At a Glance
- Lianas, or woody vines, rapidly spread through tropical forests, reducing their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, which worsens climate change.
- Research from Leiden University shows that liana populations have increased by 10 to 24 percent per decade over the past 30 years, severely harming biodiversity and carbon storage.
- Lianas thrive under climate change conditions because they grow quickly using trees for support, allowing them to outcompete and suppress forest regeneration.
- Satellite imagery and light-reflection analysis allow scientists to track liana expansion across tropical ecosystems accurately.
- Researchers stress that curbing climate change is essential to slowing the spread of lianas and preserving tropical forest health.
A significant environmental challenge arises as lianas, or woody vines, spread rapidly through tropical forests. Lianas are increasingly dominating forests, choking out trees and reducing the forest’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a crucial process in regulating Earth’s climate. Two recent studies from Leiden University, one published in Global Change Biology and the other in Ecology, have illuminated how widespread this issue has become, showing that lianas are growing far beyond the Neotropics, spreading across all tropical regions.
The studies, led by ecologist Marco Visser and Ph.D. candidate Manuela Rueda-Trujillo, analyzed hundreds of studies on lianas and found that these vines have increased in abundance by 10% to 24% per decade. This surge in liana populations has been happening for over 30 years, with negative consequences for tropical forests. Lianas steal resources from trees, slowing forest regeneration and causing tree deaths. In some areas, forests have been reduced to nothing but lianas, severely impacting biodiversity and carbon storage, with up to 95% reductions.
Lianas are particularly adaptable to climate change, as they benefit more than other plants from higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Unlike trees, which invest energy in structural support to stand tall, lianas are “cheaters” that rely on trees for support, allowing them to grow quickly and reach the canopy. This ability to grow rapidly enables them to shade out other plants and steal sunlight, preventing tree regeneration and worsening climate change effects.
Visser’s research also shows that lianas are detectable in satellite imagery. Using mathematical models and crane measurements of tree leaves in Panama, the team discovered that liana leaves reflect more light and infrared radiation than tree leaves, making them easier to identify from space. Understanding this phenomenon will allow for more precise tracking of liana expansion and its impact on tropical ecosystems. While addressing the issue is important, Visser emphasizes that halting climate change is the key solution to slowing lianas’ growth and mitigating their environmental effects.
References
- Visser, M. D., Detto, M., Meunier, F., Wu, J., Foster, J. R., Marvin, D. C., Van Bodegom, P. M., Bongalov, B., Nunes, M. H., Coomes, D., Verbeeck, H., Guzmán Q, J. A., Sanchez‐Azofeifa, A., Chandler, C. J., Van Der Heijden, G. M. F., Boyd, D. S., Foody, G. M., Cutler, M. E. J., Broadbent, E. N., … Pacala, S. W. (2025). When can we detect lianas from space? Toward a mechanistic understanding of liana‐infested forest optics. Ecology, 106(4), e70082. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70082
- Lindhout, R. & Leiden University. (2025, May 6). Lianas are taking over the rainforests, and it’s visible from space. Phys.Org; Leiden University. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-lianas-rainforests-visible-space.html
- Rueda‐Trujillo, M. A., Veldhuis, M. P., Van Bodegom, P. M., De Deurwaerder, H. P. T., & Visser, M. (2024). Global increase of lianas in tropical forests. Global Change Biology, 30(8), e17485. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17485
