Epiphytic and epixylic lichen species diversity in Estonian natural forests

The epiphytic and epixylic lichen flora of natural forests was recorded in different parts of Estonia. Altogether 232 taxa of lichens, lichenicolous fungi, or non-lichenized fungi were recorded, 10 of them listed in the Estonian Red Data Book. We found regional differences in lichen species composition and diversity caused by differences in the forest types. The tree-species-rich boreo-nemoral forests had the most diverse lichen flora, while the boreal forest dominated by coniferous trees or birch had the lowest diversity. The stand age proved to be significant in regard to the number of lichen species in a forest. The most remarkable effect on the diversity of forest lichen species was caused by the presence of Populus tremula. Aspen had the highest number of lichen species on the basal trunk and twigs, and also the highest number of host-specific lichen species.     

Tree population dynamics,stand structure and species composition in the montane virgin forest of Vallibäcken,northern Sweden

The population dynamics of Betula pubescens and Picea abies in a boreal forest near Kvikkjokk, northern Sweden, are governed by a process of storm gap regeneration similar to the gap regeneration described for boreo-nemoral forests. Cumulative age distribution curves, interpreted as static survivorship curves, lead to a simple theory of differential survival based on properties of the species, i.e. shade tolerance and relative growth rate. The theory is sustained by diameter and height distributions and by the spatial distributions of logs and of trees in different life-phases. Species of the field and ground layers respond differentially to gap formation and the ensuing successional stages. Browsing by moose (Alces alces) may prevent tree species, mainly Sorbus aucuparia, Betula pubescens and Pinus sylvestris, from developing into a tree layer. The regeneration ability for tree species growing in a stand at 460 m a.s.l. is limited compared with the regeneration at 330 m a.s.l., and typical storm gap formation involving more than one tree seems to occur rarely if at all, while overthrown trees with exposed rootplates are uncommon. Spruce at 460 m a.s.l. shows also a lower growth rate and a lower height/diameter ratio compared to the lower situated stands.     

黄枝衣科中国新记录属和种

报道了中国黄枝衣科(Teloschistaceae)的一中国新记录属粉黄衣属(新拟)(Xanthomendoza)和一中国新记录种漫粉黄衣(新拟)(Xanthomendoza ulophyllodes)及石黄衣属(Xanthoria)的一新记录种裂芽黄衣(新拟)(Xanthoria calcicola)。对漫粉黄衣的ITS序列进行了测定和系统发育分析,并对相关类群的形态和分子数据进行了讨论。对2新记录种的形态特征、生境与分布进行了详细描述,并提供了形态特征图。     

Tree and stand-scale factors affecting richness and composition of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens in deciduous woodland key habitats

Conservation and sustainable forestry are essential in a multi-functional landscape. In this respect, ecological studies on epiphytes are needed to determine abiotic and biotic factors associated with high diversity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate relative sensitivity of conservation targets (epiphytic bryophytes and lichens) in relation to contrasting environmental variables (tree species, tree diameter at breast height, bark crevice depth, pH, tree inclination, pH, forest stand age, area and type) in boreo-nemoral forests. The study was conducted in Latvian 34 woodland key habitat (WKH) boreo-nemoral forest stands. Generalized linear mixed models and canonical correspondence analysis showed that tree species and tree bark pH were the most important variables explaining epiphytic bryophyte and lichen composition and richness (total, Red-listed, WKH indicator species). Forest stand level factors, such as stand size and habitat type, had only minor influence on epiphytic species composition and richness. The results of the present study indicate a need to maintain the diversity of tree species and large trees, particularly Acer platanoides, Carpinus betulus, Fraxinus excelsior, Populus tremula, Tilia cordata, Ulmus glabra and Ulmus laevis in conservation of epiphytic bryophyte and lichen communities in the future.     

Recent palaeolimnology of three shallow Danish lakes

Recent eutrophication histories of three shallow lakes (mean depths <3 m) were studied using palaeolimnological methods. Freeze-cores were dated using ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs, ¹³⁴Cs and ²⁴¹Am. Resultant chronologies were problematical at two sites (Væng Sø and Vesterborg Sø) due to sediment-water interface mixing, indicated by uniform ¹³⁷Cs profiles over the surface 20–30 cm. Sediments at Langesø and Vesterborg Sø have a high carbonate content, which together with the high mixing rate have resulted in diatom dissolution below 30 cm at Vesterborg Sø. Diatom stratigraphy indicates relatively small biological changes at both Væng Sø and Langesø both lakes have been eutrophic for at least the last 150–200 years. Væng Sø is dominated by planktonic diatoms together with high percentages of benthic Fragilaria spp., and Langesø by planktonic diatoms, especially Cyclostephanos dubius and Stephanodiscus parvus.Epilimnetic phosphorus concentrations were inferred using weighted averaging; at Væng Sø the diatom-inferred TP (DI-TP) concentrations were close to observed values in the early 1980s, but failed to record the post-biomanipulation decrease to 55 g l^-1 after 1988, presumably due to the smoothing of the sediment record by resuspension and mixing. At Langesø two increases in DI-TP suggest a two-phase enrichment of the lake, initial eutrophication 1880, and hypertrophy after 1950. The recent DI-TP values are lower than the annual observed values, and reasons for this are discussed. Despite problems associated with sediment mixing, the sediment records of these shallow systems can still be used for monitoring and for environmental reconstructions.     

