新疆准噶尔盆地东部波斑鸨秋季栖息地选择

2000年9月,利用粪便示踪和野外直接观察法对准噶尔盆地东部波斑鸨（Chlamydotis undulata)秋季栖息地进行了采样调查。结果表明：波斑鸨秋季栖息地地热平坦,视野开阔,广泛分布旱生和盐生荒膜植物,植被稀疏、低矮,并镶嵌有相对较高的灌丛块;影响波斑鸨秋季栖息地选择的环境因子是植被密度、物种丰富度和物候;秋季栖息地内的植被密度、草木植物种数、叉毛蓬密度、结实植物密度和物种数都极显著高于对照地内的相应成分;生长植物密度显著高于对照地;而假木贼密度和琵琶柴密度显著低于对照地。     

新疆准噶尔盆地东部鹅喉羚采食地的特征

2001—2003年5月和9月,通过野外亘接观祭米样的方法,我们对新疆准噶尔盆地东郡木垒地区鹅喉羚的采食地进行了研究。在研究区南部,分布着以盐生假木贼和蒿为主的低矮小半灌木,其间散布有木本猪毛菜和驼绒藜为优势种的条块状高灌丛。鹅喉羚多在灌丛块中采食。Mann-WhitneyU检验表明,采食地内的植物种数、植被盖度和植被高度都显著高于对照地中相应成分。主成分分析表明,影响鹅喉羚采食地选择的主要环境因子是植物种数和植被盖度。在研究区北部,分布着以沙生针茅和木地肤为主的植被,其问散布有固定和半固定沙丘。沙丘上各种灌木发育较好,鹅喉羚多在沙丘上觅食。Mann-WhitneyU检验表明,采食地内的植物种数、植被盖度、植被高度,以及蛇麻黄、木地肤和驼绒藜的盖度都显著高于对照地中相应成分。主成分分析表明,影响鹅喉羚采食地选择的主要环境因子是蛇麻黄、木地肤、扁果木蓼盖度和植物种数。     

宁夏云雾山典型草原灌丛化过程中植被和土壤演变特征

干旱半干旱区灌木、半灌木等木本植物的分布面积持续增加(灌丛化)显著改变了原有植被景观及生态过程,但缺乏对长期封育过程中灌木物种取代草本物种进而影响草地群落组成、结构和功能的研究。为揭示长期封育措施下典型草原灌丛化特征及地上/地下植物群落的响应规律,研究通过对宁夏云雾山典型草原同一封育草地不同时间(2010年、2016年、2021年)植物群落(物种重要值、丰富度、多样性和生物量)和土壤特性(土壤容重、土壤水分及储水量、养分、pH)的定点观测,探讨了长期封育过程中灌木物种矮脚锦鸡儿(Caragana brachypoda)驱动的植被和土壤特性变化。结果表明,(1)灌木矮脚锦鸡儿已经取代草本植物成为封育草地的优势种,群落中灌木生物量、总生物量以及盖度、高度显著增加,但对植物密度的影响较小;(2)灌丛化过程中草地群落Patrick丰富度指数、Simpson优势度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数显著降低,而Pielou均匀度指数显著增加;(3)灌丛化引起土壤深层(60-100 cm)容重显著增大,土层储水量随土层深度的增加呈先减少后增加的趋势;(4)灌丛化使得土壤有机碳含量在浅层(0...     

灌丛化草原灌木和草本植物光谱特征差异及灌木盖度反演——以内蒙古镶黄旗为例

灌丛化草原已成为我国干旱、半干旱地区一种重要的植被类型,但目前有关灌丛化草原灌木和草本植物光谱特征以及灌木盖度的遥感反演研究鲜有报道。相比传统的野外调查方法,基于遥感影像的灌木盖度反演为实现长时间、大范围灌丛化草原灌木盖度监测提供了可能。该研究综合利用灌木和草本植物光谱特征差异以及季相差异,以内蒙古镶黄旗灌丛化草原区为例,通过线性模型和多端元混合光谱分解模型,实现了利用中分辨率Landsat卫星影像的灌木盖度反演。对镶黄旗优势灌木和草本植物群落的光谱特征分析表明,小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)灌木群落的红边斜率、归一化植被指数和改进红边归一化植被指数值均高于以羊草(Leymus chinensis)、克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii)为优势种的草本植物群落,并且其红边位置有"红移"趋势。两种模型反演所得镶黄旗灌丛化草原区灌木盖度平均值均为13%,绝大多数区域灌木盖度低于25%。相比基于盛夏时节影像的多端元混合光谱分解模型,利用灌木和草本植物季相特征差异建立的基于初秋时节影像的线性模型更适合灌丛化草原灌木盖度的遥感反演。     

