Change of epiphyllous population occupancy patterns in fifteen years
For both species (R. flaccida and C. surinamensis ) we observed changes in the estimated number of colonies censused per 1-ha plot in a 15-year interval (Figure 2A-B; Table 1; Table S3). Specifically, the number of colonies of R. flaccida increased significantly in small patches (1- and 10-ha) across all study plots: average increases from 53.03 to 176.89 (W = 2, p-value = 0.002). Among large patches, the number of colonies either increased or decreased over time, with a non-significant overall average increase from 284.29 to 338.42 (W = 47, p-value = 0.16). Similarly, the number of colonies of C. surinamensis increased in small patches in all study plots, with a significant average increase from 33.04 to 198.27 (W = 0, p-value = 0.0005). In large patches, the number of colonies presented a slightly significant average increase from 250.83 to 397.72 (W = 33, p-value = 0.02). In the year 2000, the estimated number of colonies in all small patches (1- and 10-ha) was significantly reduced when compared to large patches (Figure 2C in 2000, R. flaccida : W = 86, p-value = 0.0004; C. surinamensis : W = 85, p-value = 0.0007). The estimated number of colonies in small patches (1- and 10-ha) remained reduced in 2016 when compared to large patches of 100-ha and continuous forests (Figure 2C in 2016; R. flaccida : W = 112, p-value = 0.006; C. surinamensis : W = 113,p-value = 0.005). When only 10-ha patches were compared to larger patches they harbored in 2000 significantly fewer epiphyllous colonies (R. flaccida : W = 49, p-value = 0.005; C. surinamensis : W = 47, p-value = 0.015). In the year 2016, these 10-ha patches present a similar number of colonies compared with larger patches (R. flaccida : W = 53, p-value = 0.19; C. surinamensis : W = 53, p-value = 0.19) (Table 1).