Stranglers of the Tropics--and Beyond

Kudzu, the plant scourge of the U.S. Southeast.  The long tendrils of this woody vine, or liana, are on the move north with a warming climate.
But kudzu may be no match for the lianas of the tropics, scientists have found. Data from sites in eight studies show that lianas are overgrowing trees in every instance.
If the trend continues, these "stranglers-of-the-tropics" may suffocate equatorial forest ecosystems.