Vascular epiphyte diversity in two forest types of the “El Cielo” Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Botany ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 599-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edilia de la Rosa-Manzano ◽  
Antonio Guerra-Pérez ◽  
Glenda Mendieta-Leiva ◽  
Arturo Mora-Olivo ◽  
José Guadalupe Martínez-Ávalos ◽  
...  

We assessed the diversity, vertical distribution, and the effect of structural and geographical factors on the diversity of vascular epiphyte assemblages (VEAs) in two forest types in the “El Cielo” Biosphere Reserve. We found 2839 epiphyte individuals from 15 species on 240 host trees (27 species) in the semideciduous forest and 5085 individuals from 8 species on 215 host trees (12 species) in the pine–oak forest. Epiphytes showed a preference for the middle zone of the host trees. The diversity of VEAs was uneven in both forest types, although the VEA in the semideciduous forest was the most diverse. VEAs across forests were slightly similar in their composition (30% mean overlap), but very different in their structure (i.e., they did not share very abundant species). The variation in species richness among VEAs was influenced by forest structure, independently of forest type. Compositional differences of VEAs among forest types were explained by geographic distance and host-tree identity (31% and 28% variation explained, respectively). By characterizing the diversity of VEAs we provide a basic understanding of the factors influencing epiphyte diversity in these understudied ecosystems.

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 194008291988220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edilia de la Rosa-Manzano ◽  
Glenda Mendieta-Leiva ◽  
Antonio Guerra-Pérez ◽  
Karla María Aguilar-Dorantes ◽  
Leonardo Uriel Arellano-Méndez ◽  
...  

Vascular epiphytes contribute significantly to tropical diversity. Research on the factors that determine vascular epiphytic diversity and composition in tropical areas is flourishing. However, these factors are entirely unknown in tropical-temperate transition zones, which represent the distribution limit of several epiphytic species. We assessed the degree to which climatic and structural variables determine the diversity of vascular epiphytic assemblages (VEAs) in a transition zone in Mexico: the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve. We found 12,103 epiphytic individuals belonging to 30 species and 15 genera along a climatic gradient from 300 to 2,000 m a.s.l. Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the most species-rich families. Forests along the windward slope of the Sierra Madre Oriental (semideciduous forest and tropical montane cloud forest) had higher species richness than forests along the leeward slope (pine-oak forest and submontane scrub). Species richness was largely determined by seasonality and, to a lesser degree, by forest structure, whereas abundance was mainly determined by host tree size. Variation in VEAs composition was largely explained by climatic variables, whereas forest structure was not as important. VEAs differed among forest types and slopes in terms of taxonomic and functional composition. For example, certain bromeliad indicator species reflected differences between slopes. Although within-tree epiphytic species richness (alpha diversity) was low in this transition zone relative to other habitats, species turnover among forest types (beta diversity) was high. These findings suggest that each forest type makes a unique and important contribution to epiphytic diversity in this transition zone.


1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Nascimento ◽  
J Proctor ◽  
D. M. Villela

Maracá is a riverine island located in the Rio Uraricoera in Roraima State (Brazil) and has an area of about 100,000ha. A forest type dominated by Peltogyne gracilipes Ducke (Caesalpiniaceae) occurs on Maracá Island on a range of soil types. This study compares the structure, floristic composition and soils of the Peltogyne forest with the most widespread lowland forest type on Maracá. Three 0.25ha plots were set up in each of three forest types: Peltogyne-rich forest (PRF), Peltogyne-pooi forest (PPF) and forest without Peltogyne (FWP). Within each plot all trees (≤ 10cm dbh) were recorded. Seedlings and saplings were sampled in subplots of 2m × 1m (seedlings) and 4m × 4m (saplings). In the PPF and FWP, Sapotaceae were the most important family with the highest relative dominance and relative density values. Caesalpiniaceae showed high values in the PRF and PPF. Licania kunthiana, Pradosia surinamensis and Simarouba amara occurred in the canopy layer in all the forest types. Peltogyne dominated the canopy in the PRF and comprised 20% of stems and 53% of the total basal area of all trees ≥ 10cm dbh, and 91% of the stems and 97% of the total basal area of individuals ≥ 50cm dbh. In PPF, Lecythis corrugata and Tetragastris panamensis were the most abundant species, followed by Peltogyne. In the FWP the most abundant trees (≥ 10cm dbh) were Licania kunthiana and Pradosia surinamensis. In all forest types, the soils were sandy and acid with low concentrations of extractable phosphorus and exchangeable cations, but the soils under PRF were notably richer in magnesium.


2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 509-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudolf von May ◽  
Jennifer M. Jacobs ◽  
Roy Santa-Cruz ◽  
Jorge Valdivia ◽  
Jusmell M. Huamán ◽  
...  