西藏雅鲁藏布江流域中段砂生槐灌丛生物量分配及碳密度

灌丛是生态系统碳密度估算中不可或缺的部分,其面积的增加被认为是我国陆地生态系统碳密度增加的一个重要原因,也是生态系统碳汇研究中最不确定的一个因素。该文采用相对生长法和收获法测定了西藏雅鲁藏布江中游18个砂生槐(Sophora moorcroftiana)灌丛样点的群落生物量,并利用实测的各器官全碳含量估算了灌丛碳密度,主要研究结果如下:1)灌木层植株盖度和生物量体积(盖度与高度的乘积)均能较好地预测各器官的生物量,但盖度对地上部分各器官生物量的预测效果优于生物量体积;2)砂生槐灌丛群落平均总生物量为5.71 Mg·hm~(–2),变化范围2.32–8.96 Mg·hm~(–2),灌木层是群落总生物量的主体部分,平均为4.08 Mg·hm~(–2),占群落总生物量的71.45%;就地上、地下生物量的分配而言,无论是灌木层还是草本层,分配到根系的生物量更多,平均为地上部分的1.17倍,其在灌木层和草本层分别为2.08和0.86 Mg·hm~(–2);3)灌丛平均碳密度为2.48 Mg·hm~(–2),其空间分布表现为雅鲁藏布江中游西部地区较高,东部地区较低。研究结果表明砂生槐生物量更多地分配到用于吸收水分和养分以及固定、支撑植物体的根系,体现了砂生槐对雅鲁藏布江流域干旱河谷环境的适应。此外,雅鲁藏布江中游东部地区灌丛群落碳密度低于西部,主要与自然环境条件(东部海拔较低、气温较高、蒸散量较大,进一步加剧干旱)和人类活动干扰有关。在未来气候变化背景下,蒸散持续降低将有助于砂生槐灌丛碳密度的增加。     

西南地区草地群落灌木植物盖度对生态系统碳库的影响

中国西南地区草地主要为暖性及热性草丛、灌草丛, 约占全国草地面积的1/10, 分析灌木植物盖度与草地碳库及其构成的关系对于准确评估尚处于次生演替阶段的南方草地碳储量具有重要意义。该研究基于野外实地调查, 将西南地区不同地貌类型的41个代表性草地样地依据灌木植物盖度划分为3种类型: 无灌木植物草地群落(灌木植物盖度为0)、低灌木植物盖度草地群落(灌木植物盖度0-10%)和高灌木植物盖度草地群落(灌木植物盖度10%-30%), 测定了群落地上、地下生物量和凋落物生物量以及植物和土壤碳含量, 计算碳密度。结果表明: 随着草地群落灌木植物盖度增大, 生态系统植被碳密度从0.304 kg·m ^-2增加到1.574 kg·m ^-2, 其中根系和凋落物碳库也呈增长趋势; 土壤碳密度从7.215 kg·m ^-2增加到9.735 kg·m ^-2, 生态系统碳密度从7.519 kg·m ^-2增加到11.309 kg·m ^-2。草地碳库构成中, 低灌木植物盖度草地群落的土壤碳库占生态系统碳库比例最小。草地群落灌木植物盖度增加改变了草地生态系统碳库构成并导致生态系统碳库增加, 建议在估算草地生态系统碳库时, 需要统筹考虑并兼顾南方地区草地群落灌木植物盖度变化。     

西南地区草地群落灌木植物盖度对生态系统碳库的影响

中国西南地区草地主要为暖性及热性草丛、灌草丛,约占全国草地面积的1/10,分析灌木植物盖度与草地碳库及其构成的关系对于准确评估尚处于次生演替阶段的南方草地碳储量具有重要意义。该研究基于野外实地调查,将西南地区不同地貌类型的41个代表性草地样地依据灌木植物盖度划分为3种类型:无灌木植物草地群落(灌木植物盖度为0)、低灌木植物盖度草地群落(灌木植物盖度0–10%)和高灌木植物盖度草地群落(灌木植物盖度10%–30%),测定了群落地上、地下生物量和凋落物生物量以及植物和土壤碳含量,计算碳密度。结果表明:随着草地群落灌木植物盖度增大,生态系统植被碳密度从0.304 kg·m~(–2)增加到1.574 kg·m~(–2),其中根系和凋落物碳库也呈增长趋势;土壤碳密度从7.215 kg·m~(–2)增加到9.735 kg·m~(–2),生态系统碳密度从7.519 kg·m~(–2)增加到11.309 kg·m~(–2)。草地碳库构成中,低灌木植物盖度草地群落的土壤碳库占生态系统碳库比例最小。草地群落灌木植物盖度增加改变了草地生态系统碳库构成并导致生态系统碳库增加,建议在估算草地生态系统碳库时,需要统筹考虑并兼顾南方地区草地群落灌木植物盖度变化。     

