The main objective of this study was to identify the relationship between epiphytic bromeliad species and their associated native forest vegetation (trees and shrubs) at different successional stages in the southern coastal Atlantic Rainforest. This study also characterized potential colonization of phorophytes in identified epiphytic bromeliads species. The phorophytes were selected by the phytosociological sampling point-centered quarter method. The relationship between the phorophytes morphological characteristics and epiphytic bromeliads species occurrence was analyzed using a Spearman Correlation and chi-square tests. Twenty-seven epiphytic bromeliads species representing eight genera were found on eighty-five phorophytes. The variable phorophyte diameter presented the greatest influence on the abundance of epiphytic bromeliads species found. Phorophytes with a persistent bark and rough texture showed higher frequency of bromeliads.
host tree; bromeliaceae; epiphytes; Atlantic Rainforest