Abstract:The potential effect of forest type on the structuring of animal communities in western Amazonia remains poorly understood. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that amphibian species richness, composition and abundance differ across forest types in the lowland rain forest of south-eastern Peru. By using 320 individual transects, we compared the amphibian assemblages across four major forest types (floodplain, terra firme, bamboo and palm swamp) at each of four sites separated by 3.5–105 km. We identified 1967 individuals of 65 species in 11 families and found that a large proportion of the amphibian diversity in this region is attributed to habitat-related beta diversity. Overall, we found that forest type is more important than site in predicting both species composition and abundance. We also found that, when analyses are conducted separately for each forest type and include species abundance data, similarity between assemblages decreases with increasing geographic distance. In contrast to studies that considered species presence/absence but ignored species abundances, our results highlight the importance of including abundance data in the assessment of animal diversity patterns in western Amazonia. We conclude that evaluating community structure across forest types can improve our understanding of diversity patterns in this region.


2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan H. D. Wolf ◽  
S. Robbert Gradstein ◽  
Nalini M. Nadkarni

Abstract:The sampling of epiphytes is fraught with methodological difficulties. We present a protocol to sample and analyse vascular epiphyte richness and abundance in forests of different structure (SVERA). Epiphyte abundance is estimated as biomass by recording the number of plant components in a range of size cohorts. Epiphyte species biomass is estimated on 35 sample-trees, evenly distributed over six trunk diameter-size cohorts (10 trees with dbh > 30 cm). Tree height, dbh and number of forks (diameter > 5 cm) yield a dimensionless estimate of the size of the tree. Epiphyte dry weight and species richness between forests is compared with ANCOVA that controls for tree size. SChao1 is used as an estimate of the total number of species at the sites. The relative dependence of the distribution of the epiphyte communities on environmental and spatial variables may be assessed using multivariate analysis and Mantel test. In a case study, we compared epiphyte vegetation of six Mexican oak forests and one Colombian oak forest at similar elevation. We found a strongly significant positive correlation between tree size and epiphyte richness or biomass at all sites. In forests with a higher diversity of host trees, more trees must be sampled. Epiphyte biomass at the Colombian site was lower than in any of the Mexican sites; without correction for tree size no significant differences in terms of epiphyte biomass could be detected. The occurrence of spatial dependence, at both the landscape level and at the tree level, shows that the inclusion of spatial descriptors in SVERA is justified.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 194008292110103
Author(s):  
Patrick Jules Atagana ◽  
Eric Moïse Bakwo Fils ◽  
Sevilor Kekeunou

We aimed to assess how bats are affected by habitat transformation by comparing bat assemblages in four habitat types: primary forest, secondary forest, cocoa plantations and human habitations in the Dja Biosphere Reserve of southern Cameroon. Bats were sampled in the four habitat types using mist nets. During 126 nights, a total of 413 bats were captured, belonging to four families, 16 genera and 24 species. Ninety three individuals (17 species) were captured in the primary forest, followed by plantations (105 individuals, 14 species), human habitations (159 individuals, 10 species), and secondary forest (55 individuals, eight species). Megaloglossus woermanni was recorded in all the four habitats, and was the most abundant species (105 individuals). The analysis of bat assemblage between habitat types showed a statistically significant difference in species composition. The distribution of the six most abundant species ( Epomops franqueti, Megaloglossus woermanni, Rousettus aegyptiacus, Dohyrina cyclops, Hipposideros cf. caffer and Hipposideros cf. ruber) was influenced by habitat types. Our results suggest that the decrease in species richness observed in disturbed habitats may be due to habitat perturbations of primary forest habitats. Therefore, it is important to examine the effects of habitat conversion at species level, as responses are often species-specific.


2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo M. Mello ◽  
Pedro H. Nobre ◽  
Marco A. Manhães ◽  
Alexmar S. Rodrigues

ABSTRACT Many studies have demonstrated the ecological relevance and great biodiversity of bats in Brazil. However, mountainous areas have been disproportionately less sampled, mainly in the Southeast. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the richness and diversity of Phyllostomidae, the most diverse bat family, in different forest types in Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, trying to understand the causes of possible differences. The Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca is inserted in the Serra da Mantiqueira's domain, in an Atlantic Forest region known as "Zona da Mata", state of Minas Gerais, with an altitudinal range between 1200-1784 meters. The study was conducted in two forest types, classified as "Nanofloresta Nebular" and "Floresta Nebular", whose respective data on richness and diversity were compared. The bats were captured with 8-10 mist nets for 14 months (April 2011 to May 2012) and four nights per month totaling 62,171.25 m2h of capture effort. A total of 392 captures (12 species) belonging to the Phyllostomidae family were obtained. The most abundant species were Sturnira lilium (59.9%), Platyrrhinus lineatus (11.3%), Artibeus lituratus (8.7%) and Carollia perspicillata (7.6%). The two sampled areas presented differences in bat richness, diversity and species composition, and this difference was predominantly influenced by S. lilium. It is likely that the observed difference in the assembly of bats between the two study sites depends on the variation in floristic composition. The records of A. lituratus and P. lineatus in a few months of the year and close to Ficus mexiae bearing ripe fruits suggests that at least these species move to the park for a few periods of the year in search of food resources, possibly moving through the altitudinal landscapes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 919-938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itzel Rubí Rodríguez-de León ◽  
Crystian Sadiel Venegas-Barrera ◽  
Miguel Vásquez-Bolaños ◽  
Alfonso Correa-Sandoval ◽  
Jorge Víctor Horta-Vega