黄土丘陵区小流域次生灌丛群落生物量研究

生物量是整个生态系统运行的能量基础和营养物质来源。用直接收获法,对延安康家屹崂沟小流域5个次生灌丛群落类型和2个人工灌丛样地地上部生物量的研究结果表明:地上部生物量黄刺玫>杂灌>虎榛子>柠条(阴坡)>沙棘>狼牙刺>柠条(阳坡);灌木树种组成复杂的、群落盖度较大的类型生物量较大;各类型灌丛生物量在小流域空间分布上阴坡>阳坡,阴坡坡下>坡中>坡上;阳坡灌丛中的草本植物生物量比阴坡高,而灌木生物量较低。所调查的5个次生灌丛群落类型地上部生物量和生产力呈线性相关关系,回归方程Y=3.1995+0.1939X,净生产力随生物量的增加而提高。     

老君山自然保护区四川山鹧鸪非繁殖期对栖息地的利用

四川山鹧鸪（Arborophila rufipectus）是中国西南山地特产珍稀鸟类，由于亚热带阔叶林破碎化，其种群数量显著下降。2005年11—12月在老君山自然保护区，共记录四川山鹧鸪非繁殖期栖息地20个。以其新鲜粪便为中心设一个10 m×10 m大样方和4个1 m×1 m的小样方，测量每个样方中与栖息地利用有关的12个生境因子(海拔、坡向、坡度、乔木层盖度、灌木高、灌木密度、灌木层盖度、竹盖度、竹密度、雪盖度、林缘距离和道路距离)；并在距栖息地100 m处任意设对照样方1—2个，共获取30个对照样方，测量相同的生境因子。结果表明，四川山鹧鸪非繁殖期以靠近林间小道和森林边缘的次生落叶阔叶林为栖息地，主要利用海拔高度为1 000—1 600 m，坡度为2—15°的南坡；其偏爱的栖息地竹盖度、竹密度和雪盖度明显小于对照样方，而灌木盖度明显大于对照样方。对栖息地变量进一步分析表明，影响四川山鹧鸪栖息地利用的主要因子依次为地面层食物因子、地型因子、隐蔽因子、温度因子等，其中食物条件的贡献率为29.407%。四川山鹧鸪在利用栖息地时可能面对食物资源与天敌风险的权衡。因此，为了更好地保护四川山鹧鸪栖息地，应重视阔叶林的保护和恢复。     

中国亚热带山地杜鹃灌丛生物量分配及其碳密度估算

灌丛生态系统作为一个巨大的潜在碳汇,在全球碳平衡和气候调节中发挥着重要的作用。杜鹃(Rhododendron simsii)灌丛是我国亚热带山地最为常见的灌丛类型。该文采用群落调查和数学模拟方法,研究了亚热带山地杜鹃灌丛的生物量和碳密度。结果表明:1)灌木各器官最佳生物量估测模型的函数类型为幂函数和线性函数,自变量为D和D2H(D为基径,H为株高),所有模型均达到极显著水平;生长方程对茎生物量的拟合效果优于其对叶和当年枝生物量的拟合效果。2)灌木层平均生物量为20.78 Mg·hm~(–2),其中优势树种杜鹃和白檀(Symplocos paniculata)占93.63%;灌木层各器官生物量排序为茎根叶当年枝,根冠比为0.32,说明生物量更多地分配到地上光合器官,体现了灌木层植物对该区域温暖湿润的环境条件的适应。3)杜鹃灌丛群落平均总生物量为26.26 Mg·hm~(–2),灌木层、草本层和凋落物层生物量分别占79.14%、7.62%和13.25%,凋落物层生物量较高表明该研究群落具有较大的养分归还量。4)灌木层和草本层的地上生物量与地下生物量和总生物量之间存在极显著相关关系,这种关系可用于相互间的预测。5)杜鹃灌丛群落平均总生物量碳密度为11.70 Mg·hm~(–2),群落平均含碳率为44.55%,以往通过乘以转换系数0.5得到的灌丛碳密度比实际碳密度高出12.22%,导致对灌丛植被碳储量和碳汇能力的估测产生严重偏差。     

