Bryophyte diversity on Adirondack alpine summits is maintained by dissemination and establishment of vegetative fragments and spores

Robinson, Sean; Miller, Norton G.

doi:10.1639/0007-2745-116.4.382

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…For larger unspecialized fragments, there is also evidence of long‐distance dispersal. For example, Robinson and Miller () found wind‐dispersed viable bryophyte leaves and branch fragments on snow deposits. Viable stem fragments were detected in the fur and hooves of roe deer and wild boar (Heinken, Lees, Raudnitschka, & Runge, ), of sheep (Pauliuk, Müller, & Heinken, ) and ground‐dwelling small mammals (Barbé et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Floating ability, shoot length and abundance facilitate hydrochorous dispersal of moss and liverwort fragments

Boedeltje

Sollman²,

Lenssen³

2019

J Vegetation Science

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Question Vegetative diaspores are pivotal to the ability of bryophytes to colonize new areas, but life‐history traits and other factors facilitating vegetative hydrochorous dispersal are largely unknown. Here, we ask whether hydrochorous dispersal of vegetative bryophyte fragments can be predicted by specific traits in addition to discharge and abundance of species in the vegetation. Location The Twentekanaal, a navigation canal in the Netherlands. Methods Over a one‐year period, viable bryophyte fragments dispersed in the canal were quantified using a 200‐μm net and related to five potentially predicting variables. These variables are fragment buoyancy, shoot length, growth form, abundance in the vegetation and discharge. Buoyancy of fragments including regeneration was determined experimentally for all species found; other traits were derived from the literature. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model approach was adopted to identify the traits and trait–discharge interactions best explaining the presence of fragments in water. Results Of the 144 samples collected, 77% contained bryophyte fragments. A total of 54,514 fragments were counted, representing 18 species. The free‐floating Riccia fluitans was the most abundant species, followed by Brachythecium rutabulum. In total, 55% of the variation in diaspore presence of sessile species could be explained by abundance in the vegetation, buoyancy and shoot length. Of the sessile species of which fragments were trapped, mean floating time (T50) was 5.9 days and mean shoot length 79 mm. Species that occurred in the vegetation, but were not found in the water had a significantly lower buoyancy and shoot length. Conclusions We conclude that abundance in the vegetation, buoyancy and shoot length are significant predictors for vegetative hydrochorous dispersal of aquatic and riparian bryophytes. As fragments of species found are able to regenerate after being in water for weeks, they may contribute to colonization of new favourable substrate patches along water bodies after being dispersed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Floating ability, shoot length and abundance facilitate hydrochorous dispersal of moss and liverwort fragments

Boedeltje

Sollman²,

Lenssen³

2019

J Vegetation Science

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“…Likewise, in sub-Arctic Siberia (Anabar Peninsula), only 27 of the 520 species (19.3%) presented any signs of specialized vegetative reproduction (Fedosov et al 2011). However, given that fragments of the vegetative body can typically regenerate entire plant bodies (Shaw 1986), establishment of Arctic bryophytes may result primarily from the dispersal of unspecialized vegetative fragments (Longton 1988), as is, for example, reported from alpine habitats (Robinson and Miller 2013). On High Arctic Bathurst Island, up to 4000 gametophyte fragments may be recovered per cubic metre of snow (Miller and Ambrose 1976), with similar results found in montane tundra (McDaniel and Miller 2000).…”

Section: Long-distance Dispersalmentioning

confidence: 55%

Future directions and priorities for Arctic bryophyte research

et al. 2017

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The development of evidence-based international strategies for the conservation and management of Arctic ecosystems in the face of climate change is hindered by critical knowledge gaps in Arctic floristic diversity and evolution. Particularly poorly studied are the bryophytes, which dominate the vegetation across vast areas of the Arctic and consequently play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. Currently, much of what is known about Arctic floristic evolution is based on studies of vascular plants. Bryophytes, however, possess a number of features, such as poikilohydry, totipotency, several reproductive strategies, and the ability to disperse through microscopic diaspores, that may cause their responses to Arctic environments to differ from those of the vascular plants. Here we discuss several priority areas identified in the Arctic Council's "Arctic Biodiversity Assessment" that are necessary to illuminate patterns of Arctic bryophyte evolution and diversity, including dispersal, glacial refugia, local adaptation, and ecological interactions with bryophyte-associated microbiomes. A survey of digitally available herbarium data archived in the largest online aggregate, GBIF, across the Arctic to boreal zones indicates that sampling coverage of mosses is heterogeneous and relatively sparse in the Arctic sensu stricto. A coordinated international effort across the Arctic will be necessary to address knowledge gaps in Arctic bryophyte diversity and evolution in the context of ongoing climate change.Key words: biodiversity, dispersal, local adaptation, microbiome, phylogeography.

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“…Epiphytes are a key component of forest canopies and play important roles in maintaining biodiversity (e.g., fauna diversity; Ozanne et al, 2003 ; Ellwood and Foster, 2004 ; May, 2010 ) and ecosystem functioning (e.g., carbon and nutrient cycling; Umana and Wanek, 2010 ; Benzing, 2012 ; Lowman and Schowalter, 2012 ). Considering that many epiphytes are clonal and also most of the dominant epiphytes are clonal (Jackson et al, 1985 ; During, 1990 ; de Kroon and van Groenendael, 1997 ; Benzing, 2012 ; Robinson and Miller, 2013 ), we hypothesize further that resource sharing may also play important roles during the underlying processes by promoting survival and growth of clonal epiphytes. Therefore, further studies could be designed to examine whether effects of resource sharing within clones of epiphytes can be cascaded to affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Almost all epiphytic bryophytes and lichens and many vascular epiphytes are capable of clonal growth (Jackson et al, 1985 ; During, 1990 ; de Kroon and van Groenendael, 1997 ; Benzing, 2012 ; Robinson and Miller, 2013 ). Different ramets within a clone are often interconnected via rhizomes, stolons or roots so that resource sharing (physiological integration) within the clone is possible (Eilts et al, 2011 ; Cornelissen et al, 2014 ; Weiser and Smycka, 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survival and Growth of Epiphytic Ferns Depend on Resource Sharing

Song

Liu

et al. 2016

Front. Plant Sci.

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Locally available resources can be shared within clonal plant systems through physiological integration, thus enhancing their survival and growth. Most epiphytes exhibit clonal growth habit, but few studies have tested effects of physiological integration (resource sharing) on survival and growth of epiphytes and whether such effects vary with species. We conducted two experiments, one on individuals (single ramets) and another on groups (several ramets within a plot), with severed and intact rhizome treatments (without and with physiological integration) on two dominant epiphytic ferns (Polypodiodes subamoena and Lepisorus scolopendrium) in a subtropical montane moist forest in Southwest China. Rhizome severing (preventing integration) significantly reduced ramet survival in the individual experiment and number of surviving ramets in the group experiment, and it also decreased biomass of both species in both experiments. However, the magnitude of such integration effects did not vary significantly between the two species. We conclude that resource sharing may be a general strategy for clonal epiphytes to adapt to forest canopies where resources are limited and heterogeneously distributed in space and time.

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Bryophyte diversity on Adirondack alpine summits is maintained by dissemination and establishment of vegetative fragments and spores

Cited by 14 publications

References 30 publications

Floating ability, shoot length and abundance facilitate hydrochorous dispersal of moss and liverwort fragments

Floating ability, shoot length and abundance facilitate hydrochorous dispersal of moss and liverwort fragments

Future directions and priorities for Arctic bryophyte research

Survival and Growth of Epiphytic Ferns Depend on Resource Sharing

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