Horizontal Distribution (horizontal + distribution)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Diving behavior of immature, feeding Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus orientalis) in relation to season and area: the East China Sea and the Kuroshio,Oyashio transition region

FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2004
Takashi Kitagawa
Abstract Twenty-four archival tags were recovered from Pacific bluefin tuna previously released off Tsushima Island in the East China Sea. By analysis of the time-series data of the pressure and the ambient and internal temperature from the 24 tags, we examined the relationship between the tuna's pattern of diving and the thermocline depth. In the East China Sea, diving and feeding events occurred throughout almost the entire day in both winter and summer, suggesting that the purpose of diving is for feeding. In summer, the feeding frequency was greater than that in winter, which corresponds to the fact that growth is more rapid in summer than in winter. During summer in the Kuroshio,Oyashio transition region, on the other hand, feeding events were much more frequent than those in the East China Sea, in spite of a lower diving frequency. The mean horizontal distance traveled was also significantly higher and it seems that in this area they may move horizontally to feed on prey accumulated at the surface. We conclude that, in addition to the ambient temperature structure, the vertical and horizontal distribution of prey species plays an important role in the feeding behavior of Pacific bluefin tuna. One bluefin tuna migrated to the Oyashio frontal area, where both the horizontal and the vertical thermal gradients are much steeper. The fish spent most of the time on the warmer side of the front and often traveled horizontally to the colder side during the day, perhaps to feed. This implies that there is a thermal barrier effect, in this case from the Oyashio front, on their behavior. The frequency of feeding events was low, although all the monitored fish dived every dawn and dusk, irrespective of the seasons or location. It is possible that these twice-daily diving patterns occurred in response to the change in ambient light at sunrise and sunset. [source]


The role of macroinvertebrates and fish in regulating the provision by macrophytes of refugia for zooplankton in a warm temperate shallow lake

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2010
MARÍA de los ÁNGELES GONZÁLEZ SAGRARIO
Summary 1.,The zooplankton often undergoes diel horizontal migration (DHM) from the open water to the littoral of shallow lakes, thus avoiding predators in the former. This behaviour has functional impacts within the lake, as it enhances zooplankton survival, increases their control of phytoplankton and tends to stabilise the clear water state. However, most of the evidence supporting this migration pattern comes from cold north temperate lakes, and more evidence from tropical and subtropical areas, as well as from southern temperate areas, is needed. 2.,We conducted a field study of the diel horizontal and vertical migration of zooplankton, and the horizontal distribution of potential predatory macroinvertebrates and fish, over two consecutive days in the summer in a temperate lake in the southern hemisphere. We took zooplankton samples at two depths, at three sampling stations (inside beds of aquatic macrophytes, at their edge and in open water) along three transects running from the centre of a bed of Ceratophyllum demersum to open water. At each sampling station, we also took samples of macroinvertebrates and fish and measured physical and chemical environmental variables. 3.,Zooplankton (pelagic cladocerans, calanoid copepods and rotifers) avoided the shore, probably because of the greater risk from predators there. Larger and more vulnerable cladocerans, such as Diaphanosoma brachyurum and Moina micrura, were two to four times more abundant in open water than at the edge of or inside beds of macrophytes, respectively, by both day and night. Less vulnerable zooplankton [i.e. of medium body size (Ceriodaphnia dubia) or with the ability to swim fast (calanoid copepods)] were distributed evenly between open water and the edge of the plant beds. Small zooplankton, Bosmina huaronensis and pelagic rotifers, showed an even distribution among the three sampling stations. Accordingly, no DHM of zooplankton occurred, although larger organisms migrated vertically inside C. demersum stands. 4.,Macrophytes contained high densities of predatory macroinvertebrates and fish. The predator assemblage, composed of large-bodied macroinvertebrates (including odonates and shrimps) and small littoral fish, was permanently associated with submerged macrophytes. None of these groups moved outside the plant beds or changed their population structure (fish) over the diel cycle. 5.,Submerged macrophyte beds do not represent a refuge for zooplankton in lakes where predators are numerous among the plants, implying a weaker top-down control of phytoplankton biomass by zooplankton and, consequently, a more turbid lake. The effectiveness of macrophytes as a refuge for zooplankton depends on the associated assemblage of predatory macroinvertebrates and fish among the plants. [source]