Interactive effects of grazing and shrubs on the annual plant community in semi‐arid Mediterranean shrublands

Question: We studied the interactive effects of grazing and dwarf shrub cover on the structure of a highly diverse annual plant community. Location: Mediterranean, semi‐arid shrubland in the Northern Negev desert, Israel. Methods: Variation in the biomass and plant density of annual species in the shrub and open patches was monitored during four years, inside and outside exclosures protected from sheep grazing, in two contrasting topographic sites: north and south‐facing slopes that differed in their dominant dwarf shrubs species: Sarcopoterium spinosus and Corydothymus capitatus, respectively. Results: Above‐ground biomass, density and richness of annual species were lower under the canopy of both shrub species compared to the adjacent open patches in the absence of grazing. Grazing reduced the biomass of annuals in open patches of both topographic sites, but not in the shrub patches. On the north‐facing slope, grazing also reduced plant density and richness in the open patches, but increased plant density in the shrub patches. At the species level, various response patterns to the combined effects of grazing and patch type were exhibited by different annuals. Protection against the direct impacts of grazing by shrub cover as well as species‐specific interactions between shrubs and annuals were observed. A conceptual mechanistic model explaining these interactions is proposed. Conclusion: In semi‐arid Mediterranean shrublands grazing and dwarf shrub cover interact in shaping the structure of the annual plant community through (1) direct impacts of grazing restricted to the open patches, (2) species‐specific facilitation/ interference occurring in the shrub patches and (3) subsequent further processes occurring among the interconnected shrub and open patches mediated through variation in seed flows between patches.     

Influence of light and soil moisture on Sierran mixed-conifer understory communities

Sierra Nevada forests have high understory species richness yet we do not know which site factors influence herb and shrub distribution or abundance. We examined the understory of an old-growth mixed-conifer Sierran forest and its distribution in relation to microsite conditions. The forest has high species richness (98 species sampled), most of which are herbs with sparse cover and relatively equal abundance. Shrub cover is highly concentrated in discrete patches. Using overstory tree cover and microsite environmental conditions, four habitats were identified; tree cluster, partial canopy, gap, and rock/shallow soil. Herb and shrub species were strongly linked with habitats. Soil moisture, litter depth and diffuse light were the most significant environmental gradients influencing understory plant distribution. Herb cover was most strongly influenced by soil moisture. Shrub cover is associated with more diffuse light, less direct light, and sites with lower soil moisture. Herb richness is most affected by conditions which influence soil moisture. Richness is positively correlated with litter depth, and negatively correlated with direct light and shrub cover. Disturbance or management practices which change forest floor conditions, shallow soil moisture and direct light are likely to have the strongest effect on Sierran understory abundance and richness.     

Relationships between seed banks and spatial heterogeneity of North American alvar vegetation

Abstract. This is the first quantitative study of seed bank characteristics in North American alvar habitats. We assessed seed bank density, species richness, and species composition in 75 plots distributed among five alvar sites in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario, Canada, each of which displayed areas of high and low vegetation cover within the alvar and a fully forested perimeter area. Forested habitats immediately adjacent to alvar patches contained minimal seed banks for species restricted to the alvar patches. Open alvars contained less than 1% seeds from woody forest species. This suggests that forest is not invading adjacent alvar habitat via seeds and that adjacent forest does not contain a reservoir of alvar seeds. When compared to areas on the alvar with high vascular plant cover, areas with low cover contained a slightly smaller viable seed bank, but seed banks from high and low vegetation cover plots had similar species composition and species richness. High vegetation cover plots had slightly higher mean and maximum soil depths compared with low cover plots, but no differences in other physical and chemical parameters. Thus, spatial heterogeneity in plant cover is associated only weakly with heterogeneity in below‐ground factors. Despite the availability of seed and soil resources, vegetation dynamics are constrained in areas with low plant cover, and thus alvar community development seems to respond non‐linearly to resource availability.     

