Embracing epiphytes in sustainable forest management: a pilot study from the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico

Vascular epiphyte biomass and species richness were investigated in 16 anthropogenically disturbed pine-oak forests within an area of ~400 km2 in the Highlands of Chiapas, southern Mexico. Epiphyte biomass on 35 host oak trees in six diameter classes varied from 0.8 to 243 kg dry-weight and comprised 13-34 species. The observed variation in epiphytes could be attributed to type and intensity of past forest disturbance as it affects present-day stand structure, as well as to site position within the landscape. To help preserve the diverse regional epiphyte vegetation it is recommended to abstain from cyclic clear-cutting, to spare a sufficient number of large "rescue" trees, and to consider epiphyte conservation at a large spatial scale. As an alternative to logging, various prerequisites are proposed for the sustainable harvesting of bromeliads from natural populations.