Canopy ferns in lowland dipterocarp forest support a prolific abundance of ants, termites, and other invertebrates

Ellwood, M. D. Farnon; Jones, David T.; Foster, William A.

Abstract

The epiphytic Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus complex) has a large basket-shaped rosette that accumulates leaf litter. We investigated the role of these ferns in supporting invertebrate populations in the primary lowland dipterocarp forest of Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia. Ferns were divided into three size classes: large (rosette diameter >60 cm), intermediate (30-60 cm), and small (

Citation

Ellwood, M. D. F., Jones, D. T., & Foster, W. A. (2002). Canopy ferns in lowland dipterocarp forest support a prolific abundance of ants, termites, and other invertebrates. Biotropica, 34(4), 575-583. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2002.tb00576.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2002
• Journal: Biotropica
• Print ISSN: 0006-3606
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 575-583
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2002.tb00576.x
• Keywords: Asplenium nidus, Borneo, canopy, epiphyte, fern, Hospitalitermes, Isoptera, Nasutitermitina, Pteridophyta
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1075531
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2002.tb00576.x