Vascular plant and bryophytes species representation in the protected areas network on the national scale

The complexity of nature conservation raises questions about biodiversity protection at the level of species as well as their spatial distribution between differently designated nature conservation areas. We have concentrated on comparison of the existing protected areas and recently established conservation initiative areas—Important Plant Areas. We have estimated how well these areas support the protection of two plant groups—bryophytes and vascular plants. We sought answers to the following questions: (a) are there any trends in the distribution of protected bryophyte and vascular plant species in the protected areas network, and (b) does the Important Plant Areas network promote better protection of bryophyte species compared with the existing protected areas network. Our results demonstrated that bryophytes need special care in nature conservation decisions to reach the reasonable conservation target. Important Plant Areas that were targeted to vascular plants have less importance in preserving bryophyte diversity than already existing conservation areas system. Conservation programs like IBA, IPA etc. have their specific tool and outcome to add conservation values to the existing protected areas system.     

苔藓植物对植物天然更新的影响

种子是天然更新的基础,幼苗和幼树的生长是天然更新过程中最敏感的阶段。苔藓植物作为许多生态系统的主要地被物,在维管植物天然更新过程中发挥着不容忽视的作用。在许多植被类型中,都有发育良好的苔藓群落,大量的研究证明它们的存在影响到维管植物的萌发、建成和生长,并且可能进一步影响到物种的共生,有一些种类甚至可能指示树种的更新。本文就苔藓植物对物种更新早期阶段的作用和影响进行了综述。包括苔藓植物的生理特性造成的微气候变化;苔藓群落对种子传播、萌发及幼苗建成的影响。并讨论了苔藓植物与更新物种的种间关系及其对幼苗生长的化感作用。     

Spatial scale affects bioclimate model projections of climate change impacts on mountain plants

Plant species have responded to recent increases in global temperatures by shifting their geographical ranges poleward and to higher altitudes. Bioclimate models project future range contractions of montane species as suitable climate space shifts uphill. The species–climate relationships underlying such models are calibrated using data at either ‘macro’ scales (coarse resolution, e.g. 50 km × 50 km, and large spatial extent) or ‘local’ scales (fine resolution, e.g. 50 m × 50 m, and small spatial extent), but the two approaches have not been compared. This study projected macro (European) and local models for vascular plants at a mountain range in Scotland, UK, under low (+1.7 °C) and high (+3.3 °C) climate change scenarios for the 2080s. Depending on scenario, the local models projected that seven or eight out of 10 focal montane species would lose all suitable climate space at the site. However, the European models projected such a loss for only one species. The cause of this divergence was investigated by cross‐scale comparisons of estimated temperatures at montane species' warm range edges. The results indicate that European models overestimated species' thermal tolerances because the input coarse resolution climate data were biased against the cold, high‐altitude habitats of montane plants. Although tests at other mountain ranges are required, these results indicate that recent large‐scale modelling studies may have overestimated montane species' ability to cope with increasing temperatures, thereby underestimating the potential impacts of climate change. Furthermore, the results suggest that montane species persistence in microclimatic refugia might not be as widespread as previously speculated.     

Vascular Plants Facilitated Bryophytes in a Grassland Experiment

In grassland communities vascular plants and bryophytes form two distinct layers. In order to understand the factors responsible for plant community structure, more information about interactions between these plant groups is needed. Often negative correlations between vascular plant and bryophyte covers have been reported, suggesting competition. Here we tested experimentally whether different grassland vascular plant species (Trifolium pratense, Festuca pratensis, Prunella vulgaris) had different influences on the cover of two bryophyte species (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Brachythecium rutabulum). In a two-year garden pot experiment one bryophyte species and one vascular plant species were planted per pot. Bryophytes were planted at a constant density, vascular plants in four densities. The cover of both bryophyte species increased with increasing vascular plant cover, showing the facilitative effect of vascular plants through creating better microclimate, e.g., optimising temperature. Bryophyte responses to vascular plant species were species-specific. Festuca had significantly positive effects on both bryophyte species in the second year, and Trifolium on Brachythecium in both years, whereas Prunella had no significant effect on bryophytes. The facilitative effect of vascular plants was stronger at the second experimental year. In summary, the biotic effects between bryophytes and grassland vascular plants are species-specific and positive interactions are prevailing at low vascular plant densities.     

How do bryophytes govern generative recruitment of vascular plants?

Interactions between vascular plants and bryophytes determine plant community composition in many ecosystems. Yet, little is known about the importance of interspecific differences between bryophytes with respect to their effects on vascular plants. We compared the extent to which species-specific bryophyte effects on vascular plant generative recruitment depend on the following underlying mechanisms: allelopathy, mechanical obstruction, soil moisture and temperature control. We sowed 10 vascular plant species into monospecific mats of six chemically and structurally diverse bryophytes, and examined 1-yr seedling recruitment. Allelopathic effects were also assessed in a laboratory phyto-assay. Although all bryophytes suppressed vascular plant regeneration, there were significant differences between the bryophyte species. The lack of interactions indicated the absence of species-specific adaptations of vascular plants for recruitment in bryophyte mats. Differences between bryophyte species were best explained by alterations in temperature regime under bryophyte mats, mostly by reduced temperature amplitudes during germination. The temperature regime under bryophyte mats was well predicted by species-specific bryophyte cushion thickness. The fitness of established seedlings was not affected by the presence of bryophytes. Our results suggest that climatically or anthropogenically driven changes in the species' composition of bryophyte communities have knock-on effects on vascular plant populations via generative reproduction.     

高海拔幼林地表苔藓组成与结构——皆伐与造林实践的影响评估

 对壤塘县二林场4个不同时间皆伐和造林后形成的幼林地, 开展了苔藓植物和维管植物多样性调查, 采用方差分析法对苔藓植物特征进 行差异性检验, 对苔藓植物结构特征和环境因子作偏相关性分析。结果表明: 1)幼林地4个阶段的发展进程中苔藓物种组成变化显著。优势种相 似, 为喜光耐旱的侧蒴藓物种; 一些耐阴喜湿的种类种群扩大成为林下局部生境优势物种; 同时由于干扰造成地表裸露后产生耐旱土生或石生 性广泛分布的藓类。2)随着幼林地植被恢复进程, 苔藓物种丰富度(22～37)和多样性指数(0.37～1.08)呈增长趋势。结构特征在4个幼林地表现 出较强的差异性。3)乔木与灌木层盖度与苔藓植物的发育呈正相关, 灌木层盖度的发育明显促进了苔藓植物丰富度的增加, 而基于喜光先锋的 禾草为主的草本发育程度很高, 与凋落物生物量一起抑制了苔藓的发育。随幼林地发展, 乔、灌、凋落物发育性质及其相互作用发生动态变化 。因此加速幼林地乔、灌层片的发育对于促进地表苔藓植物多样性的恢复与层片发育具有重要作用。     

Bryophyte diversity and distribution along an altitudinal gradient on a lava flow in La Réunion

Non‐vascular plant distribution patterns were examined in three microhabitats along an altitudinal gradient on a recent lava flow of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion, Mascarene archipelago). The uniform nature of the lava flow provides an excellent system to study the relationship between altitude and species diversity and distribution, and at the same time avoiding confusing multiple effects of substrate and vegetation heterogeneity. Non‐vascular plants were surveyed with quadrats within an altitudinal range from 250 m to 850 m a.s.l. Fine‐scale variations in bryophyte communities between three ecological microhabitats (the ground and on the rachises of two fern species) were investigated. Three specific questions were addressed: (1) What is the species diversity of bryophyte communities on a 19‐year‐old lava flow? (2) How does altitude influence the diversity and distribution of bryophytes on a lava flow? (3) Does microhabitat variation control bryophyte diversity? In our study, bryophyte diversity increased with altitude. Unexpectedly, species richness was very high; 70 species of bryophytes were recorded including nine new records for the island. Diversity was also controlled by ecological microhabitats. Bryophyte species were structured into six categories according to altitude and microhabitat preferences. Results suggested that the high diversity of these cryptic organisms on this lava flow is fostered in part by their host substrate and their adaptative strategies on new substrates. On a broader scale, it was concluded that lava flows as primary mineral environments are important to conserve, as they support a high diversity of pioneer organisms that constitute the early stages of the development of La Réunion's remnant lowland rainforest.     