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Lee ◽  
Michelle Huang

The Neotropical primate Sapajus apella (Linnaeus, 1758), the black-capped capuchin monkey, is widely distributed across the Amazon basin (Boubli et al., 2020). Capuchins are generalist platyrrhines, occurring in most tropical forest types, where they forage opportunistically (Sabbatini et al., 2008; Lynch Alfaro et al., 2012; Boubli et al., 2020). They exploit a diverse variety of food sources, such as fruit, seeds, arthropods and vertebrate prey including small mammals (Rose, 1997; Resende et al., 2003; Albuquerque et al., 2014). Their foraging strategy is highly resourceful and adaptive, and are often considered as important predators of nests (Canale and Bernardo, 2016), including those of caiman (Torralvo et al., 2017), coatis (Rose, 1997) and especially of birds (Watts, 2020). In this work, we report observations of a foraging event by Sapajus apella that includes the first record of egg predation of the russet-backed oropendola, Psarocolius angustifrons (von Spix, 1824), as well as the predation of arboreal rodents, Oecomys sp. (Thomas, 1906).


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 20033-20055
Author(s):  
Naveen Babu Kanda ◽  
Kurian Ayushi ◽  
Vincy K. Wilson ◽  
Narayanan Ayyappan ◽  
Narayanaswamy Parthasarathy

Documenting the biodiversity of protected areas and reserve forests is important to researchers, academicians and forest departments in their efforts to establish policies to protect regional biodiversity. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) is an important protected area located in the central Western Ghats of Karnataka state known for its diverse flora and fauna with distinct ecological features. For the last four decades the sanctuary has witnessed the loss of forest cover, yet the vegetation in few locations is relatively undisturbed. The current inventory was undertaken during 2019–2020 to provide a checklist of woody species from SWS under-researched earlier. The list comprises 269 species of trees, lianas and shrubs distributed in 207 genera and 68 families. The most diverse families are Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Anacardiaceae, representing 48% of total woody flora. The sanctuary shelters 263 native and six exotic plant species. Thirty-nine species were endemic to the Western Ghats, five species to peninsular India and one species to the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Four forest types, i.e., dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests, are represented in the sanctuary. Of the total species, only seven occurred in all forest types, while 111 species are exclusive to a single forest type. One-hundred-and-four taxa were assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List. Ten species that fall under Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories were encountered occasionally. The baseline data generated on plant diversity will be useful in highlighting the importance of these forests for species conservation and forest management. Such data form a cornerstone for further research. For instance, to understand the effect of invasive species and human impacts on the diversity of the region. 


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Do Thi Ngoc Le ◽  
Nguyen Van Thinh ◽  
Nguyen The Dung ◽  
Ralph Mitlöhner

The effects of disturbance regimes on the spatial patterns of the five most abundant species were investigated in three sites in a tropical forest at Xuan Nha Nature Reserve, Vietnam. Three permanent one-ha plots were established in undisturbed forest (UDF), lightly disturbed forest (LDF), and highly disturbed forest (HDF). All trees ≥5 cm DBH were measured in twenty-five 20 m × 20 m subplots. A total of 57 tree species belonging to 26 families were identified in the three forest types. The UDF had the highest basal area (30 m2 ha−1), followed by the LDF (17 m2 ha−1) and the HDF (13.0 m2 ha−1). The UDF also had the highest tree density (751 individuals ha−1) while the HDF held the lowest (478 individuals ha−1). Across all species, there were 417 “juveniles,” 267 “subadults,” and 67 “adults” in the UDF, while 274 “juveniles,” 230 “subadults,” and 36 “adults” were recorded in the LDF. 238 “juveniles,” 227 “subadults,” and 13 “adults” were obtained in the HDF. The univariate and bivariate data with pair- and mark-correlation functions of intra- and interspecific interactions of the five most abundant species changed in the three forest types. Most species indicated clumping or regular distributions at small scale, but a high ratio of negative interspecific small-scale associations was recorded in both the LDF and HDF sites. These were, however, rare in the UDF.


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