Physiological diversity and biogeography of vascular epiphytes at Río Changuinola, Panama 

 -  Flora, 206, p.66-79, 2011 .
<br/><br/> The taxonomic composition of the vascular epiphyte flora at the Río Changuinola, Panama, was examined and complemented with an analysis of biogeographic affinities and physiological parameters related to plant water and nutrient relations. In an area of ca. 1000 ha, we found a total of 476 species of vascular epiphytes. This marks a new diversity record among lowland rainforest sites. Species composition was closely related to nearby lowland forest sites but not to montane sites. The floristic similarity with lowland sites decreased with distance and relative position towards the Andes. On basis of isotope discrimination, the proportion of species with Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM)was found to be low compared to other studies, andmanyof these speciesshoweda ratherweakexpression of this photosynthetic pathway. This observation and distributional shifts in 15 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY<br/>CRASSULACEAN ACID METABOLISM<br/>LEAF NITROGEN CONTENT<br/>LOWLAND FOREST<br/>MONTANE FOREST<br/>FLORISTIC COMPOSITION