Bryophyte and vascular plant species richness in boreo-nemoral moist forests and mires

We compare species richness of bryophytes and vascular plants in Estonian moist forests and mires. The material was collected from two wetland nature reserves. Bryophyte and vascular plant species were recorded in 338 homogeneous stands of approximately 1 ha in nine forest and two mire types. Regional species pools for bryophytes and vascular plants were significantly correlated. The correlations between the species richnesses of bryophytes and vascular plants per stand were positive in all community types. The relative richnesses (local richness divided by the regional species pool size) were similar for bryophyte species and for vascular plant species. This shows that on larger scales, conservation of the communities rich in species of one taxonomic plant group, maintains also the species richness of the other. The minimum number of stands needed for the maintenance of the regional species pool of typical species for the every community type was calculated using the species richness accumulation curves. Less stands are needed to maintain the bryophyte species pools (300–5300 for bryophytes and 400–35 000 for vascular plants).     

Impact of climate change on alpine vegetation of mountain summits in Norway

Climate change is affecting the composition and functioning of ecosystems across the globe. Mountain ecosystems are particularly sensitive to climate warming since their biota is generally limited by low temperatures. Cryptogams such as lichens and bryophytes are important for the biodiversity and functioning of these ecosystems, but have not often been incorporated in vegetation resurvey studies. Hence, we lack a good understanding of how vascular plants, lichens and bryophytes respond interactively to climate warming in alpine communities. Here we quantified long-term changes in species richness, cover, composition and thermophilization (i.e. the increasing dominance of warm-adapted species) of vascular plants, lichens and bryophytes on four summits at Dovrefjell, Norway. These summits are situated along an elevational gradient from the low alpine to high alpine zone and were surveyed for all species in 2001, 2008 and 2015. During the 15-year period, a decline in lichen richness and increase in bryophyte richness was detected, whereas no change in vascular plant richness was found. Dwarf-shrub abundance progressively increased at the expense of lichens, and thermophilization was most pronounced for vascular plants, but occurred only on the lowest summits and northern aspects. Lichens showed less thermophilization and, for the bryophytes, no significant thermophilization was found. Although recent climate change may have primarily caused the observed changes in vegetation, combined effects with non-climatic factors (e.g. grazing and trampling) are likely important as well. At a larger scale, alpine vegetation shifts could have a profound impact on biosphere functioning with feedbacks to the global climate.     

Liverworts of southwest Ethiopian montane forests: ecological and biogeographical notes

Abstract

Ethiopia has diverse topographic features and climatic conditions with a diverse flora. The liverwort flora of southwest Ethiopia is practically unknown, despite a favourable climate and the occurrence of suitable ecosystems such as montane rainforests. During an ecological study of diversity patterns of bryophytes and vascular plants in relation to land use, we recorded many bryophyte species. In this paper we report the finding of 89 species of liverworts, and give short ecological notes and describe the distribution (locally and in Africa) for each species. Of these, 51 species are newly reported from Ethiopia. It is thus obvious that Ethiopia is considerably richer in liverworts than might be expected from previous checklists.     

Anthropogenic refugia ameliorate the severe climate-related decline of a montane mammal along its trailing edge

We conducted detailed resurveys of a montane mammal, Urocitellus beldingi, to examine the effects of climate change on persistence along the trailing edge of its range. Of 74 California sites where U. beldingi were historically recorded (1902-1966), 42 per cent were extirpated, with no evidence for colonization of previously unoccupied sites. Increases in both precipitation and temperature predicted site extirpations, potentially owing to snowcover loss. Surprisingly, human land-use change buffered climate change impacts, leading to increased persistence and abundance. Excluding human-modified sites, U. beldingi has shown an upslope range retraction of 255 m. Generalized additive models of past distribution were predictive of modern range contractions (AUC = 0.76) and projected extreme reductions (52% and 99%, respectively) of U. beldingi's southwestern range to 2080 climates (Hadley and CCCMA A2). Our study suggests the strong impacts of climate change on montane species at their trailing edge and how anthropogenic refugia may mitigate these effects.     

