Forest microclimate as a driver of epiphytic bryophyte diversity along a subtropical elevational gradient
Data files
Nov 22, 2024 version files 5.18 KB
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env_rich.csv
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README.md
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Abstract
Aim: Considering the importance of microclimate in maintaining the diversity of epiphytic bryophytes, we investigated epiphytic bryophytes along an elevational gradient in the subtropical forest of eastern China to unravel the diversity patterns of epiphytic liverworts and mosses along the elevational gradients, and the roles of forest microclimates, topographic variables and host plant composition attributes in shaping these elevational diversity patterns.
Location: Tianmushan National Nature Reserve, Zhejiang, China.
Taxon: Epiphytic bryophytes.
Methods: Species diversity patterns of liverworts and mosses were compared based on inventory of 16 plots along an elevational gradient from 367 m to 1470 m. In-situ microclimatic data of air temperature and moisture were collected under constant monitoring for over three years. Spatial linear model and structural equation models were used to assess the relative roles of the environmental variables in shaping the patterns of species diversity along elevation.
Results: We found that epiphytic liverwort and moss richness showed different elevational patterns; overall richness patterns of epiphytic bryophytes were largely driven by mosses. Epiphytic mosses exhibited a decline followed by a hump-shaped pattern of species richness with increasing elevation, while epiphytic liverworts showed a mid-elevation plateau with a richness maximum between 800 and 1300 m. Forest microclimate, topography and host plant composition attributes influence epiphytic moss and liverwort patterns differently and interact in a complex way. Overall, species richness of epiphytic liverworts was most strongly affected by microclimate (mean annual air temperature of growing season) and of epiphytic mosses richness by topography (Slope). Further, epiphytic liverwort species richness was more influenced by temperature than moisture.
Main conclusions: This study highlights the importance of collecting climatic factors at a fine scale (microhabitats) for understanding the patterns and drivers of bryophyte diversity. Further, our findings demonstrate the differences between liverworts and mosses in terms of their response to different environments in the forest ecosystem.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.p2ngf1w1p
The data include the alpha diversity of bryophytes and forest microclimate in Tianmushan National Nature Reserve.
Description of the data and file structure
Bryophyte field surveys were conducted between April and November 2018, focusing on the collection of epiphytic mosses and liverworts. We assessed the alpha diversity of epiphytic bryophytes in Mt. Tianmu by calculating species richness, the exponential of the Shannon index, and the inverse of the Simpson index, respectively. We used stand basal area (BA) and plant species richness (PSR) to capture the attributes of host plant composition. Our analysis incorporates two topographic variables: slope and aspect. Slope was measured using a clinometer and aspect using a compass at the central point of each research plot. We focused on air temperature seasonality (TS), mean annual air temperature of growing season (MAT), air moisture seasonality (MS) and mean air moisture of growing season (MAM) to characterize the microclimate environment. gx: longitude (°); gy: latitude (°); Elevation (m); BA: Stand basal area; Slope; Aspect; PSR: Plant species richness; Temp_Season: Seasonality of air temperature; Temp_Annual: Mean annual air temperature of warmest quarter/growing season (6-8 month, ℃); Mois_Season: Seasonality of air moisture; Mois_Annual: Mean annual moisture of warmest quarter/growing season (6-8 month , %); Brichness: Richness of bryophytes; BShannon: expShannon of bryophytes; BSimpson : invSimpson of bryophytes; Lrichness: Richness of liverworts; LShannon: expShannon of liverworts; LSimpson: invSimpson of liverworts; Mrichness: Richness of mosses; MShannon: expShannon of mosses; MSimpson: invSimpson of mosses.