Little is known about accidental epiphytes in Australian temperate forests. In western Tasmania, we determined whether: (1) the occurrence and abundance of accidental epiphytes increases with moisture availability and the size of host; (2) the species of host affects the occurrence of individual taxa of accidental epiphytes; (3) moist microhabitats favour accidental epiphytes. We recorded the accidental woody epiphytes on 21 trees in each of 20 locations and measured attributes of the host and the location and attachment height of the individual epiphytes. Epiphyte occurrence, but not abundance, was associated with the basal area of host tree, January rainfall and the taxon of the host. Eucalypts, gymnosperms and tree ferns were the outstanding hosts. The rainforest tree Nothofagus cunninghamii occurred as an epiphyte on eucalypts more than expected, while Proteaceae species occurred less than expected. In contrast, there was a strong positive association between the gymnosperm Athrotaxis selaginoides as a host and Proteaceae as epiphytes, possible reflecting their joint status as palaeoendemics. Accidental epiphytes were concentrated on the west and south-west of trees and near their bases, further indicating a strong effect of moisture availability on their occurrence. Our results reinforce the importance of conserving old growth forest to maintain ecosystem complexity.

中文翻译：

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塔斯马尼亚湿林中的寄主树之间的偶然木本附生植物种类不同

人们对澳大利亚温带森林中的偶然附生植物知之甚少。在塔斯马尼亚西部，我们确定：(1) 偶然附生植物的出现和丰度是否随着水分可用性和寄主大小而增加；(2)寄主种类影响偶然附生植物个体分类群的发生；(3) 潮湿的微生境有利于偶然的附生植物。我们记录了 20 个位置中每个位置的 21 棵树上的偶然木本附生植物，并测量了寄主的属性以及单个附生植物的位置和附着高度。附生植物的出现，但不是丰度，与寄主树基面积、1 月降雨量和寄主分类群有关。桉树、裸子植物和树蕨是优秀的寄主。热带雨林树 Nothofagus cunninghamii 作为桉树上的附生植物出现的次数多于预期，而变形科物种的出现少于预期。相比之下，裸子植物 Athrotaxis selaginoides 作为宿主与 Proteaceae 作为附生植物之间存在强烈的正相关，这可能反映了它们作为古地方病的联合状态。偶然附生植物集中在树木的西部和西南部及其基部附近，进一步表明水分可用性对其发生的强烈影响。我们的研究结果强调了保护老林以维持生态系统复杂性的重要性。可能反映了它们作为古地方病的共同地位。偶然附生植物集中在树木的西部和西南部及其基部附近，进一步表明水分可用性对其发生的强烈影响。我们的研究结果强调了保护老林以维持生态系统复杂性的重要性。可能反映了它们作为古地方病的共同地位。偶然附生植物集中在树木的西部和西南部及其基部附近，进一步表明水分可用性对其发生的强烈影响。我们的研究结果强调了保护老林以维持生态系统复杂性的重要性。