Interaction between wind-induced seiches and convective cooling governs algal distribution in a canyon-shaped reservoir

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 7 2007
RAFAEL MARCÉ
Summary 1. Wind is considered the dominant factor controlling phytoplankton distribution in lentic environments. In canyon-shaped reservoirs, wind tends to blow along the main axis generating internal seiches and advective water movements that jointly with biological features of algae can produce a heterogeneous phytoplankton distribution. Turbulence generated by wind stress and convection will also affect the vertical distribution of algae, depending on their sinking properties. 2. We investigated the vertical and horizontal distribution of phytoplankton during the stratification period in Sau Reservoir (NE Spain). Sites along the main reservoir axis were sampled every 4 h for 3 days, and profiles of chlorophyll- a and temperature were made using a fluorescent FluoroProbe, which can discriminate among the main algal groups. Convective and wind shear velocity scales, and energy dissipation were calculated from meteorological data, and simulation experiments were performed to describe non-measured processes, like vertical advection and sinking velocity of phytoplankton. 3. Wind direction changed from day to night, producing a diel thermocline oscillation and an internal seiche. Energy dissipation was moderate during the night, and mainly attributed to convective cooling. During the day the energy dissipation was entirely attributed to wind shear, but values indicated low turbulence intensity. 4. The epilimnetic algal community was mainly composed of diatoms and chlorophytes. Chlorophytes showed a homogeneous distribution on the horizontal and vertical planes. Diatom horizontal pattern was also homogeneous, because the horizontal advective velocities generated by wind forcing were not high enough to develop phytoplankton gradients along the reservoir. 5. Diatom vertical distribution was heterogeneous in space and time. Different processes dominated in different regions of the reservoir, due to the interaction between seiching and the daily cycle of convective-mediated turbulence. As the meteorological forcing followed a clear daily pattern, we found very different diatom sedimentation dynamics between day and night. Remarkably, these dynamics were asynchronous in the extremes of the seiche, implying that under the same meteorological forcing a diatom population can show contrasting sedimentation dynamics at small spatial scales (approximately 103 m). This finding should be taken into account when interpreting paleolimnological records from different locations in a lake. 6. Vertical distribution of non-motile algae is a complex process including turbulence, vertical and horizontal advection, variations in the depth of the mixing layer and the intrinsic sinking properties of the organisms. Thus, simplistic interpretations considering only one of these factors should be regarded with caution. The results of this work also suggest that diatoms can persist in stratified water because of a synergistic effect between seiching and convective turbulence. [source]


Habitat selection and diel distribution of the crustacean zooplankton from a shallow Mediterranean lake during the turbid and clear water phases

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
BRUNO B. CASTRO
Summary 1. The fish fauna of many shallow Mediterranean Lakes is dominated by small-bodied exotic omnivores, with potential implications for fish,zooplankton interactions still largely unknown. Here we studied diel variation in the vertical and horizontal distribution of the crustacean plankton in Lake Vela, a shallow polymictic and eutrophic lake. Diel sampling was carried out on three consecutive days along a horizontal transect, including an open-water station and a macrophyte (Nymphaea alba) bed. Since transparency is a key determinant of the predation risk posed by fish, the zooplankton sampling campaigns were conducted in both the turbid (autumn) and clear water (spring) phases. 2. In the turbid phase, most taxa were homogeneously distributed along the vertical and horizontal axes in the three consecutive days. The only exception was for copepod nauplii, which showed vertical heterogeneity, possibly as a response to invertebrate predators. 3. In the clear water phase, most zooplankton taxa displayed habitat selection. Vertically, the general response consisted of a daily vertical migration (DVM), despite the limited depth (1.6 m). Horizontally, zooplankters showed an overall preference for the pelagic zone, independent of the time of the day. Such evidence is contrary to the postulated role of macrophytes as an anti-predator refuge for the zooplankton. 4. These vertical (DVM) and horizontal (macrophyte-avoidance) patterns were particularly conspicuous for large Daphnia, suggesting that predation risk from size-selective predators (fish) was the main factor behind the spatial heterogeneity of zooplankton in the spring. Thus, the difference in the zooplankton spatial distribution pattern and habitat selection among seasons (turbid and clear water phases) seems to be mediated the predation risk from fish, which is directly related to water transparency. 5. The zooplankton in Lake Vela have anti-predator behaviour that minimises predation from fish. We hypothesise that, due to the distinct fish community of shallow Mediterranean lakes, aquatic macrophytes may not provide adequate refuge to zooplankters, as seen in northern temperate lakes. [source]


