scholarly journals Vascular Epiphyte Assemblages on Isolated Trees along an Elevational Gradient in Southwest Panama

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Calixto Rodríguez Quiel ◽  
Gerhard Zotz
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Species Richness And Diversity ◽  
Isolated Trees ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Epiphyte Species ◽  
Vascular Epiphyte

Ongoing destruction of tropical forests makes isolated pasture trees potentially important for the persistence of original forest dwellers such as many vascular epiphytes. We studied epiphyte assemblages on 100 isolated trees at ten pasture sites in southwest Panama along an elevational gradient ranging from 140 to 1240 m a.s.l. We analysed epiphyte species composition (richness, similarity) and registered climate and host trait variables of potential influence on their occurrence. We found a total of 5876 epiphyte individuals belonging to 148 species. Epiphyte abundance, species richness and diversity all varied about 4-fold among the 10 sites, with a high similarity of epiphyte assemblages among sites. Two sites at 870 and 1050 m a.s.l. did not fit into the overall elevational trend of increased abundance, species richness and diversity. However, all three measures were significantly correlated with humidity as the independent variable. This highlights that a gradient in humidity, and not elevation as such, is responsible for the typical elevational changes in epiphyte assemblages, so that special local conditions may lead to deviations from expected patterns. Our documentation of current elevational diversity patterns also provides a baseline for the study of long-term changes in epiphyte assemblages in anthropogenically modified landscapes.

Moss and vascular epiphyte distributions over host tree and elevation gradients in Australian subtropical rainforest

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (8) ◽  
pp. 696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. Sanger ◽  
James B. Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
New South ◽  
Host Tree ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
Epiphyte Species ◽  
Vascular Epiphyte

There is a lack of comprehensive studies on the ecology of epiphytic flora in Australia’s rainforests. Globally, rainforest epiphyte distribution is determined by three main factors: micro-climate within the host tree; landscape changes in macro-climate; and the characteristics of the host tree. We tested the influence of these factors on the species richness and composition of vascular and non-vascular epiphytes in the subtropical rainforest of the Border Ranges in New South Wales. Vascular epiphytes and mosses were recorded in situ from four height zones, with 10 trees sampled at five elevations between 300 and 1100 m above sea level (asl). Vascular epiphyte species richness was highest in the inner canopy (6.3 species), whereas mosses tended to have a uniform distribution over the height zones (3.8–5.0 species). We found that both moss and vascular epiphyte species richness peaked at mid-elevations (500–700 m), with moss richness at a slightly higher elevation than the vascular epiphytes. Host tree characteristics (bark roughness, host size) explained very little of the species composition or richness of epiphytes. Strong patterns in species richness and composition over host tree and elevation gradients suggest that moisture, temperature and light may be the major influences on epiphyte distributions in the Border Ranges.

scholarly journals Are Plant Species’ Richness and Diversity Influenced by Fragmentation at a Microscale?

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Species Richness And Diversity ◽  
Short And Long Term

It is argued that forest fragmentation has negative effects on biodiversity at the short and long term; however, these effects might be dependent on the specific vegetation of the study area and its intrinsic characteristics. The processes leading to fragmentation are very diverse and many of them have anthropogenic causes as logging actions and clearings for agricultural fields. Furthermore, it is thought that scale plays an important role in the expected effects of fragmentation on biodiversity. In this study the effect of forest fragmentation and its impact on the woody plants species, richness and diversity are analysed considering three vegetation types in a poorly studied and difficult access biodiversity hotspot in northern Mexico. The results show that the effects of fragmentation are dependent on the vegetation type and that these are not strongly related to the species richness, and diversity in a microscale (100 m2). Fragmentation effects on biodiversity must be analysed in a broad scale, considering the fragment as a whole. Furthermore, conservation priority should be given to the larger fragments, which could potentially maintain a higher portion of biodiversity. Management should also be focused on increasing the connectivity between these big and medium size forest patches.

scholarly journals The existence of a unimodal or monotonic pattern in species richness and diversity along an elevational gradient: a case study in Heydari Wildlife Refuge, NE Iran

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-298
Author(s):  
Zohre Atashgahi ◽  
Hamid Ejtehadi ◽  
Mansoor Mesdaghi ◽  
Fereshteh Ghasemzadeh ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Species Richness And Diversity ◽  
Ne Iran

Rediscovering Rhipsalis hoelleri (Cactaceae), a Critically Endangered species from Brazilian Atlantic Forest 

Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 498 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-68
Author(s):  
WEVERSON CAVALCANTE CARDOSO ◽  
RAQUEL NEGRÃO ◽  
VALQUÍRIA FERREIRA DUTRA ◽  
CASSIA MÔNICA SAKURAGUI
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Brazilian Atlantic Forest ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Critically Endangered Species ◽  
The World ◽  
Center Of Diversity ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Epiphyte Species ◽  
High Diversity ◽  
Vascular Epiphyte

Rhipsalis Gaertner (1788: 138) belongs to Cactaceae Juss., which is among the major taxonomic groups including the highest numbers of threatened species in the world (Goettsch et al. 2015). The center of diversity and endemism of this genus is in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, a world hotspot of biodiversity (Myers et al. 2000). This forests harbors 5% of all flowering plants species on the planet (Stehmann et al. 2009), including a high diversity of vascular epiphytes. Cactaceae is the sixth most expressive family in terms of number of epiphytes in the Atlantic Forest (2.2% of all vascular epiphyte species at the domain; Freitas et al. 2016) and Rhipsalis is the largest genus of epiphytic cacti (40 species according to Calvente 2012), highlighting the importance of this genus amongst the global epiphytic flora.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HETEROGENEITY OF HABITATS FOR THE SPECIES RICHNESS OF VASCULAR EPIPHYTES IN REMNANTS OF BRAZILIAN MONTANE SEASONAL SEMIDECIDUOUS FOREST

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-118
Author(s):  
D. E. F. Barbosa ◽  
G. A. Basílio ◽  
S. G. Furtado ◽  
L. Menini Neto
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Ecological Functions ◽  
Semideciduous Forest ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Vegetation Heterogeneity ◽  
Initial Hypothesis ◽  
Epiphyte Species ◽  
Seasonal Semideciduous Forest

Epiphytes are an important component of the diversity of tropical forests, and they also have several ecological functions. Vegetation heterogeneity is one of the features responsible for the high biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest, especially in the domain’s seasonal semideciduous forest (SSF). This biodiversity presents as high endemism and species richness. Owing to the seasonal nature of SSF, organisms that require high humidity (e.g. epiphytes) would be expected to show low species richness in these forests. The aims of this study were to conduct a survey of the vascular epiphytes in remnants of montane SSF in the Serra do Ibitipoca, Brazil, and to evaluate the importance of habitat heterogeneity for the richness and composition of species in these areas. We also evaluated whether the intrinsic characteristics of the SSF phytophysiognomy and fragmentation could result in low species richness and a high number of accidental epiphyte species. The study was conducted in the course of 18 expeditions undertaken between September 2013 and December 2016, covering five fragments of montane SSF (totalling 23.6 ha). We recorded 96 species (only one of which is an accidental epiphyte), distributed across 41 genera and 10 families. This is the highest epiphytic species richness recorded in Brazilian SSF to date. The results refuted the initial hypothesis and reinforce the importance to the epiphytic community of conservation of fragments with different structures.

scholarly journals Distribution and diversity of Papilionidae and Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in Loxicha Region, Oaxaca, Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Armando Luis-Martínez ◽  
Alejandra Sánchez García ◽  
Omar Ávalos-Hernández ◽  
José Luis Salinas-Gutiérrez ◽  
Marysol Trujano-Ortega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Tropical Deciduous Forest ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Species Richness And Diversity

Introduction: A reliable list of species and the analysis of diversity patterns of hyperdiverse taxa, like butterflies, are fundamental for monitoring and managing biological resources. Oaxaca is one of the most diverse states in Mexico for many groups including Lepidoptera and most of its diversity is unknown. Objective: to estimate and describe the species richness and diversity of Papilionidae and Pieridae along an altitudinal gradient and five vegetation types in the Loxicha Region, Oaxaca, Sierra Madre del Sur. Methods: Sampling effort comprised 222 collecting days during a period of seven years. We estimated the alpha diversity for 17 sites within an elevational gradient from 80 to 2 850 m, with five vegetation types: tropical deciduous forest (TDF), tropical sub-deciduous forest (TSDF), cloud forest (low and middle levels) (CF), oak-pine and cloud forest (high level) (OPCF) and oak-pine forest (OPF). Results: We obtained a list of 69 species (27 Papilionidae and 42 Pieridae), of 34 genera and five subfamilies, from literature records and fieldwork. These species are 60 % of the Pieridae and 48 % of the Papilionidae recorded for the state. The Loxicha Region has 36 % of the Pieridae and 30 % of the Papilionidae of Mexico. Both families present different species richness patterns by vegetation type. Papilionidae is richer in the TDF with 23 estimated species and most of the species of this family (84 %) occur below 500 m. Meanwhile, species richness of Pieridae has non-significant differences among vegetations types, except for OPF which has fewer species than the other types. The elevational gradient was divided into three levels (0-750, 750-1 800, 1 800-2 850 m) showing a reduction of species richness and diversity for both families at higher altitudes. Conclusions: Papilionidae species are more restricted to a vegetation type or elevational level than Pieridae species. Likely reasons are higher vagility (including migrations) and wider ecological tolerance of most Pieridae.

The long-term effect of typhoons on vascular epiphytes in Taiwan

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 308-315
Author(s):  
Rebecca C.-C. Hsu ◽  
Jan H.D. Wolf ◽  
Jer-Min Tsai ◽  
Yi-Chin Lin
Keyword(s):  
Term Effect ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Grid Cells ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Pearson's R ◽  
Epiphyte Communities ◽  
Pearson’S R ◽  
Vascular Epiphyte

Abstract:We used all 167 typhoon warnings issued by the Taiwanese Central Weather Bureau from 1958–2006 to assess the long-term effect of cyclone disturbance on vascular epiphytes. Tracks and eyes of past typhoons were plotted as circles with radii of Beaufort scale 7 and 10, and the frequency of each cohort in 1-km2 grid cells was calculated. The presence of vascular epiphytes in the same grid cells was predicted using species distribution models (SDMs). First, we used herbarium specimens and other sources to compile a comprehensive georeferenced vascular epiphyte database that contained 39084 records in 331 species. Next, we assigned each epiphyte record to a cell in the same 1-km2 grid as above. Finally, we used SDMs (MaXent), based on 30 environmental variables except typhoon frequency, to predict the potential presence of each species in the grid cells. For our analysis we only considered cells east of the central mountain ridge where typhoons hit with full force. After elimination of rare species and species that could not be validated in the SDMs, we were left with 156 epiphyte species in 10725 1-km2 cells. The number of projected species in the cells was 36.5 on average, varying between two and 82 species. Correlation analyses showed that, over time, typhoons led to a decrease in epiphyte richness at Beaufort scale 7 and 10 (Pearson's r = −0.07 and −0.08 respectively). Ferns, orchids, hemiepiphytes and dicotyledons generally showed the same pattern, except hemiepiphytes that showed a positive correlation at B7 (Pearson's r = 0.15). A partial canonical correspondence ordination analysis showed that, independent of temperature- and rainfall-related variables, Beaufort scale 7 and 10 typhoons also had significant influence on the species composition of the vascular epiphyte communities in the landscape. We recommend in situ monitoring of epiphytes over a long period to corroborate the suggestion from this indirect study that typhoons have a long-term effect on the distribution of epiphytes in Taiwan.

Host preference and host limitation of vascular epiphytes in a tropical dry forest of central Mexico

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 563-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Agglael Vergara-Torres ◽  
Mary Carmen Pacheco-Álvarez ◽  
Alejandro Flores-Palacios
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Host Preference ◽  
Tropical Dry Forest ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Epiphyte Species ◽  
Vascular Epiphyte

Abstract:It has been suggested that vascular epiphyte composition and abundance may be influenced by forest host composition. We studied the epiphyte species distribution among host species of a tropical dry forest in Mexico. All the epiphyte stands supported by woody plants (dbh > 3 cm) of ten forest plots (0.1 ha each) were counted. We measured the dbh of all the hosts, noted their bark characteristics (texture and peeling behaviour), and measured the bark thickness of the most abundant host species. Epiphyte distribution was biased toward a high concentration of epiphytes in three host species and a lower abundance of epiphytes on five host species. This was consistent among epiphyte taxa and host species, allowing us to classify hosts as preferred (with more epiphyte stands than expected by chance) and limiting species (with fewer epiphyte stands than expected by chance), at a community level. Host quality did not relate to mean phorophyte size (measured as basal area) or to bark characteristics (peeling behaviour, thickness and texture) between species. For some epiphyte taxa, the observed distribution indicated that the forest contained preferred and limiting host species mainly. Our data suggest that the epiphyte species in the forest studied could be host limited. We concluded that neither host size nor obvious bark characteristics can be used to predict epiphyte distribution and that further research is necessary.

The population structure of the vascular epiphytes in a lowland forest in Panama correlates with species abundance

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Zotz
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Vascular Epiphytes ◽  
Epiphyte Communities ◽  
Epiphyte Community ◽  
Vascular Epiphyte

The long-term dynamics of epiphyte communities are little studied although such baseline data are urgently needed, in particular in the context of global change. Census data of a vascular epiphyte community from 0.4 ha of undisturbed lowland forest in Panama were used to infer future changes in community composition by deducing population growth from the current size class structure of populations. The study includes 11 387 individuals out of 45 species, ranging in abundance from 16 to 1568 individuals. There was a significant negative correlation between the size of a population and the steepness of the size distribution, indicating that more common species are likely to increase in abundance in the future, while rarer species apparently depend on immigration from other populations to allow local persistence.

Functional evenness of bird communities varies along the elevational gradient in Europe: Conservation implications

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Yanina
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Functional Evenness

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

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