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Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 52, No. 364, pp. 2067-2078, November 1, 2001
© 2001 Oxford University Press

Review Article

The physiological ecology of vascular epiphytes: current knowledge, open questions

Gerhard Zotz1,2,4 and Peter Hietz3

1 Lehrstuhl für Botanik II der Universität Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 3, D-97082 Würzburg, Germany
2 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Apdo 2072, Panama
3 Institute of Botany, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gregor Mendel-Str. 33, A-1180 Vienna, Austria

The current knowledge of the physiological ecology of vascular epiphytes is reviewed here with an emphasis on the most recent literature. It is argued that by far the most relevant abiotic constraint for growth and vegetative function of vascular epiphytes is water shortage, while other factors such as nutrient availability or irradiation, are generally of inferior importance. However, it is shown that the present understanding of epiphyte biology is still highly biased, both taxonomically and ecologically, and it is concluded that any generalizations are still preliminary. Future studies should include a much wider range of taxa and growing sites within the canopy to reach a better understanding how abiotic factors are limiting epiphyte growth and survival which, in turn, should affect epiphyte community composition. Finally, a more integrative approach to epiphyte biology is encouraged: physiological investigations should be balanced by studies of other possible constraints, for example, substrate instability, dispersal limitation, competition or herbivory.

Key words: Epiphytes, intraspecific variation, mortality, nutrient relations, phenotypic plasticity, photosynthesis, water relations.


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