Falsification of Two Hypotheses on Liana Exclusion from Tropical Trees Possessing Buttresses and Smooth Bark

Abstract

Two hypotheses are examined which attribute the selective advantage of liana exclusion to tropical trees possessing buttresses and smooth bark. Chi-square (.CHI.2) tests of data collected for 360 trees in the Tropical Wet Forest of Southern Bahia, Brazil, indicate that there is no validity to the hypothesis that buttresses inhibit the growth of lianas on trees possessing them. There is no significant correlation between smooth tree bark and the exclusion of trunk lianas from either buttressed or non-buttressed trees.