Island biogeography: an avenue for research in bryology

Abstract

In the present review, we provide an updated account on the level of knowledge in island bryophyte biogeography. In the framework of the 50 most fundamental questions for present and future island biology research highlighted by Patiño et al. (2017), we summarize current knowledge in bryophyte island biogeography and outline main research avenues for the future in the field. We found that only about 50% of the key current questions in island biogeography have been addressed to some extent, at least once, in bryophytes. Even fundamental questions that have caught the attention of ecologists since more than one century, such as the species-area relationship, have only rarely been dealt with in bryophytes. The application of the Island Biogeography Theory therefore opens an avenue for research in bryology, and we discuss the most salient features, including species and community phylogenetics, biotic interactions, and invasion biology.

Bryophytes of Surtsey, Iceland: Latest developments and a glimpse of the future

“…11). Patiño and Vanderpoorten (2021) emphasize the potential of the data set from Surtsey for research on bryophyte immigration/extinction rates over time, studies that otherwise only have been possible by comparison of fossil material. According to the theory of island biogeography (MacArthur & Wilson 1967), islands will eventually reach an equilibrium between immigration and extinction.…”

“…It is of a great importance not to let the gap between inventories of the bryophytes on Surtsey become too long while the island is still developing at such a fast rate. Patiño and Vanderpoorten (2021) listed 50 fundamental questions in island biogeography, stressing that many questions remain unanswered in a bryological context. Given the existing data base for Surtsey, many of these questions could be addressed by forthcoming research.…”

“…Regular monitoring of bryophytes within the permanent plots would provide valuable information on the succession of bryophyte communities on Surtsey in comparison to vascular plant communities. In a review of bryophyte island biogeography, Patiño and Vanderpoorten (2021) point out the surveys on Surtsey as a unique assessment of bryophyte colonization dynamics with high future potential.…”

Ecological drivers of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of bryophytes in an oceanic island

“…Through this comprehensive approach, we seek to address specific questions and test hypotheses as follows: How does relationship among TD, FD, and PD of bryophytes vary along an elevational gradient for both the α‐ and β‐components? Given that competitive exclusion might not exert a significant influence during bryophyte community assembly (Ah‐Peng et al., 2014; Henriques et al., 2017; Patiño & Vanderpoorten, 2021), we anticipate a strong positive relationship among TD, FD, and PD (H1a). However, under more severe conditions, which are likely encountered at the extremes of the elevation gradient or under stronger anthropogenic disturbance regimes, we may either observe no correlations or even a negative relationship among these facets of biodiversity (H1b). How do TD, FD, and PD vary across elevations and among the main bryophyte lineages?…”

“…Increasing evidence from studies focusing on functional traits, enhanced by the rise of databases dedicated to life‐history traits (Henriques et al., 2017 ; van Zuijlen et al., 2023 ), supports the idea that TD and FD are complementary facets in bryophytes (Ah‐Peng et al., 2014 ; Berdugo & Dovciak, 2019 ; Henriques et al., 2017 ; Spitale, 2016 ). While sequencing technologies are becoming more affordable, accessible, and increasingly applied to bryophyte taxa (Patiño et al., 2022 ), the number of bryological studies addressing PD patterns and their relationship with other facets of biodiversity remains comparatively low (Collart et al., 2021 ; Sanbonmatsu & Spalink, 2022 ; Shaw et al., 2005 ; Shen et al., 2022 ), namely on islands (Patiño et al., 2022 ; Patiño & Vanderpoorten, 2021 ). Indeed, due to the restricted availability of functional and phylogenetic data in macro‐ and microecological studies (Patiño et al., 2022 ), there is a possibility that key environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing the distribution of bryophytes have not been thoroughly captured yet.…”