Wounded plants bleed, just like animals do. This is a common defense mechanism in tropical trees – secretion of compounds that either seal a wound or deter further attack. These ‘secondary compounds’ are only necessary in a world with enemies – they are expensive investments and involve the evolution of biochemical pathways that have no…

In the tropics, forests are home to more than just trees – a large fraction of the total biomass comes from lianas and hemiepiphytes. Lianas are woody vines that originate from the ground, while hemiepiphytes are plants that begin growing on another plant but eventually grow roots that reach the ground. Both types of plants…