Las epífitas vasculares en un ambiente urbano están influidas por características del arbolado, el clima y las fuentes de propágulos.

Urban trees provide multiple benefits for the citizens such as shadow provision and climate regulation. In addition, it can contribute to the conservation of native plants from the ecoregion where the city is located, although there is not much information about it. In this study, species richness, cover and composition of vascular epiphytes were analyzed in urban trees of Gran San Miguel de Tucumán. We sampled epiphytes over 240 trees in 24 sites located in the localities of Horco Molle, El Corte, Yerba Buena and San Miguel de Tucumán. We recorded characteristics of trees (i.e., diameter at breast height [DBH], bark type and number of pruned branches) and sites (distance from the nearest source of epiphyte propagules such as sierra San Javier and urban green spaces, temperature and humidity using satellite images). Significant increases of species richness and cover of epiphytes were recorded with tree DBH and rough barks. Both features are important for vascular epiphyte establishment because they allow more surface and time available for colonization and a rough bark accumulates water and organic matter. In addition, epiphyte richness increased in trees closer to Sierra de San Javier, and in sites with lower temperature and higher humidity. The locality of Horco Molle, closer to sierra de San Javier, had a different composition of epiphytes compared to the other localities. Interactions between host trees and vascular epiphytes were similar to those observed in pristine forests of sierra de San Javier. These results are relevant for urban vegetation management because they allow us to consider urban trees as an important contribution to the conservation of native Yungas epiphytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]