The impact of human pressure on landscape patterns and plant species richness in Mediterranean coastal dunes

We analyze the spatial patterns of natural dune cover patches and their plant richness, comparing coastal sites with different levels of human pressure in central Italy. We created a detailed land cover map of dune sites. The spatial pattern of natural dune cover types was characterized by computing a set of patch-based metrics. To quantify patch plant richness, we used 16 m² vegetation plots, randomly distributed on coastal dune cover types. For each patch, the richness of the entire pool of species and of three guilds (i.e., typical dune, ruderal, and alien species) was considered. We compared different levels of human pressure on coastal dunes focusing on pattern metrics and floristic information by using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test. In sites with high human pressure, we have observed a general simplification in the natural dune spatial pattern and a decline of plant richness but with a specific response for each cover type. Alien and ruderal species presented low richness in all patches. In coastal dunes, the harsh ecological conditions and the strong sea–inland gradient shape the distribution of human activities and control the number of ruderal species. The approach effectively describes fragmentation and biodiversity in dune ecosystems.     

Rainforest seed rain into abandoned tropical Australian pasture is dependent on adjacent rainforest structure and extent

It is well known that the recovery of abandoned tropical pastures to secondary rainforest benefits from the arrival of seeds from adjacent rainforest patches. Less is known, however, about how the structural attributes of adjacent rainforest (e.g. tree density, canopy cover and tree height) impact seed rain patterns into abandoned pastures. Between 2011 and 2013, we used seed traps and ground seed surveys to track the richness and abundance of rainforest seeds entering abandoned pastures in Australia's wet tropics. We also tested how seed rain diversity is related to the distance from forest, the proportion of forest cover in the landscape and several structural attributes of adjacent forest patches, specifically average tree height, canopy cover, tree species richness and density. Almost no seeds were captured in elevated pasture seed traps, even near forest remnants. Abundant forest seeds were found in ground surveys but only within 10 m of forest edges. In ground surveys, seeds from wind‐dispersed species were more abundant, but less species rich, than animal‐dispersed species. A survey of pasture seedling recruits suggested that some forest seeds must be dispersing more than 10 m into pasture at very low frequencies, but only a few species are establishing there. Recruits were predominantly animal‐dispersed not wind‐dispersed species. In addition to distance from forest and the proportion of forest within a 100‐ to 200‐m radius of sampling sites, the richness and density of adjacent forest trees were the most important factors for explaining the probability of seed occurrence in abandoned pastures. Results suggest that without some restoration assistance, the recovery of abandoned pastures into secondary rainforest in Australia's tropical rainforests will likely be limited, at least in part, by a very low rate of seed dispersal away from forest edges and by the diversity and density of trees in adjacent remnant forests.     

Effects of grazing on patch structure in a semi‐arid two‐phase vegetation mosaic

Abstract. Question: What are the grazing effects in the spatial organization and the internal structure of high and low cover patches from a two‐phase vegetation mosaic? Location: Patagonian steppe, Argentina. Methods: We mapped vegetation under three different grazing conditions: ungrazed, lightly grazed and heavily grazed. We analysed the spatial patterns of the dominant life forms. Also, in each patch type, we determined density, species composition, richness, diversity, size structure and dead biomass of grasses under different grazing conditions. Results: The vegetation was spatially organized in a two‐phase mosaic. High cover patches resulted from the association of grasses and shrubs and low cover patches were represented by scattered tussock grasses on bare ground. This spatial organization was not affected by grazing, but heavy grazing changed the grass species involved in high cover patches and reduced the density and cover of grasses in both patch types. Species richness and diversity in high cover patches decreased under grazing conditions, whereas in low cover patches it remained unchanged. Also, the decrease of palatable grasses was steeper in high cover patches than in low cover patches under grazing conditions. Conclusions: We suggest that although grazing promotes or inhibits particular species, it does not modify the mosaic structure of Patagonian steppe. The fact that the mosaic remained unchanged after 100 years of grazing suggests that grazing does not compromize population processes involved in maintaining patch structure, including seed dispersal, establishment or biotic interactions among life forms.     

