Vascular Epiphyte Diversity Differs with Host Crown Zone and Diameter, but Not Orientation in a Tropical Cloud Forest

Wang, Xixi; Long, Wenxing; Schamp, Brandon S.; Yang, Xiong‐Li; Kang, Yong; Xie, Zhixu; Xiong, Menghui

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158548

Cited by 32 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…families (i.e. Laube & Zotz 2003;Wang et al 2016). This tendency has been widely observed in Amazonian forests (Nieder et al 2000;Pos & Sleegers 2010;Obermüller et al 2012;Quaresma & Jardim 2014;Boelter et al 2015), except for the study of Irume et al (2013) in upland forests (terra firme forests), where Araceae was the most speciose family recorded.…”

Section: Composition and Diversitymentioning

confidence: 83%

Composition, diversity and structure of vascular epiphytes in two contrasting Central Amazonian floodplain ecosystems

et al. 2017

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Research focusing on assemblages of vascular epiphytes in the Amazon are scarce. Th is is especially true for Amazonian fl oodplain forests, for which only two previous studies have been published. We compared composition, richness and structure of epiphyte assemblages in white-water and black-water fl oodplains (várzea and igapó) in Central Amazonia in order to close knowledge gaps concerning the distribution and richness of epiphytes. We established sixteen 25x25 m plots in each forest type, and counted and identifi ed all species of vascular epiphytes occurring on trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥10 cm. We observed a clear distinction in epiphytic species composition (r 2 =0.83, p=0.001) and diversity (t=3.24, P=0.003) between the two environments, with 61.5 % of species being restricted to várzea, 22.9 % restricted to igapó and only 15.6 % common to both ecosystems. Th e fl oodplains were also structurally diff erent for the most abundant species and those with the highest Epiphytic Importance Value (IVe). Th e diversity of trees did not infl uence the epiphyte diversity in either ecosystem. Th e forests were found to diff er in the composition, diversity and structure of their epiphytic assemblages, which must be taken into account when designing conservation action plans for these ecosystems and for their vascular epiphytes.

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Section: Composition and Diversitymentioning

confidence: 83%

Composition, diversity and structure of vascular epiphytes in two contrasting Central Amazonian floodplain ecosystems

et al. 2017

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“…However, with only about 5% contribution of the spatial variables to the total variance in species richness, compared to 68% explained by canopy‐island size, the role of spatial gradients within the canopy appears to be smaller than we expected. This is particularly surprising since trees tend to have different epiphyte communities in different parts of the crown (Wang et al., ; Woods, Cardelús, & De Walt, ), which would, on top of differences in connectivity, add variation in the living conditions for epiphyte‐dwelling spiders.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As expected by the ETIB, nearby islands were more similar than islands at a larger distance from each other, up to a distance of about 4 m. Apart from providing shorter dispersal distances, short distances between islands also imply a similar environment, which may also partly explain species similarity. This is illustrated by the increase in similarity at distances above 5 m, which is clearly not attributable to easy dispersal between islands but most likely to the similar microhabitat experienced at opposite positions in the outer crown (Scheffers et al., ; Wang et al., ; Woods et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Islands in the trees: A biogeographic exploration of epiphyte‐dwelling spiders

Méndez‐Castro

Bader

Mendieta‐Leiva

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim Epiphytic plants are isolated from each other by nonhabitat canopy elements and are thus expected to act as islands, the biodiversity of their inhabitants (e.g., spiders) conforming to island biogeographic predictions of species‐richness patterns. Although it has been shown that arthropod diversity decreases with decreasing epiphyte size, the effects of isolation have not yet been addressed. We studied the joint effect of isolation, spatial position, and size of epiphytic plants (canopy islands) on species richness, relative rareness, and similarity of spider communities. Location A shade‐coffee plantation in central Veracruz, Mexico. Taxon Spiders (Araneae), vascular epiphytes (Bromeliaceae, Piperaceae, Orchidaceae, Araceae, Pteridophyta). Methods We collected all canopy islands occurring on three trees and recorded their three‐dimensional spatial position. In the laboratory, we disassembled the plants and collected all spiders present. We analysed the effects of island size, isolation, and spatial position on the species richness and the relative rareness of spider communities using generalized linear models (GLM), on the distribution of different spider guilds using a CCA, and on community composition using a permutational multivariate analysis of variance (Permanova). Isolation and spatial position were addressed using five distance measures representing isolation from different potential species sources. We tested how the similarity in spider community composition changed with the distance between islands using Mantel correlograms. Results As predicted by island biogeography theory, spider species richness increased with canopy‐island size and decreased with isolation. In comparison to island size, the effect of isolation was weak, though significant. Relative rareness was hardly affected by island size but more by isolation. Compositional similarity was affected by island size and decreased with increasing spatial distance up to ca. 4 m. Guilds separated along the main CCA axes, this ordination being driven by epiphyte size and position. Main conclusions Epiphytic plants behaved like canopy islands in that their size and isolation influenced the diversity and composition of spider communities. However, the effect of isolation was only a fraction of that of island size, perhaps because spatial relationships are taxon‐specific. This may be due to differences in hunting behaviour and dispersal capacities, for example, between guilds of hunting and web‐building spiders, which is a dimension deserving more attention. For a better understanding of biogeographic principles driving the diversity of canopy island inhabitants, further research on this topic should include position and isolation, at scales matching the mobility of different functional groups, as part of their explanatory variables.

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“…Southwood and Kennedy (1983) proposed considering trees as ''islands'' in an island biogeography context; our proposal expands on this idea. Tree trunks are known to harbour a rich array of microflora and fauna (Prinzing 2001;Wang et al 2016). In certain environments, such as the one we describe here, and others (e.g., Benítez et al 2015), tree trunks are covered with a rich diversity of lichens, some of which are common, and some of which are rare (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Is it common to be rare on the landscape? A test using a novel model system

Wiersma

McMullin

2017

Landscape Ecol

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Context Understanding how rare species are distributed can be difficult due to heterogeneity between landscape units. Lack of statistical replication of landscapes can make it difficult to carry out testing. Model systems may be a solution. Objectives We test whether lichen thalli along the trunk of a tree are analogous to habitat patches in a kilometers-extent landscape and hence can function as a model system. This model system allows for increased statistical power. We use this system to test whether landscapes with rare species are different from those without. Methods We sampled macrolichen diversity along the trunk of 24 balsam fir trees in a stand on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada, along with microclimate variables. We analysed difference in pattern by aspect and along the gradient of 1 m up the trunk as well as between trees containing the rare Erioderma pedicellatum and those without. Results We found no difference in total patch richness or abundance between the micro-landscapes. We found significantly consistent patterns in lichen patches along the trunk. These patterns were similar on the trees with the rare species. Lichen species richness did not differ between trees containing the rare species versus those that did not. Conclusions Lichen patch pattern is statistically similar between trees and as such, these can be considered as replicate landscape units. Thus, landscape ecologists can use micro-landscapes as model systems to conduct observational and manipulative experiments to test questions about spatial pattern and process, such as those concerning distribution of rare species.

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Vascular Epiphyte Diversity Differs with Host Crown Zone and Diameter, but Not Orientation in a Tropical Cloud Forest

Cited by 32 publications

References 33 publications

Composition, diversity and structure of vascular epiphytes in two contrasting Central Amazonian floodplain ecosystems

Composition, diversity and structure of vascular epiphytes in two contrasting Central Amazonian floodplain ecosystems

Islands in the trees: A biogeographic exploration of epiphyte‐dwelling spiders

Is it common to be rare on the landscape? A test using a novel model system

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