Precipitation drives the fall of epiphyte bromeliads in an Andean tropical forest

Abstract Mortality of epiphytic bromeliads could increase due to dense independent factors, reducing their diversity and contribution to ecosystem functioning. For seven months, we assessed the effect of precipitation and a mechanical factor on the fall of bromeliads, including their richness, abundance, population size, and traits. Our study was conducted in a protected area of Colombia’s Andean tropical forest, where we collected individual-fallen and branch-fallen bromeliads. We then establis