Vascular flora of dry scrub in Southern Ecuador

Cabrera-Cisneros, Omar; Tinitana, Fani; Cumbicus, Nixon; Prina, Aníbal

doi:10.54753/cedamaz.v12i2.1319

Cited by 1 publication

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References 8 publications

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“…The Ecuadorian montane scrublands (EMS), located along the inter-Andean valley, are part of the diversity hotspot known as the Tropical Andes and Tumbes–Chocó–Magdalena region [ 1 ]. The EMSs are very diverse ecosystems in flora and fauna, with endemic species that are frequently threatened by deforestation [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ], overgrazing (cattle and goats), and conversion to eucalyptus ( Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) and pine ( Pinus radiata D. Don) plantations [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological Crust Diversity Related to Elevation and Soil Properties at Local Scale in a Montane Scrub of Ecuador

Ruiz

Carrión-Paladines

Vega

et al. 2023

JoF

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The montane shrublands of southern Ecuador represent one of the least studied ecosystems, which in the last decade have been seriously threatened by increasing wildfires, deforestation, overgrazing, and conversion to forest plantations. Our main objective was to determine, at the local scale, the diversity of species composing the biological soil crust (BSC) at three elevations (2100, 2300, and 2500 m.a.s.l.) and their possible relationships with soil physical and chemical properties in montane shrublands. For this purpose, three monitoring plots of 100 m2 were established at each elevation, and within each plot, 20 subplots were established (180 subplots sampled in total). In addition, composite soil samples were collected at a depth of 0 to 10 cm, and some physical and biochemical parameters (e.g., bulk density, texture, pH, organic matter, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and potassium) of the soil were analyzed. The results show 35 species (23 lichens, 10 bryophytes and 2 cyanobacteria) at three elevations with a bell-shaped or hump-shaped distribution pattern. This allowed us to point out that the species richness was higher at the intermediate elevations and that the composition showed significant differences in the three elevations related to soil factors. Elevation and soil drivers may help to better chose the more suitable biological soil crust (lichen-dominated and bryophyte-dominated BSC) for the management and conservation of the montane scrub of Ecuador, which is strongly threatened by human activities.

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