与其寄主树木之间存在非随机关联，与当地环境条件存在复杂的相互作用。这些相互作用很可能对森林植被动态和多样性的维持产生影响。Piper 出现在树上的概率随着单个寄主树 DBH 的增加而增加。胡椒树种在稀有树种上比在普通树种上更常见。然而，这种关系也可以通过它们对较高树 DBH 的亲和力来解释。我们的研究结果表明，攀缘者与其寄主树木之间存在非随机关联，与当地环境条件存在复杂的相互作用。这些相互作用很可能对森林植被动态和多样性的维持产生影响。