Epiphytes in Oak Trees

Analytical Essay # 113876

Biology > Botany

A review of an experiment to determine the dispersion of Tillandsia spp., an epiphyte.

1,611 words () | 5 sources | APA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper describes the experiment of counting and recording the number of Tillandsia spp. individuals in oaks and pines trees around the University of Florida campus. The paper explains the analysis of the data that was done, which utilized the Mann-Whitney U test to determine the relationship between two samples of different host trees. The paper then reveals the outcome of the statistics that show clear evidence that Tillandsia spp. prefer to colonize in oak trees over pine trees. In addition, an explanation for these results is provided in the paper.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion

From the Paper:

"Tillandsia spp. is an epiphyte, a plant that attaches and survives off the support of another plant. Several factors influence growth potential and optimal habitat for Tillandsia spp. including essential nutrients, water supply, and available sunlight, all which play a key role in the understanding of all plant development. My hypothesis for dispersion of these Tillandsia spp. is that the large surface area and dense habitat for epiphytes of the oak tree will allow for best atmospheric conditions for nutrient uptake, offer shade to minimize water loss through transpiration, and provide sufficient sunlight to carry out photosynthesis."

Sample of Sources Used:

Benzing, D.H, A. Renfrow. 1971. The biology of the epiphytic Bromeliad Tillandsia circinata Schlecht. I. The nutrient status of population in south Florida. American Journal of Botany 58(9), 867-873.
Burns, K. C. J. Dawson. 2005. Patterns in the diversity and distribution of epiphytes and vines in a New Zealand forest. Austral Ecology 30 (8), 883-891.
Campbell, N, J. Reece. 2004. Biology 7th Edition. Pearson Benjamin Cummings, California.
Eldridge, David J, Merrin E. Tozer. (1997) Environmental Factors Relating to the Distribution of Terricolous Bryophytes and Lichens in Semi-Arid Eastern Australia.The Bryologist, 100(1), 28-39.
Vliet, K.A, C.M. Stracey, M.R. Cottam. 2008. A Lab Manual for Integrated Principles of Biology. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl.