Vertical distribution of epiphytic bryophytes in Atlantic Forest fragments in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Th e microclimatic gradient established from the forest understory to the canopy provides a range of diff erent conditions for the establishment of bryophytes along the height of a tree. We investigated epiphytic bryophyte communities of four fragments of Atlantic Forest with the aim of describing their vertical zonation and assessing diff erentiation among the communities of the diff erent fragments. In each fragment, fi ve host trees were selected from which bryophyte samples were collected in four height zones from the base to the canopy. Furthermore, 10 plots were demarcated in each fragment where bryophytes were collected from the understory. In total, 114 bryophyte species were found on the 20 sampled phorophytes, plus an additional 51 species in the understory, for a total of 165 species. Species composition of height zones diff ered signifi cantly between communities of the trunk base and the canopy. Th e samples from the understory included 77% of all species. Among all species found, 10 showed a signifi cant preference for a specifi c height. Around 70% of the bryophyte species grew as mats; this life form occurred in all trees and height zones. Th e results showed a weak, yet signifi cant, vertical gradient, which diff ers from what is usually found in the Atlantic Forest.

Species richness and composition of epiphytic bryophytes in flooded forests of Caxiuanã National Forest, Eastern Amazon, Brazil

“…Regarding the distribution of species per families, the bryoflora of the studied floodable forests was consistent with what is known in tropical lowland forests, concerning the predominance of liverworts, especially because of the richness of Lejeuneaceae (Gradstein et al 2001, Oliveira andMota-de-Oliveira 2016). This has been a frequent result in studies with bryophytes performed in tropical forests in South America (Cornelissen and Gradstein 1990, Acebey et al 2003, Gradstein and Costa 2003, Campelo and Pôrto 2007, Mota-deOliveira et al 2009, Brito and Ilkiu-Borges 2014, Garcia et al 2014, Pantoja et al 2015, Oliveira and Mota-de-Oliveira 2016.…”

“…This has been a frequent result in studies with bryophytes performed in tropical forests in South America (Cornelissen and Gradstein 1990, Acebey et al 2003, Gradstein and Costa 2003, Campelo and Pôrto 2007, Mota-deOliveira et al 2009, Brito and Ilkiu-Borges 2014, Garcia et al 2014, Pantoja et al 2015, Oliveira and Mota-de-Oliveira 2016. This family experienced recent periods of rapid diversification coinciding with the rise of the angiosperms in the Cretaceous (Feldberg et al 2014, Bechteler et al 2016, providing a wide morphological variation that allows them to develop in different environments, especially in tropical forests representing up to 70% of the bryoflora (Gradstein 1979, 1994, 1997, Gradstein et al 2001.…”

Bryophyte communities across the ecological succession process in the Caxiuanã National Forest, Pará, Brazil

“…As microenvironmental conditions may significantly influence species composition along a vertical gradient (Oliveira & ter Steege 2015, Oliveira & Oliveira 2016, it is believed that microenvironmental conditions can influenced the composition of species recorded throughout the successional stages as well.…”

Contribuições À Brioflora Do Estado Do Ceará, Brasil

“…O Brasil possui uma grande diversidade de briófitas, com cerca de 1524 espécies catalogadas, das quais 11 são antóceros, 633 hepáticas e 880 musgos . O número de publicações para a região nordeste vem crescendo bastante BASTOS, 2014;SILVA et al, 2014;REIS et al, 2015;OLIVEIRA, 2016;SILVA et al, 2016;SOUZA et al, 2016;VILAS BÔAS-BASTOS et al, 2017;VIEIRA et al, 2017;VALENTE et al, 2017;COSTA et al, 2018, TEIXEIRA et al 2019. O Ceará destaca-se como um estado com significativos avanços nos estudos taxonômicos de briófitas.…”