Bryophyte colonisation in experimental microcosms: the role of nutrients, defoliation and vascular vegetation

A three-year multi-factorial microcosm experiment simulating fertilisation, defoliation and the composition of vascular vegetation in a dry grassland succession was used to test four hypotheses concerning the establishment and survival of bryophytes in grassland vegetation. H₁: bryophyte cover may be used to predict bryophyte species richness. H₂: bryophyte richness is suppressed at high nutrient levels and promoted by defoliation of vascular plants. H₃: species richness of bryophytes is influenced by the species composition of the vascular vegetation. H₄: bryophyte species richness is negatively correlated with vascular plant biomass.
The relationship between bryophyte richness and bryophyte cover was found to follow the classical species-area richness curve. Bryophyte species richness responded positively to defoliation and negatively to fertilisation. The species composition of vascular vegetation had no significant effect on bryophyte richness. Bryophyte species richness was lower at high vascular plant biomass and vascular plant dry weight above 400 g m⁻² appeared fatal to bryophytes. At high nutrient levels, defoliation increased bryophyte richness, but defoliation did not fully compensate for the negative effect of fertilisation. The study reinforces the concern for short lived shuttle bryophytes in the agricultural landscape.     

Using species distributions models for designing conservation strategies of Tropical Andean biodiversity under climate change

Biodiversity in the Tropical Andes is under continuous threat from anthropogenic activities. Projected changes in climate will likely exacerbate this situation. Using species distribution models, we assess possible future changes in the diversity and climatic niche size of an unprecedented number of species for the region. We modeled a broad range of taxa (11,012 species of birds and vascular plants), including both endemic and widespread species and provide a comprehensive estimation of climate change impacts on the Andes. We find that if no dispersal is assumed, by 2050s, more than 50% of the species studied are projected to undergo reductions of at least 45% in their climatic niche, whilst 10% of species could be extinct. Even assuming unlimited dispersal, most of the Andean endemics (comprising ∼5% of our dataset) would become severely threatened (>50% climatic niche loss). While some areas appear to be climatically stable (e.g. Pichincha and Imbabura in Ecuador; and Nariño, Cauca, Valle del Cauca and Putumayo in Colombia) and hence depict little diversity loss and/or potential species gains, major negative impacts were also observed. Tropical high Andean grasslands (páramos and punas) and evergreen montane forests, two key ecosystems for the provision of environmental services in the region, are projected to experience negative changes in species richness and high rates of species turnover. Adapting to these impacts would require a landscape-network based approach to conservation, including protected areas, their buffer zones and corridors. A central aspect of such network is the implementation of an integrated landscape management approach based on sustainable management and restoration practices covering wider areas than currently contemplated.     

The impact of land abandonment on the plant diversity of olive groves

We investigated the effect of woody species’ encroachment on plant diversity changes with regard to vascular plants and bryophytes in traditional olive groves of the Maremma Regional Park (Tuscany, Italy) and assessed cross-taxon correlation between these two taxa. We classified the olive groves into four land use types, representing different successional stages. To describe the evenness of species distribution within a community, we plotted rank-abundance diagrams for each taxon and each land use type. The relationship between the number and cover of vascular plants, therophytes, bryophytes, colonists and phanerophytes in each plot was examined using linear regression. The effects of land use type on vascular plant and bryophyte richness and assemblages were assessed by permutational uni- and multivariate analysis of variance. The congruence in species composition between the two taxa was evaluated using Procrustes analysis. The number of vascular plants, bryophytes and therophytes decreased linearly with increased phanerophyte species cover. The number of species belonging to Thero-Brachypodietea progressively decreased throughout succession. Rank-abundance diagrams and multivariate analysis showed differences between the land use types, which were statistically significant for vascular plants between the traditional olive groves and the other land use types, and for bryophytes between the traditional olive groves and woodlands. PROTEST analysis and NMDS graphs showed a correlation between vascular plant and bryophyte communities. The results suggested that conservation measures are needed in the study area in order to ensure both the maintenance of traditional olive groves of conservation interest and high levels of environmental heterogeneity.     

