The Gigante Liana Removal Experiment

The Gigante Liana Removal Experiment was established in 2008 to quantify the role of lianas in tropical forests. The experiment consists of 16 80 × 80 m plots distributed over a >100-ha area on the central plateau of Gigante Peninsula. In 2011, all lianas were removed in eight plots, which have been maintained liana free until the present day (eight plots remained as unmanipulated controls). We have followed the fate of more than 30,000 trees and 11,000 lianas (≥1 cm diameter) during five cen?suses from 2008 until 2022. The experiment has revealed that lianas greatly reduce tree growth, reproduction, biomass uptake, and carbon storage, as well as positive effects by providing resources, habitat, and intercrown connectivity for many animal species. As the Gigante Liana Removal Experiment moves into its second decade, it will continue to refine our understanding of the ecology of lianas and of tropical forests.