Characteristics of the geologic substrate include the degree of fractured rock, fracture depth, soil depth, parental rock, soil texture, etc., that affect the hidrology of substrates and subsequently the availability of water for plants. Here we examined the importance of the geological substrate, as a factor that triggers the incidence of forest decline. We demonstrated that characteristics of the geological substrate related to the limitation of water availability enhances Tillandsia recurvata (Tire) infestation and eventually causes loss of vigor in oak trees. Using electrical resistivity tomography (geophysical methods) and stable isotope techniques (δ¹⁸O and δ²H), we showed that substrates dominated by regolith and rocks imposed greater conditions of drought to oak forest stands than substrates with a greater proportion of soil. Trees in forest stands under greater drought conditions presented higher Tire densities, a plant considered as epiphyte. However, under the observed conditions of high infestation, Tire apparently exhibited a change from epiphytic to parasitic plant as it acquired water from oak. This study identified that the structural composition of the geologic substrate is a factor accelerating the processes of decay and likely forest mortality related to the effects of drought and the infestation by pests and diseases.

地质基质的特征包括岩石破碎程度、裂缝深度、土壤深度、母岩、土壤质地等，它们影响着基质的水文特性，进而影响植物的水分供应。在这里，我们检查了地质基质的重要性，作为触发森林衰退发生率的一个因素。我们证明了与可用水量限制相关的地质基质特征会增强Tillandsia recurvata (Tire) 的侵染，并最终导致橡树失去活力。使用电阻率层析成像（地球物理方法）和稳定同位素技术（δ ¹⁸ O 和 δ ²H)，我们表明，以风化层和岩石为主的基质比具有更大比例土壤的基质对橡木林分施加了更大的干旱条件。在更干旱的条件下，林分中的树木呈现出更高的提尔密度，一种被视为附生植物的植物。然而，在观察到的高侵染条件下，提尔从橡树获取水分时，显然表现出从附生植物到寄生植物的变化。这项研究确定，地质基质的结构组成是加速腐烂过程和可能与干旱和病虫害侵袭相关的森林死亡过程的一个因素。