Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji
The composition and structure of cloud forest on Mt. Delaco (715m), Gau, Fiji Islands, is investigated using a transect following a ridge. Diameter (dbh), height, epiphyte cover and distance to the nearest neighbour were measured for each plant of 5 or more cm in dbh. A total of 42 vascular species...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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CSIRO Publishing
2009
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31362 |
| _version_ | 1848753358532247552 |
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| author | Keppel, Gunnar Thomas, N. |
| author_facet | Keppel, Gunnar Thomas, N. |
| author_sort | Keppel, Gunnar |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The composition and structure of cloud forest on Mt. Delaco (715m), Gau, Fiji Islands, is investigated using a transect following a ridge. Diameter (dbh), height, epiphyte cover and distance to the nearest neighbour were measured for each plant of 5 or more cm in dbh. A total of 42 vascular species were identified. The canopy was 3-5m tall, with Alpinia boia reaching 7m in height. The tree fern Dicksonia brackenridgei dominated the vegetation, accounting for 56% of the total basal area. Rapanea myricifolia, Hedycarya dorstenoides and Ascarina diffusa were other common species. Epiphytes were abundant and epiphyte cover for most trees was more than 50%. The most common epiphytes were Nephrolepis tuberosa and Nephrolepis saligna, Collospermum montanum, Peperomia spp., mosses and filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae) were other common species. A species of Freycinetia was the dominant climber. There was a moderately strong correlation between epiphyte richness and dbh of the host species (r = 0.59). The limited literature on cloud forest in the tropical insular Pacific suggests that while many taxa are shared, the species composition may vary considerably on different mountains. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:23:15Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-31362 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:23:15Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| publisher | CSIRO Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-313622017-09-13T21:30:44Z Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji Keppel, Gunnar Thomas, N. The composition and structure of cloud forest on Mt. Delaco (715m), Gau, Fiji Islands, is investigated using a transect following a ridge. Diameter (dbh), height, epiphyte cover and distance to the nearest neighbour were measured for each plant of 5 or more cm in dbh. A total of 42 vascular species were identified. The canopy was 3-5m tall, with Alpinia boia reaching 7m in height. The tree fern Dicksonia brackenridgei dominated the vegetation, accounting for 56% of the total basal area. Rapanea myricifolia, Hedycarya dorstenoides and Ascarina diffusa were other common species. Epiphytes were abundant and epiphyte cover for most trees was more than 50%. The most common epiphytes were Nephrolepis tuberosa and Nephrolepis saligna, Collospermum montanum, Peperomia spp., mosses and filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae) were other common species. A species of Freycinetia was the dominant climber. There was a moderately strong correlation between epiphyte richness and dbh of the host species (r = 0.59). The limited literature on cloud forest in the tropical insular Pacific suggests that while many taxa are shared, the species composition may vary considerably on different mountains. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31362 10.1071/SP09005 CSIRO Publishing fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Keppel, Gunnar Thomas, N. Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji |
| title | Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji |
| title_full | Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji |
| title_fullStr | Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji |
| title_full_unstemmed | Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji |
| title_short | Composition and structure of the cloud forest on Mt. Delaco, Gau, Fiji |
| title_sort | composition and structure of the cloud forest on mt. delaco, gau, fiji |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31362 |