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Introduction

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Plants on Plants – The Biology of Vascular Epiphytes

Part of the book series: Fascinating Life Sciences ((FLS))

Abstract

This introductory chapter sets the scene by defining the subject of the book: vascular epiphytes, i.e. plants that germinate and root non-parasitically on other plants at all stages of their life. Although the distinction of vascular epiphytes from other life forms causes no problem in the majority of cases, conceptual issues, intraspecific plasticity, and a lack of data can cause occasional ambiguity. The question whether epiphytes should be considered a life form at all is also discussed. I also treat other structurally dependent plant groups which share the same habitat (lianas, nomadic vines, hemiepiphytes, and mistletoes) and explore possible evolutionary links between them. A final section focuses on the question which ecological drivers caused or facilitated the conquest of tree crowns in the first place.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany

    Gerhard Zotz

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  1. Gerhard Zotz
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Zotz, G. (2016). Introduction. In: Plants on Plants – The Biology of Vascular Epiphytes. Fascinating Life Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39237-0_1

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