Factors influencing the spatial distribution of zooplankton and fish in Loch Ness, UK

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2000
D. G. George
Summary 1The vertical and horizontal distribution of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish in Loch Ness, Scotland, were monitored during one day-time and one night-time survey in July 1992. The vertical samples were collected at a site located at the northern end of the loch and the horizontal samples along a longitudinal transect. 2The vertical distribution surveys demonstrated that the phytoplankton, the zooplankton and the fish were concentrated in the top 30 m of water above the seasonal thermocline. Within this layer, Cyclops stayed much closer to the surface than Eudiaptomus but both species moved towards the surface at night. 3The most important factor influencing the horizontal distribution of the phytoplankton was the north- south gradient in productivity. The sub-catchments surrounding the north basin contain a greater proportion of arable land than those to the south and the concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen and phytoplankton chlorophyll increased systematically from south to north. 4Zooplankton distribution patterns were influenced by wind-induced water movements and the dispersion of allochthonous material from the main inflows. The highest concentrations of Cyclops were recorded in the north, where there was more phytoplankton, and the highest concentrations of Eudiaptomus in the south, where there were higher concentrations of non-algal particulates. 5There was no spatial correlation between total zooplankton and total fish abundance but the highest concentrations of small (1,5 cm) fish were recorded in the south where there was a large patch of Eudiaptomus. The number of Eudiaptomus at specific locations within this patch were, however, negatively correlated with the numbers of small fish. These results suggest that the fish were actively foraging within the patch and were depleting their zooplankton prey in the areas where they were most abundant. [source]


How does the vertical and horizontal structure of a perennial ryegrass and white clover sward influence grazing?

GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 2 2001
P. Carrère
Mixtures of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) sown in alternate rows or in a thoroughly mixed matrix were grazed by sheep, either continuously or during short grazing tests, and were used to investigate the influence of the vertical and horizontal components of the sward structure on defoliation by sheep. In an experiment under continuous grazing, the defoliation intensity was greater for white clover compared with perennial ryegrass leaves (0·80 and 0·58 respectively). In spring, perennial ryegrass leaves were more defoliated than white clover leaves, whereas the reverse was observed in summer. The ratio of the proportion of white clover to perennial ryegrass leaves grazed was negatively correlated with the difference between the surface height of the perennial ryegrass and white clover rows in spring. In both spring and summer, white clover leaves of the same extended leaf length had a higher proportion of them grazed than perennial ryegrass leaves. In another experiment, during short grazing tests with perennial ryegrass,white clover swards that were grazed at the same sward surface height and at the same white clover content as in the previous experiment, there were no significant differences in the proportion of white clover and perennial ryegrass leaves grazed between strips of the two species and thoroughly mixed structures. The proportion of white clover leaves grazed was higher than that of perennial ryegrass leaves. These results show that the differential defoliation by sheep of perennial ryegrass and white clover leaves varies according to their vertical distribution in the mixed canopy, but is little affected by their horizontal distribution. Even small differences in sward surface height between mixed perennial ryegrass and white clover can affect diet selection by sheep to a rather large extent. [source]


Yield, Boll Distribution and Fibre Quality of Hybrid Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) as influenced by Organic and Modern Methods of Cultivation

JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 4 2006
D. Blaise
Abstract India is the largest cotton-growing country (8.9 million hectares) in the world and most of the area is rain-dependent. Large amount of pesticides are used for the control of sucking pests and lepidopterans. Increasing demand for clean organic fibre has led to an interest in organic cotton. However, information on the effects of organic cultivation on fibre quality is limited. Seed cotton yield and fibre quality (length, strength, micronaire and uniformity) were determined for an organic and modern method of cultivation during 3 years (2002,2003 to 2004,2005) of a 11-year (1994,1995 to 2004,2005) study. Vertical and horizontal distribution of bolls on a cotton plant was also determined in 2003,2004 and 2004,2005. At the end of year 11, soil samples were collected and analysed for soil organic carbon content, water-stable aggregates (%), and mean weight diameter. Averaged over 3 years, an additional 94 kg seed cotton ha,1 was produced in the organic over the modern method of cultivation and the difference was significant. The year × treatment interaction was significant. Seed cotton yield in the organic plots was significantly greater than the modern method of cultivation plots in 2003,2004 because of a well-distributed normal rainfall and low pest incidence. The main stem nodes 13,22 accounted for the largest numbers of bolls present on the plant. Plants of the organic plots had significantly (37,71 %) more bolls on nodes 13,27 than those for the plants of the modern method of cultivation. Lateral distribution of bolls on a sympodial (fruiting) branch, was noticed up to fruiting point 11. However, treatment differences were not significant. With regard to fibre quality (length, strength, fineness and uniformity), differences between years were significant. Inferior quality fibre was produced in 2004,2005 because of delayed planting and early cessation of rain. On average, cotton grown under organic conditions compared with the modern method of cultivation had significantly better fibre length (25.1 vs. 24.0 mm) and strength (18.8 vs. 17.9 g tex,1). Soil samples of the organic plots had significantly greater C content, water-stable aggregates and mean weight diameter than the modern method of cultivation plots. Differences were restricted to the top layers (0,0.1 and 0.1,0.2 m). Yield benefits of growing cotton in an organic system over the modern method of cultivation are expected to be greater in years receiving normal rainfall and having low pest incidence. [source]


Relationship between water flow volume and in-lake total phosphorus concentrations via dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperature in a warm temperate reservoir: Implications by path analysis

LAKES & RESERVOIRS: RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2006
lhami Tüzün
Abstract The effects of water inflow,outflow volumes on the in-lake total phosphorus (TP) concentrations was investigated for the deep, stratified Çubuk II Dam Lake. The fluctuations in the TP concentrations followed a seasonal pattern, with lower values found during the summer, and peak values during wet seasons. Both the seasonal pattern and the horizontal/vertical heterogeneities in the TP concentrations were usually found to be in accordance with those of the water flow parameters. The vertical differences in the TP concentrations provided evidence that an interflow formed at the 5 m and 10 m depths by the water inflow resulted in higher mean TP concentrations at these depths. In contrast, the water outflows had a reducing effect on the TP concentrations, particularly at the 15 m depth, by promoting net TP export. Although the horizontal distribution of the TP concentrations differed slightly between the riverine, transition and lacustrine zones, the differences did not indicate any statistical significance (P > 0.05, multivariate analysis of variance). The path analysis performed on the vertical data proved to be a promising tool in estimating the direct correlations between water flow dynamics and TP concentrations when the decomposition of indirect correlations via dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperature was accounted for in these mutual associations. [source]


Physiological and behavioral responses of Bathynerita naticoidea (Gastropoda: Neritidae) and Methanoaricia dendrobranchiata (Polychaeta: Orbiniidae) to hypersaline conditions at a brine pool cold seep

MARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
Ahna L. Van Gaest
Abstract Bathynerita naticoidea (Gastropoda: Neritidae) and Methanoaricia dendrobranchiata (Polychaeta: Orbiniidae) are two of the most abundant invertebrates associated with cold-seep mussel beds in the Gulf of Mexico. At the methane seep known as Brine Pool NR-1 (27 °43.415 N, 91 °16.756 W; 650 m depth), which is surrounded by a broad band of mussels (Bathymodiolus childressi), these species have distinctly different patterns of abundance, with the gastropod being found mostly at the outer edge of the mussel bed (average density in November 2003: 817 individuals·m,2 in outer zone, 20·m,2 in inner zone) and the polychaete being found almost exclusively near the inner edge (average density in November 2003: 3155 individuals·m,2 in inner zone, 0·m,2 in outer zone), adjacent to the brine pool itself. The salinity of the brine pool exceeds 120, so we hypothesized that M. dendrobranchiata should be more tolerant of high salinities than B. naticoidea. The opposite proved to be true. The gastropods were capable of withstanding salinities at least as high as 85, whereas the polychaetes died at salinities higher than 75. Both species were osmoconformers over the range of salinities (35,75) tested. Behavioral responses of B. naticoidea to salinities of 50, 60, and 70 were investigated in inverted vertical haloclines. Gastropods generally did not enter water of salinity greater than 60, but tolerated short periods at 60. Behavioral avoidance of brine should limit the vertical distribution of B. naticoidea in the inner zone to the top 2.5,5 cm of the mussel bed. Behavior is also a likely (though unproven) mechanism for controlling horizontal distribution of this species across the mussel bed. Methanoaricia dendrobranchiata can tolerate short excursions into the brine, but probably avoids hypersaline conditions by aggregating on the tops of the mussels. [source]


