Germination behavior is one of the earliest phenotypes expressed by plants. This fact has
several consequences for the evolution of postgermination traits, ecological niches, and …

Epiphytic angiosperms represent ca. 10% of the world's flowering plants and are key
elements in tropical forests. Here we synthesize the available literature on their population …

Early life‐cycle events play critical roles in determining the population and community
dynamics of plants. The ecology of seeds and their germination patterns can determine …

Hemiepiphytic plants are defined by their ontogeny. They germinate on a host tree but later
establish root contact with the soil. Most hemiepiphytes remain structurally dependent on …

Biotic interactions are widely accepted as an important driver of ecological and evolutionary
patterns, contributing to the structure of systems as diverse as tropical tree seedlings …

Vascular epiphytes have developed distinct lifeforms to maximize water uptake and storage,
particularly when delivered as pulses of precipitation, dewfall or fog. The seasonally dry …

Water relations represent a pivotal nexus in plant biology due to the multiplicity of functions
affected by water status. Hydraulic properties of plant parts are therefore likely to be relevant …

Ongoing climate changes are expected to intensify drought periods in tropical regions,
directly impacting epiphytic bromeliads that depend on intermittent water availability. This …

The water and nutrient uptake mechanisms used by vascular epiphytes have been the
subject of a few studies. While leaf absorbing trichomes (LATs) are the main organ involved …

Dew can represent an alternate water source in epiphytic bromeliads. However, the
physiological relevance of dew to withstand the dry season, within seasonal forests, is not …