8/10/2019 Epiphytes

1/6

Course: General Ecology

Lab Session: Monday, 8:00-11:00 am

Lab # 10

Title: Epiphytes

Objectives:

To identify the Endangered species of Jamaica.

To identify issues that affect them.

To identify conservation action and relevant organizations involved in their protection.

Abstract:

The title of the lab is Epiphytes. The objectives of the lab were To identify the Endangered

species of Jamaica, To identify issues that affect them, To identify conservation action and

relevant organizations involved in their protection. Epiphytes are any plant that grows upon or is

in some manner attached to another plant or object merely for physical support. The class went

by Jamaica hall to observe the croton plants and its close environs. It was observed that different

organisms were seen in the vicinity of the crotons and they have different impact on the crotons.

Endemism is theecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an

island, nation, county or other defined zone, orhabitat type. The term could refer to an animal, a

plant, a fungus, or even a microorganism.

It was concluded that endangered species of Jamaica were identified and issues that affect them

and conversation action and relevant organizations involved in their protection.

Introduction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecologicalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_(ecology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_(ecology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological

8/10/2019 Epiphytes

2/6

Epiphyte are any plant that grows upon or is in some manner attached to another plant or object

merely for physical support. Epiphytes are primarily tropical in distribution and are often known

as air plants because they have no attachment to the ground or other obvious nutrient source.

They obtain water and minerals fromrain and also from debris that collects on the supporting

plants. They can be found mainly on the branches, trunks, and even the leaves of trees. The name

'epiphyte' comes from the Greek word 'epi' meaning 'upon' and 'phyton' meaning 'plant'.

Different types of epiphytes may grow on the same tree, including orchids, cacti, bromeliads,

aroids, lichens, mosses and ferns. They begin their life in the canopy from seeds or spores

transported there by birds or winds. Spiders are air-breathingarthropods that have eight legs

andchelicerae with fangs that injectvenom.They are the largest order ofarachnids and rank

seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms.Spiders are found

worldwide and have become established in nearly everyhabitat with the exception of air and sea

colonization. Anatomically, spiders differ from other arthropods in that the usual

bodysegments are fused into twotagmata,thecephalothoraxandabdomen,and joined by a

small, cylindricalpedicel.Unlikeinsects,spiders do not haveantennae.In all except the most

primitive group, theMesothelae,spiders have the most centralized nervous systems of all

arthropods, as all theirganglia are fused into one mass in the cephalothorax. Unlike most

arthropods, spiders have noextensor muscles in their limbs and instead extend them

byhydraulicpressure. A fungus is a member of a large group ofeukaryotic organisms that

includes microorganisms such asyeasts andmolds as well as the more familiarmushrooms.

These organisms are classified as akingdom,Fungi, which is separate

fromplants,animals,protists andbacteria.One major difference is that fungal cells havecell

walls that containchitin,unlike the cell walls of plants and some protists, which contain

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/489827/rainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelicerahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnidahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmentation_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagma_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalothoraxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdomenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedicel_(spider)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukaryotehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroomshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_wallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_wallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_wallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_wallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroomshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukaryotehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedicel_(spider)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdomenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalothoraxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagma_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmentation_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnidahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelicerahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropodhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/489827/rain

8/10/2019 Epiphytes

3/6

8/10/2019 Epiphytes

4/6

Mammals unique to Jamaica include the Jamaican Hutia, the Jamaican Fig-eating

Bat (Ariteusflavescens), the Jamaican Flower Bat (Phyllonycterisaphylla) , the Jamaican Greater

Funnel-eared Bat (Natalusjamaicensis).

Discussion:

The crotons were found to have been cut to a certain height, it was seen that in the middle of the

plants that the stems bore no leaves. This could not be due to the epiphytes as they are usually

not parasitic in nature. We saw that the crotons were under a shaded area which shows that they

were not exposed to much light. Wasp and ants were seen in the area as well. On the leaves had

black spots were seen and showed that mold was in this area.

Epiphytes are often slow-growing with thick, waxy leaves and unusual roots. Their dispersal

methods vary from clouds of microscopic fern spores or millions of dust-sized orchid seeds to

plumed or fleshy seeds of bromeliads dispersed by winds or hungry animals. Epiphytes interact

with their surroundings in complex ways, too. Some contain ant nests, many hold gallons of

water, still others capture forest debris that eventually becomes soil. Many epiphytes have root

systems containing fungi called mycorrhizae that aid in the uptake of scarce nutrients. Epiphytes

occur in many regions of the world, even well into temperate zones; but they reach their greatest

diversity in the wet tropics. On tropical mountainsides that face prevailing winds, they

sometimes become so lush that we can hardly see the original host tree.

Endemism is theecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an

island, nation, county or other defined zone, orhabitat type. The term could refer to an animal, a

plant, a fungus, or even a microorganism. Organisms that areindigenous to a place are not

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecologicalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_(ecology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_(ecology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_(ecology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_(ecology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological

8/10/2019 Epiphytes

5/6

endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. The extreme opposite of endemism

iscosmopolitan distribution.

Physical, climatic, and biological factors can contribute to endemism. Political factors can play a

part if a species is protected, or actively hunted, in onejurisdictionbut not another.

There are two subcategories of endemism namely paleoendemism and neoendemism.

Paleoendemism refers to a species that was formerly widespread but is now restricted to a

smaller area. Neoendemism refers to a species that has recently arisen such as a species that has

diverged and become reproductively isolated, or one that has formed following hybridization and

is now classified as a separate species. This is a common process in plants, especially those that

exhibitpolyploidy.

Endemic species are especially likely to develop on biologically isolated areas such as islands

because of their geographical isolation.

Endemics can easily becomeendangered orextinct if their restricted habitat changes, particularly

but not only due to human actions, including theintroduction of new organisms.There were

millions of bothBermuda Petrels and "Bermuda cedars"(actually junipers) inBermuda when it

was settled at the start of the seventeenth century. By the end of the century, the petrels were

thought extinct. Cedars, already ravaged by centuries of shipbuilding, were driven nearly to

extinction in the twentieth century by the introduction of a parasite. Bermuda petrels and cedars,

although not actually extinct, are very rare today, as are other species endemic to Bermuda.

Conclusion: It was concluded that endangered species of Jamaica were identified and issues that

affect them and conversation action and relevant organizations involved in their protection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmopolitan_distributionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisdictionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyploidyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinct_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_Petrelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_bermudianahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermudahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermudahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_bermudianahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_Petrelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinct_specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangeredhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyploidyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisdictionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmopolitan_distribution

8/10/2019 Epiphytes

6/6

Epiphytes are plants that grow on taller trees so that they can capture sunlight for photosynthesis,

however they are not parasitic.

Reference:

"Animals and Plants Unique to Jamaica."Animals and Plants Unique to Jamaica. N.p., n.d.

Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .

"List of conservation issues." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 Nov.

2013. ."The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.."Jamaica Nature Conservation,

Environment Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.