A study of community structure and beta diversity of epiphyllous liverwort assemblages in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Abstract

We evaluated the species richness and beta diversity of epiphyllous assemblages from three selected localities in Sabah, i.e. Mt. Silam in Sapagaya Forest Reserve, and Ulu Senagang and Mt. Alab in Crocker Range Park. A total of 98 species were found and a phytosociological survey was carried out based on the three study areas. A detailed statistical analysis including standard correlation and regression analyses, ordination of species and leaves using centered principal component analysis, and the SDR simplex method to evaluate the beta diversity, was conducted. Beta diversity is very high in the epiphyllous liverwort assemblages in Sabah, with species replacement as the major component of pattern formation and less pronounced richness difference. The community analysis of the epiphyllous communities in Sabah makes possible their detailed description and comparison with similar communities of other continents.

An updated checklist of liverworts and hornworts of Malaysia

“… bidenticulatum ), Herzog (1950) , Kitagawa and Kodama (1973) , Tixier (1974 as A. bidenticulatum ), Kürschner (1990) , Pócs et al (2020) . Kedah, Johor, Sarawak, Sabah.…”

“… Caudalejeunea reniloba (Gottsche) Steph. – Stephani (1912 as C. serrata ), Verdoorn (1934a) , Herzog (1952b) , Mizutani (1966 , 1969 , also as C. stephanii , 1988, also as C. recurvistipula ), Tixier (1971 as C. stephanii , 1980a), Kitagawa and Kodama (1974) , Thiers (1985) , Pócs et al (2020) , Pesiu et al (2021 , in press). Penang, Perak, Selangor, Pahang, Malacca, Terengganu, Johor, Sarawak, Sabah.…”

“… Cheilolejeunea ceylanica (Gottsche) R.M.Schust. et Kachroo – Schiffner (1898 as Pycnolejeunea ceylanica ), Mizutani (1966 , 1970 , 1980 ), Tixier (1972 , 1974 both as P. arietina , 1980a as Xenolejeunea ceylanica ), Kitagawa and Kodama (1974) , Grolle (1979) , Kürschner (1990) , Wolseley et al (1996) , Zhu and So (2001) , Pócs et al (2020) , Pesiu et al (2021) . Kedah, Penang, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, Terengganu, Sabah.…”

“…The first checklist of liverworts and hornworts of Malaysia, recognizing 727 species and 37 infraspecific taxa in 127 genera and 39 families, was published by Chuah-Petiot (2011) . Lee et al (2018) presented a review of the history of liverwort exploration in Malaysia and the more recent papers on Malaysian liverworts, and further additions to the liverwort flora were published by Pócs et al (2020) , Pesiu et al (2021) and Sarimi et al (2021) . A manual of the genera of liverworts and hornworts of Malaysia has been prepared by Lee and Gradstein (2021) .…”

First floristic study on epiphyllous bryophytes of the state Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia

“…The bryophyte diversity in Malaysia is neither completely known nor well studied but nonetheless appears to be rich with almost 2250 species and infraspecific taxa (Lee et al 2019). The history of liverwort exploration and recent papers on Malaysian liverworts have been reviewed by Lee et al (2018), and the first study on epiphyllous communities in Sabah has been conducted by Pócs et al (2020). Although Malaysian bryophytes have been collected since the 19 th century, many areas in Peninsular Malaysia are still under-collected; for example, only two species of liverworts have been reported in Terengganu (Pócs and Lee 2016;Lee et al 2018Lee et al , 2019.…”