Effect of grazing on plant patterns in arid ecosystems of Patagonian Monte

Our objective was to assess the relationship between the spatial patterning of perennial grasses (total, grazed, and non‐grazed) and shrub patches in rangelands under different grazing pressures of the Patagonian Monte. We selected three grazed paddocks with the usual stocking rate for the area, where previous studies showed that a piosphere formation is common. At each paddock, we analysed the grain of heterogeneity at sites located at two distances from the single watering point (near, far), using high‐resolution aerial photographs. At these sites, we also assessed in the field the density, size, cover, and spatial patterning of grazed and non‐grazed perennial grasses and shrub patches. The grain of heterogeneity of shrub patches was coarser in sites near the watering point than in those distant from it, as a consequence of the increase in size of both, bare soil and shrub patches. Field sampling showed that a coarse grain of heterogeneity relative to fine‐grained sites resulted from changes in species composition, increased bare soil areas and reduced perennial grass cover. In coarse‐grained sites, lower perennial grass cover resulted from lower density and/or smaller size of grass bunches than in fine‐grained sites. We did not find significant differences among sites in the proportion of perennial grazed grasses. Since the density and cover of perennial grasses was higher in fine‐ than in coarse‐grained sites, we suggested that fine‐grained sites are more important as feeding stations than coarse‐grained sites. The consequences of this differential use could lead to degradation of fine‐grained sites and to higher homogeneity in spatial plant structure and floristic composition within paddocks with respect to the condition observed at present, increasing the size of the highly degraded zone within the piosphere. At the patch level, we found that at about one third of the sampled transects, both total and non‐grazed perennial grasses were spatially aggregated with shrub patches. However, in most transects grazed perennial grasses were indifferently distributed in relation with shrub patches, showing that grazers display high selectivity of foraging sites at macro level (i.e. high and low grazing pressure sites at the paddock level), but random occupancy of vegetation units (randomness in the distribution of grazed perennial grasses at the patch level). The intensity of the positive association between non‐grazed grasses and shrub patches was higher in fine‐grained than in coarse‐grained sites and may be attributed to higher protection against herbivores associated to denser shrub patches in fine‐ relative to coarse‐grained sites. We concluded that a feedback exists between the spatial distribution of species preferred by grazers and the spatial patterning of use of these species.     

Butterfly communities along an elevational gradient in the Tons valley,Western Himalayas: Implications of rapid assessment for insect conservation

As time and money is limited, explicit, cost-effective, quick, and appropriate methods are needed to assist conservation planners and managers for making quick decisions. Butterflies promise to be a good model for rapid assessment and habitat monitoring studies because they are widespread, conspicuous, and easily recognizable and they are effective indicators of forest health. We conducted a rapid assessment of butterflies at five disturbance gradient sites that varied in elevation from 900 m a.s.l. to 3500 m a.s.l. for 20 days during March–April 2010 and recorded 79 butterfly species and 1504 individuals in the Tons valley in Western Himalayas. We were able to sample approximately 77% (123 species) of the estimated species richness on continuing the sampling until July 2010. Species richness at the study site is estimated to be 159 (95% CI: 145–210) species. Diversity was highest in heterogeneous habitats and decreased towards homogeneous habitats. Unique species were highly restricted to lowest disturbed sites. Using Pearson's correlation analysis, the strongest vegetative predictors of butterfly richness were plant species richness, canopy cover, and herb and shrub density. Butterfly species richness and abundance were highly correlated with altitude, temperature, relative humidity, fire signs, and livestock abundance. We also found positive cross-taxon correlation among butterflies, moths, and beetles across sites, indicating that butterflies can be used as surrogate or indicator taxa for insect conservation. Short sampling periods providing comprehensive estimates of species richness were reliable for identifying habitats and sites with the most conservation value in the Tons valley landscape.     

Bryophyte Species Diversity in Secondary Forests Dominated by the Introduced Species Spathodea campanulata Beauv. in Puerto Rico

The introduced tree species Spathodea campanulata (Bignoniaceae) forms novel forests in Puerto Rico, these having emerged after the abandonment of fields in the mid‐20th century and resulting in forests with a new species composition. We assessed bryophyte species richness in these novel forests and sought correlations with geological substrate, past land use, forest edge and patch area, forest structure, elevation, microhabitat diversity, tree species richness, and microclimatic conditions. Transects were established (edge and forest interior) in nine moist forest patches dominated by Spathodea in north‐central Puerto Rico. These Spathodea forest patches ranged from 0.6 to 9 ha. ANOVA, Chi‐square, correlation, and cluster analyses were used in data analyses. We found 57 bryophyte species. There was a significant difference in bryophyte richness among patches. Those on karst exhibited highest bryophyte richness due to microhabitat diversity, past land use, and shorter hydroperiods. Alluvial sites scored lowest in bryophyte species richness, and forest structure was important for bryophyte communities on these sites. Significant differences in temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity were observed between edge and forest interior. These appeared important for establishing bryophyte species cover but not richness and composition. Microhabitat diversity, patch area, and forest age were more related to bryophyte species richness than elevation, exposed edge, and tree species richness, regardless of geologic substrate. Collectively, Spathodea patches were similar to mature forests on the Island with respect to bryophyte species richness and composition. Novel Spathodea forests have conservation value due to their habitat suitability for bryophyte communities.