Comparing mass-consistent atmospheric moisture budgets on an irregular grid: An Arctic example

THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 592 2003
M. Göber
Abstract We present a method to minimize the effects of different resolution and mass imbalance when comparing atmospheric energy and water budgets from different datasets. Sizeable differences between re-analysis- and radiosonde-based atmospheric budgets had been found in earlier studies and it had been suspected that the different resolutions of the datasets strongly contributes to these discrepancies. Furthermore, most studies so far had used mass-imbalanced wind fields, which can lead to serious errors. We balance the wind field by using a variational modification algorithm combined with a finite-element discretization which allows the use of data on a grid defined by the radiosonde network. This method permits the computation of flux divergences in integral form and gives a consistent numerical method to get a mass-balanced wind field with minimum modifications. Applying this method to Arctic radiosonde and re-analysis data on the same grid leads to a better agreement with respect to the horizontal distribution and the mean annual cycle of the moisture flux convergence. The constraint of mass balance on the wind field leads to a greatly reduced and more realistic variability in space and time. However, a systematic difference of about 20% remains between the estimate based on a re-analysis dataset sampled only on the coarse grid of the radiosonde network and an estimate based on the use of the full, fine grid of the re-analysis. These systematic differences can be significantly reduced by creating a simulated radiosonde dataset from the re-analysis with doubled resolution. We undertake an extensive analysis of the uncertainty of the estimates originating from the choices made in the specification of the algorithm. Based solely on radiosonde data, which are likely to result in a low bias, we estimate the net water gain of the Arctic atmosphere as 164 ± 10 mm yr,1 (0.45 ± 0.03 mm d,1) for 1979,93. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society. [source]


Fine Root Distribution in a Lower Montane Rain Forest of Panama

BIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2009
Dirk Hölscher
ABSTRACT In a Panamanian lower montane rain forest we: (1) analyzed the vertical and horizontal distribution of fine roots; and (2) assessed the relationship of fine root mass to thickness of the soil organic layer, soil pH, and soil-extractable nitrogen. The soil in the study area has developed on volcanic ash deposits and was classified as Hapludand. In randomly distributed samples, the median fine root mass (biomass and necromass, diam , 2 mm) to a depth of 100 cm mineral soil was 544 g/m2, 41 percent of which was found in the organic layer. Fine root mass was approximately twice as high in the vicinity of stems of the tree species Oreomunnea mexicana (1069 g/m2) and the palm species Colpothrinax aphanopetala (1169 g/m2) and was associated with thick organic layers. The median thickness of the soil organic layer in a larger random sample (N= 64) was 8 cm with a considerable variation (interquartile range: 7 cm). In these samples, the density of fine root biomass was correlated with the concentration of extractable nitrogen (r= 0.33, P= 0.011), and on an areal basis, fine root biomass in the organic layer increased with increasing thickness of the organic layer (r= 0.63, P < 0.001) and decreasing pHKCl (r=,0.33, P < 0.01). Fine root biomass in the upper mineral soil did not show significant correlations with any of the studied parameters. RESUMEN En un bosque panameño bajo montano tropical (1) analizamos la distribución horizontal y vertical de las raíces finas, y (2) evaluamos la relación de la masa de las raíces finas con el espesor de la capa de suelo orgánico, pH del suelo, y nitrógeno extraíble del suelo. El suelo del área de estudio se ha desarrollado en depósitos de ceniza volcánica y fue clasificado como Hapludand. En muestras distribuidas aleatoriamente, la media de la masa de raíces finas (biomasa y masa necrosada, diámetro , 2 mm) a una profundidad de 100 cm del suelo mineral fue 544 g/m2, 41 por ciento de las cuales fueron encontradas en suelo orgánico. La masa de raíces finas fue aproximadamente el doble en la vecindad entre los pies de especies de árboles Oreomunnea mexicana (1069 g/m2) y especies de palmera Colpothrinax aphanopetala (1169 g/m2) y fue asociada con el espesor de capa orgánica. El espesor mediano de la capa de suelo orgánico en una amplia muestra aleatoria (N= 64) fue 8 cm con una considerable variación (intervalo entre cuartilas: 7 cm). En estas muestras, la densidad de raíces finas fue correlacionada con la concentración de nitrógeno extraíble (r= 0.33, P= 0.011), y en base al área, la biomasa de raíces finas en la capa orgánica aumentó con el incremento del espesor de la capa orgánica (r= 0.63, P < 0.001) y decrecimiento del pHKCl (r=,0.33, P < 0.01). La biomasa de raíces finas en el suelo mineral superior no mostró ninguna significante correlación con los parámetros estudiados. [source]


