Mountain biodiversity

Spehn, Eva; Rudmann-Maurer, Katrin; Körner, Christian

doi:10.1080/17550874.2012.698660

Cited by 108 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Large numbers of evolutionary radiations have been recorded in alpine plant groups [3], and references therein, contributing to the high species diversity of vascular plants found in many mountain systems [4, 5]. In fact, alpine life zones around the world are proportionally more species-rich than expected by the area they occupy [6]. In addition, alpine habitats occur at all latitudes allowing for global comparisons [7], which renders them particularly attractive to study evolutionary radiations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary radiations in the species-rich mountain genus Saxifraga L.

et al. 2017

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BackgroundA large number of taxa have undergone evolutionary radiations in mountainous areas, rendering alpine systems particularly suitable to study the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that have shaped diversification patterns in plants. The species-rich genus Saxifraga L. is widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, with high species numbers in the regions adjacent to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in particular the Hengduan Mountains and the Himalayas. Using a dataset of 297 taxa (representing at least 60% of extant Saxifraga species), we explored the variation of infrageneric diversification rates. In addition, we used state-dependent speciation and extinction models to test the effects of geographic distribution in the Hengduan Mountains and the entire QTP region as well as of two morphological traits (cushion habit and specialized lime-secreting glands, so-called hydathodes) on the diversification of this genus.ResultsWe detected two to three rate shifts across the Saxifraga phylogeny and two of these shifts led to radiations within two large subclades of Saxifraga, sect. Ciliatae Haworth subsect. Hirculoideae Engl. & Irmsch. and sect. Porphyrion Tausch subsect. Kabschia Engl. GEOSSE analyses showed that presence in the Hengduan Mountains had a positive effect on diversification across Saxifraga. Influence of these mountains was strongest in Saxifraga sect. Ciliatae subsect. Hirculoideae given its pronounced distribution there, and thus the radiation in this group can be classified at least partially as geographic. In contrast, the evolution of the cushion life form and lime-secreting hydathodes had positive effects on diversification only in selected Saxifraga sections, including sect. Porphyrion subsect. Kabschia. We therefore argue that radiation in this group was likely adaptive.ConclusionsOur study underlines the complexity of processes and factors underpinning plant radiations: Even in closely related lineages occupying the same life zone, shifts in diversification are not necessarily governed by similar factors. In conclusion, alpine plant radiations result from a complex interaction among geographical settings and/or climatic modifications providing key opportunities for diversification as well as the evolution of key innovations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-017-0967-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary radiations in the species-rich mountain genus Saxifraga L.

et al. 2017

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“…Tropical mountains are well known to support impressively high species diversity and endemism (Körner, Nakhutsrishvili & Spehn, 2006; Spehn et al, 2012), and the tropical Andes, in particular, stand out as a biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al, 2000; Antonelli & San Martín, 2011; Jenkins, Pimm & Joppa, 2013). One unique Andean ecosystem, nestled in the humid and dry Puna along the Andes, is the Polylepis forest (Simpson, 1979; Simpson, 1986; Kessler, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian community structure and habitat use ofPolylepisforests along an elevation gradient

Sevillano-Ríos

Rodewald

2017

PeerJ

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BackgroundAs one of the highest forest ecosystems in the world, Polylepis forests are recognized both as center of endemism and diversity along the Andes and as an ecosystem under serious threat from habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change due to human activities. Effective conservation efforts are limited, in part, by our poor understanding of the ecology and habitat needs of the ecosystem’s flora and fauna.MethodsIn 2014–2015, we studied bird communities and 19 associated local and landscape attributes within five forested glacial valleys within the Cordillera Blanca and Huascaran National Park, Peru. We surveyed birds during the dry (May–August) and wet (January–April) seasons at 130 points distributed along an elevational gradient (3,300–4,700 m) and analyzed our data using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA).ResultsWe associated a total of 50 species of birds, including 13 species of high conservation concern, with four basic habitat types: (1) Polylepis sericea forests at low elevations, (2) P. weberbaueri forests at high elevations, (3) Puna grassland and (4) shrublands. Four species of conservation priority (e.g., Microspingus alticola) were strongly associated with large forest patches (∼10-ha) of P. sericea at lower elevations (<3,800 m), whereas another four (e.g., Anairetes alpinus) were associated with less disturbed forests of P. weberbaueri at higher elevations (>4,200 m).DiscussionResults suggest two key strategies form the cornerstones of conservation efforts: (a) protect large remnant (>10-ha) P. sericea forests at lower elevations and (b) maintain all relicts of P. weberbaueri, irrespective of size, at high elevations (>4,200 m).

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“…Therefore, habitat services are the basis for most other functions and EGS . Because mountain areas are storehouses of global biodiversity (Spehn et al 2010), changes in the availability of different habitats also have implications that range beyond our case study regions.…”

Section: Drought-sensitive Inner Alpine Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Land-use Practices in European Mountain Regions under Global Change: an Integrated Research Approach

Huber¹,

Bugmann²,

Buttler³

et al. 2013

E&S

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ABSTRACT. This Special Feature on sustainable land-use practices in European mountain regions presents results from the inter-and transdisciplinary research project MOUNTLAND. The goal was to investigate the sensitivity of the provision of ecosystem services to both climatic and land-use changes and to suggest alternative policies and governance structures for mitigating the impact of such changes and enhancing sustainable management practices in mountain regions. The individual articles provide: (1) new scientific findings regarding the impacts of climate and land-use changes on ecosystem processes in three sensitive mountain regions of Switzerland; (2) an assessment of the feedback effects arising from changing socioeconomic and political conditions, land use, and adaptation to climate change, using modeling techniques and transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions; and (3) suggestions for alternative policy solutions to ensure sustainable land use in mountain regions. In our synthesis of the project, we provide insights from the ecological, socioeconomic, and political sciences in the context of humanenvironment interactions in mountain regions. The innovation of this Special Feature lies in the fact that all articles present truly inter-or transdisciplinary research, ranging from natural sciences to economics and political sciences, based on an overarching set of unifying research questions.

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Mountain biodiversity

Cited by 108 publications

References 13 publications

Evolutionary radiations in the species-rich mountain genus Saxifraga L.

Evolutionary radiations in the species-rich mountain genus Saxifraga L.

Avian community structure and habitat use ofPolylepisforests along an elevation gradient

Sustainable Land-use Practices in European Mountain Regions under Global Change: an Integrated Research Approach

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