Niche-based processes structure tropical bryophyte assemblages in phytogeographic domains of Brazil

Batista, Wanessa Vieira Silva Menezes; Pôrto, Kátia Cavalcanti; Santos, Nivea Dias dos

doi:10.1016/j.flora.2021.151875

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…However, the ongoing massive deforestation of tropical forests worldwide is leading to an unprecedented loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functions (Franco et al 2019, Cuni‐Sanchez et al 2021). While diversity, distribution and environmental niches are relatively well documented for tropical vascular plants (especially trees), our knowledge of the distribution and ecology of other important primary producers such as bryophytes remains limited (Grau et al 2007, Araújo et al 2021, Batista et al 2021, Berdugo et al 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological niches of epiphyllous bryophytes along Afrotropical elevation gradient

Doležal

Korznikov

Altman

et al. 2023

Oikos

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Understanding multiple environmental drivers governing tropical organisms' distribution and ecological niches is crucial for predicting their responses to ongoing rapid deforestation. While macroclimatic effects via energy and water availability are well predicted, less is known about locally modulating factors such as canopy structure, light and edaphic conditions. Here we show that minimum temperatures and ambient humidity drive the abundance and richness of leaf-inhabiting epiphyllous bryophytes across 4-km elevation gradient on Mount Cameroon, West Africa, separating epiphyll-rich rainforests (0-2200 m a.s.l.) from epihyll-poor fire-driven afromontane savanna (2300-4000 m a.s.l.). However, local factors contribute more than half to the total abundance and richness variation, either directly (light) or indirectly (edaphic conditions) via their effects on host plant composition. The most abundant epiphyllous communities occur in vertically stratified upland rainforests between 600 and 1100 m elevation, where N-fixing tree legumes dominate. Their canopy is relatively sparse, due to nutrient-poor soils leached by high rainfall, leaving room for the development of diverse subcanopy tree and understory shrub and herb layers with epiphyll-rich communities. Vertically homogenous lowland rainforests on fertile soils below 500 m, with dense overstory and shaded and species-poor understory, have less developed epiphylls, as do seasonally dry montane forests between 2000 and 2300 m, or elephant fragmented forests between 1200 and 1600 m. We conclude that high temperature and humidity together with a vertically stratified canopy support epiphylls, whereas precipitation seasonality, disturbed vegetation with unstable microclimate, or dense, unstratified canopy discourage the development of epiphyllous communities. Our study illustrates that ecological niches of epiphyllous bryophytes are shaped by a complex interplay of multiple drivers, knowledge of which is essential for more realistic predictions of the impacts of current accelerated habitat loss on species distribution and diversity changes in the tropics.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological niches of epiphyllous bryophytes along Afrotropical elevation gradient

Doležal

Korznikov

Altman

et al. 2023

Oikos

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“…They proposed that the pigmentation and convolute leaves might become determinant attributes during community assembly of the Amazonian epiphytic Lejeuneaceae. Thus, the investigation of the distribution of epiphytic bryophytes in tropical forest environments is a complex task because of the concomitant influence of factors such as temperature, light and, especially, humidity as well as structural aspects of the forest (Batista et al 2021; Mota de Oliveira et al . 2009; Shen et al 2019).…”

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confidence: 99%

Community assembly in epiphytic bryophyte communities along the vertical gradient in a Colombian tropical rainforest

Lombo Sanchez,

Suarez Contento,

Merchan

et al. 2023

The Bryologist

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Altitudinal gradient drives regional and local diversity and composition patterns of epiphyllous bryophytes in ecological refuges

et al. 2021

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Brejos de altitude' is an ecosystem that has been subjected to severe exploitation, leading to an intense reduction in Brazil. Understanding the patterns of bryophyte diversity and composition, particularly of specialized species such as the epiphylls, to anthropic and abiotic variables is crucial for implementing protection measures.• We investigated the relationship between composition and diversity of epiphyllous bryophytes and anthropic (edge effects) and abiotic (altitude) variables at local (within each 'Brejo') and regional (set of three 'Brejos') scale. Abiotic and anthropic variables were correlated with alpha and beta diversity (decomposed into species replacement and richness differences) using GLM. Their effects on species composition were evaluated using PERMANOVA.• The localities at higher elevations harboured a richer bryoflora and overall beta diversity patterns were associated with altitude and locality, which acted over different scales. Regionally, the contribution of richness differences was limited with increasing altitude. Yet, dissimilarities among localities were associated with richness differences and replacement, denoting the importance of local factors. The composition was explained by local factors interacting with the regional altitudinal gradient. Anthropic activity was significant only when interacting with local factors and altitudinal gradient.• Environmental filtering associated with altitude played a more important role in shaping the diversity and composition of epiphyllous bryophytes, at both regional and local scales. Each 'Brejo' acts as an ecological refuge, harbouring part of the whole environmental gradient, and presents a unique floristic composition. Moreover, partitioning beta diversity highlighted the interplay of local and regional forces shaping diversity patterns.

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Niche-based processes structure tropical bryophyte assemblages in phytogeographic domains of Brazil

Cited by 3 publications

References 52 publications

Ecological niches of epiphyllous bryophytes along Afrotropical elevation gradient

Ecological niches of epiphyllous bryophytes along Afrotropical elevation gradient

Community assembly in epiphytic bryophyte communities along the vertical gradient in a Colombian tropical rainforest

Altitudinal gradient drives regional and local diversity and composition patterns of epiphyllous bryophytes in ecological refuges

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