Predicted impact of exotic vines on an endangered ecological community under future climate change

Potential interactions between climate change and exotic plant invasions may affect areas of high conservation value, such as land set aside for the protection of endangered species or ecological communities. We investigated this issue in eastern Australia using species distribution models for five exotic vines under climate regimes for 2020 and 2050. We examined how projected changes in the distribution of climatically suitable habitat may coincide with the remaining remnants of an endangered ecological community—littoral rainforests—in this region. The number of known infestations of each weed in tropical, subtropical and temperate areas was used to assess the likelihood of further expansion into areas projected to provide suitable habitat under future conditions. Littoral rainforest reserves were consistently predicted to provide bioclimatically suitable habitat for the five vines examined under both current and future climate scenarios. We explore the consequences and potential strategies for managing exotic plant invasions in these protected areas in the coming decades.     

Are different facets of plant diversity well protected against climate and land cover changes? A test study in the French Alps

Climate and land cover changes are important drivers of the plant species distributions and diversity patterns in mountainous regions. Although the need for a multifaceted view of diversity based on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic dimensions is now commonly recognized, there are no complete risk assessments concerning their expected changes. In this paper, we used a range of species distribution models in an ensemble‐forecasting framework together with regional climate and land cover projections by 2080 to analyze the potential threat for more than 2500 plant species at high resolution (2.5 × 2.5 km) in the French Alps. We also decomposed taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity facets into α and β components and analyzed their expected changes by 2080. Overall, plant species threats from climate and land cover changes in the French Alps were expected to vary depending on the species' preferred altitudinal vegetation zone, rarity, and conservation status. Indeed, rare species and species of conservation concern were the ones projected to experience less severe change, and also the ones being the most efficiently preserved by the current network of protected areas. Conversely, the three facets of plant diversity were also projected to experience drastic spatial re‐shuffling by 2080. In general, the mean α‐diversity of the three facets was projected to increase to the detriment of regional β‐diversity, although the latter was projected to remain high at the montane‐alpine transition zones. Our results show that, due to a high‐altitude distribution, the current protection network is efficient for rare species, and species predicted to migrate upward. Although our modeling framework may not capture all possible mechanisms of species range shifts, our work illustrates that a comprehensive risk assessment on an entire floristic region combined with functional and phylogenetic information can help delimitate future scenarios of biodiversity and better design its protection.     

Telling a different story: a global assessment of bryophyte invasions

We assess and review spatio-temporal patterns, habitat affiliations, pathways, impacts, and management experience of bryophyte invasions in extra-tropical countries and regions (n = 82) from five continents and maritime islands spanning both hemispheres. Distribution data were extracted and critically checked from a wide range of sources and supplemented with data on biology and introduction history. We identified 139 bryophytes species which we consider to be alien in at least one of our study regions (106 mosses, 28 hepatics and 5 hornworts). Numbers of average alien bryophyte species are significantly higher on islands than in continental regions of similar size, and peak on maritime islands. Cumulative numbers of first records have grown slowly until 1950 and have strongly increased since then. Accidental import as hitch-hiker (34 species) or with ornamental plants (27 species) constitute the most important introduction pathways. We found a remarkably high contribution from distant donor regions to alien bryophyte floras, especially from the complementary hemisphere. Most alien bryophytes prefer strongly modified habitats (e.g. ruderal vegetation, roadsides, lawns), and only few natural ecosystems (forests, rocks) are regularly invaded. Evidence for an ecological impact of bryophyte invasions is scarce and competitive replacement of native moss species, or vascular plant seedlings, by alien bryophytes has only been documented in a few cases. We conclude that bryophytes differ profoundly in many respects from vascular plants, and so do their invasion patterns at large scale. Our global bryophyte invasion state assessment provides the basis for future, more explicit considerations of this largely neglected taxonomic group in invasion ecology, a step we suggest to be urgently needed as studying them might provide novel insights into patterns and processes of plant invasions in general.     

