Ricardo A. Moreno , Gabriel Ortega-Solis, Javier Godoy, Felipe Gonzalez, Iván A. Díaz

Although lianas play an important role in forest composition, structure, and functions, they are considered structural parasites of trees. Both contrasting ideas on the role of lianas in forests challenge practitioners during restoration activities and management decisions might be taken without specific information. Here we evaluated the effects of lianas on their host-trees in a small old-growth forest in the Chilean Mediterranean Forest, to assess the interaction between lianas might and the host-tree. Results showed that almost half of the trees were colonized by lianas between 1-6 cm dbh, with a continuous regeneration. Most lianas hang from lower branches but not tangling the trunk, while most of them did not reach the topmost section of the crown, likely not competing for light with their host-trees. We found no evidence of structural parasitism; therefore, no control of lianas can be recommended in this particular case. It seems the species is an important component of the old-growth Mediterranean forest, instead restoration should include the lianas into the planning to increase biodiversity and ecological functions. A paradigm change should consider the structural parasitism as a hypothesis rather than a rule in forest conservation and sustainable forestry. Although unable to assess physiological damage or competition, the rapid assessment presented here could facilitate the decisions in other forest ecosystems, while gaining information on their ecological function during implementation of conservation objectives and weighting socio-ecological trade-offs.