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Yep, lianas (woody vines) are becoming dominant in many tropical forests, and it's a big deal. They grow rapidly, climb trees, and compete for sunlight, water, and nutrients. Some key impacts:
🌿 Tree Growth Suppression – Lianas slow tree growth by stealing resources and physically weighing them down.
🌳 Higher Tree Mortality – Trees tangled in lianas are more likely to fall during storms.
🔥 Increased Fire Risk – Lianas add more dry, flammable material to forests.
🌎 Carbon Storage Decline – Since trees store more carbon than lianas, their takeover means forests hold less CO₂, worsening climate change.
Why is this happening?
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Deforestation & Fragmentation – More forest edges = more lianas.
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Climate Change – Rising CO₂ levels may favor fast-growing lianas.
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Natural Disturbances – Hurricanes, droughts, and fires create gaps where lianas thrive.
Lianas aren’t all bad—they provide food and shelter for wildlife—but their unchecked spread is reshaping tropical ecosystems. Conservationists are trying to understand how to balance forest health with this rapid shift.
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