Spatial Distribution of Vascular Epiphytes (including Hemiepiphytes) in a Lowland Amazonian Rain Forest (Surumoni Crane Plot) of Southern Venezuela,

BIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2000
Jürgen Nieder
ABSTRACT The mobile crane of the Surumoni project allowed for the first time ever a complete inventory and spatial description of the epiphytic vegetation of a tropical lowland rain forest plot (1.5 ha), at La Esmeralda on the upper Orinoco River, Venezuela. A total of 778 individual vascular epiphytes of 53 species was found, dominated by 19 orchid species and 14 species of Araceae. Fifty percent of all individual plants were obligate ant-garden epiphytes. The distribution of epiphytes was highly clumped and not random. The clumped occurrence of holoepiphytes (complete life cycle on host tree) was the consequence of the rarity of suitable phorophytes (host trees; e.g., size and age) in the plot and the preference of ants for gaps where most of the ant-garden epiphytes were found. In comparison, hemiepiphytes were distributed more evenly because of greater independence from tree suitability. The dispersal modes of epiphytes did not explain their distribution patterns. There was no consistent difference in distribution between anemochorous and zoochorous epiphytes, presumably because availability of suitable substrate is the more important factor for epiphyte establishment and growth. Whereas the vertical distribution of epiphytes could be attributed largely to deterministic factors such as physiological adaptation and requirements, horizontal distribution appeared to be governed by suitable substrate, which in turn seemed to be governed by stochastic gap formation. RESUMEN En el context0 del proyecto Surumoni se hizo un inventario y un analisis espacial de la vegetación epifitica de un plot de 1.5 ha en el alto rio Orinoco cerca de La Esmeralda (Venezuela) en 1997. Consiste de 778 plantas individuales de 53 especies, entre las cuales destacan las orquideas (19 especies) y las aráceas (14 especies). El 50 porciento de todas las epifitas se encuentran en los jardines epifiticas de hormigas. Las plantas epifiticas muestran una distribución aglomerada y no casual. En el caso de las holoepifitas esto es la consecuencia de la raridad de forófitas aduecadas (p.e., altura y edad) en el plot y la preferencia de claros ("gaps") por parte de las hormigas. En comparación, tienen una distribución más homogénea las hemi-epifitas porque se desarrollan más independientemente de la calidad de sus forofitas. Las estrategias de dispersión de las epifitas sólo en parte explica sus patrones de distribución. No hay diferencias consistentes entre especies anemocorias y zoocorias, probablemente porque la disponibilidad de sustrato adecuado es el factor más importante para el establecimiento y desarrollo de epifitas. La distribución vertical de las epifitas se caracteriza por una zonación marcada, visible en las diferencias significantes entre la rnayoria de las taxas epifiticas. Mientras que se puede atribuir la distribución vertical a factores deterministicos como adaptaciones y exigencias fisiológicos de las plantas epifiticas, su distribución horizontal se arregla según la presencia de sustrato adecuado, que por su parte es resultado de factores estoquáticos en la formación de claros. [source]