Lichen diversity in tropical dry forest is highly influenced by the host tree traits including tree species

Abstract:

Tropical dry forests have been recognized as one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world due to deforestation. These ecosystems, can harbor high levels of endemisms of epiphytes, which play a major role in the functioning of the forests. Bryophytes and lichens constitute an important fraction of the epiphytes. These poikilohydric organisms respond drastically to increasing disturbance that is strongly linked to humidity and light availability. We hypothesized that richness and species composition would be related to differences in forest structure (eg canopy openness) promoted by deforestation, and by host tree characteristics, due to the fact that dry forests generally have poor microclimatic stratification and low diversity of tree species. In this study, we assessed the composition and richness of epiphytes (lichens and bryophytes) on the trunks of 513 trees in undisturbed and disturbed forests of southern Ecuador. Diversity and richness were related whit canopy cover, mean tree diameter and richness of trees. Thus, epiphytic was highly correlated with characteristics of the host trees as bark texture, tree diameter and tree species. We concluded that epiphytic communities (lichens and bryophytes) in seasonal dry tropical forests of Ecuador are limited by host traits, and particularly by host tree species and substrate quality.

Año de publicación:

2016

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Fuente:

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