Loss of habitat specialists despite conservation management in fen remnants 1995–2006

Many ecosystems of high conservation value have been shaped by human impacts over centuries. Today, traditional management of semi-natural habitats is a common conservation measure in Europe. However, despite traditional management, habitat remnants may still loose specialist species due to surrounding land-use change or atmospheric nitrogen deposition. To detect trends in species density (2-m² plot scale) and habitat quality in calcareous fens in the pre-Alps of Switzerland, we surveyed 36 traditionally managed fens in 1995/97 and again in 2005/06 (five plots per fen). The fens occurred at three altitudinal levels (800–1000, 1000–1200, 1200–1400 m asl) and were either extensively grazed or mown once a year. Despite these traditional management regimes, species density of fen specialists and of all bryophytes decreased during this decade (vascular plant specialists: ?9.4%, bryophyte specialists: ?14.9%, all bryophytes: ?5.7%). Management had no effect on the number of Red-List species and habitat specialists of vascular plants per plot. However, bryophyte species density was more strongly reduced in grazed fens. Species density of vascular plant generalists increased between the two surveys (+8.2%) but not of bryophytes. Among vascular plants, Red-List species decreased from 1.01 to 0.78 species per plot. Furthermore, between the two surveys aboveground plant biomass, mean plant-community indicator values for nutrients and species density of nutrient indicators increased, whereas mean plant indicator values for soil moisture, light and peat, and species density for peat indicators, decreased. We attribute these changes and the loss of specialist species over the past decade mainly to land-use change in the surrounding area and to nutrient inputs. Thus, despite traditional management, calcareous fens in the pre-Alps suffer from ongoing habitat deterioration and endangered plant species remain threatened. For their long-term protection, we suggest to reduce nutrient inputs and, where necessary, to restore hydrology and adjust grazing management.     

On the influence of water conductivity,pH and climate on bryophyte assemblages in Catalan semi-natural springs

Bryophytes are some of the most sensitive biological indicators of environmental change. Springs have a significant presence of bryophytes and so are ideal habitats for studying their relationship with the environment. We tested whether bryophyte assemblages can be explained with macro-, meso- and micro-ecological variables (i.e. seasonal climate, altitude, water pH and conductivity) sampling bryophytes from 198 semi-natural springs distributed along montane regions in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula. We tested the influence of environmental variables on bryophyte assemblages in springs using sparse Partial Least Squares. Our results show that variability in bryophyte assemblages is explained by seasonal climate (temperature and precipitation from winter, spring, summer and autumn and temperature and precipitation seasonality), altitude and water conductivity. The results obtained by the present study will be useful for predicting bryophyte diversity in springs using simple and easy to obtain variables such as climate, water pH and conductivity.     

Bryophyte and Lichen Diversity Under Simulated Environmental Change Compared with Observed Variation in Unmanipulated Alpine Tundra

Effects of simulated environmental change on bryophyte and lichen species richness and diversity in alpine tundra were investigated in a 5-year experiment at Latnjajaure, northern Sweden. The experiment had a factorial design including fertilisation and temperature enhancement in one meadow and one heath plant community. Responses in species richness, biodiversity, and species composition of bryophytes and lichens to experimental treatments were compared to the observed variation in six naturally occurring plant communities. The combination of fertilisation and enhanced temperature resulted in a species impoverishment, for bryophytes in the bryophyte-dominated community, and for lichens in the lichen-dominated communities, but the species composition stayed within the observed natural variation. During the course of the study, no species new to the investigated mid-alpine landscape were recorded, but that scenario is realistic within a decade when comparing with the processes seen in vascular plants.