A global approach to analyze the extent of the newly detected Tropical Lowland Cloud Forest (TLCF) based on a large-scale analysis of fog frequency and epiphyte growth, with a special focus on South America

热带云雾林具有非凡的生物多样性，特别是附生植物，通常与山区有关，在那里它们被称为热带山地云雾林。我们以前在圭亚那的工作现在表明，在热带低地雨林（海拔低于500米）的盆地和山谷中，其特征通常是真菌丰度和多样性明显较低，但存在另一种富含真菌的云雾森林类型，称为热带低地云雾森林（TLCF）。我们假设，这种新的森林类型发生在全球所有的天然热带低地森林，在那里有足够的水分供应，允许夜间树冠雾的地形凹陷的发展。该项目的主要目的是结合卫星数据、实地测量、气候模型数据和真菌生长的机械模型来检验这一假设。首先，通过地形、自然森林覆盖和雾发生的全球辅助大数据，在空间上划定潜在的适宜区域。特别是冠层雾的发生需要重新处理的全球可用的MODIS数据集与新开发的亚像素雾探测方案的热带低地。雾的发生和高丰度的冠层附生植物在TLCF之间的关系进行检查，通过应用和验证一个新开发的碳交换模型的苔藓，地钱和薄膜蕨类植物（膜蕨科）。

Tropical cloud forests, with their extraordinary biodiversity particularly of epiphytic plants, are generally associated with mountainous regions, where they are referred to as Tropical Montane Cloud Forests. Our previous work in the Guianas now suggests that in basins and valleys of the Tropical Lowland Rain Forest (at elevations <500 m a.s.l.), which is normally characterized by a significantly lower epiphyte abundance and diversity, another type of epiphyte-rich cloud forest type exists, referred to as Tropical Lowland Cloud Forest (TLCF). We hypothesize that this new forest type occurs globally in all natural tropical lowland forests where a sufficient moisture supply allows the development of nocturnal canopy fog in terrain depressions. The main aim of the project is to test this hypothesis with a combination of satellite data, field measurements, climate model data and mechanistic modeling of epiphyte growth. First, potentially suitable regions are spatially delineated by means of global ancillary big data on topography, natural forest cover and fog occurrence. Particularly canopy fog occurrence requires reprocessing of the globally available MODIS data set with a newly developed subpixel fog detection scheme for tropical lowlands. The relationship between fog occurrence and the high abundance of canopy epiphytes in the TLCF is examined by applying and validating a newly developed carbon-exchange model for mosses, liverworts and filmy ferns (Hymenophyllaceae).