Isozyme differentiation in the endemic genusArgyranthemum (Asteraceae: Anthemideae) in the Macaronesian Islands

The genusArgyranthemum (Asteraceae: Anthemideae) comprises 38 taxa and is restricted to the archipelagos of the Canaries, Selvagens, Madeira, and Desertas in the Macaronesian biogeographic region. An electrophoretic study, including 17 enzyme loci and at least one population of each of the described taxa, was carried out. High identity (low distance) values between taxa (mean of 0.893) were obtained despite the old age of the islands, their close proximity to the African continent, and the fact thatArgyranthemum is the most species-rich and variable genus in Macaronesia. These results suggest that the genus is monophyletic and that it has evolved very rapidly in these islands. There is little correspondence between taxonomy and neighbor-joining analysis based on Roger's genetic distances, but in several instances populations from the same islands cluster together despite being from different species or even different sections. It is suggested that repeated genetic bottlenecks associated with the founding of new populations during radiation of the genus resulted in lineage sorting of ancestral allozyme polymorphisms. Because every population has a high average identity with all other populations, lineage sorting could result in populations of different taxa being slightly more similar than populations of the same taxon. Gene flow between different species on the same island could account for some populations clustering by island of origin rather than taxonomic disposition. Average allozyme diversity within populations (0.098) is 50% higher than the mean total diversity for species endemic to oceanic islands.     

Microsatellite analysis of the natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) in Denmark: populations are islands in a fragmented landscape

The European natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) has declined rapidly in recent years, primarily due to loss of habitat, and in Denmark it is estimated that 50% of the isolated populations are lost each decade. To efficiently manage and conserve this species and its genetic diversity, knowledge of the genetic structure is crucial. Based on nine polymorphic microsatellite loci, the genetic diversity, genetic structure and gene flow were investigated at 12 sites representing 5–10% of the natterjack toad localities presently known in Denmark. The expected heterozygosity (H _E) within each locality was generally low (range: 0.18–0.43). Further analyses failed to significantly correlate genetic diversity with population size, degree of isolation and increasing northern latitude, indicating a more complex combination of factors in determining the present genetic profile. Genetic differentiation was high (overall θ = 0.29) and analyses based on a Bayesian clustering method revealed that the dataset constituted 11 genetic clusters, defining nearly all sampling sites as distinct populations. Contemporary gene flow among populations was undetectable in nearly all cases, and the failure to detect a pattern of isolation by distance within major regions supported this apparent lack of a gene flow continuum. Indications of a genetic bottleneck were found in three populations. The analyses suggest that the remaining Bufo calamita populations in Denmark are genetically isolated, and represent independent units in a highly fragmented gene pool. Future conservation management of this species is discussed in light of these results. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Molecular phylogeny of JapaneseAmanita species based on nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA

The molecular phylogeny of 36 specimens of JapaneseAmanita species was studied based on nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The phylogenetic tree obtained supported the traditional classification systems of Bas (1969) and Singer (1986), which are based on morphological characters, in the division of the genusAmanita is divided into subgeneraAmanita andLepidella by the amyloidity of basidiospores. However, at section-level, we suggest that subgenusAmanita should be divided into three sections (Amanita, Vaginatae, andCaesareae). Our results also showed the necessity to modify the taxonomic treatments at section-level in the subgenusLepidella. It appears that the establishment ofA. muscaria andA. pantherina from a common ancestral species might be a very recent event, or these might be lower taxa of same species. As for three subspecies ofA. hemibapha and three varieties ofA. vaginata, it is necessary to grade up their taxonomical ranks from subspecies/variety to species. A new combination,A. javanica, is proposed forA. hemibapha subsp.javanica.     

Phytogeography of the bryophyte floras of oak forests and páramo of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Aim Central America is a biogeographically interesting area because of its location between the rich and very different biota of North and South America. We aim to assess phytogeographical patterns in the bryophyte floras of oak forests and páramo of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Location Tropical America, in particular the montane area of Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Methods The analysis is based on a new critical inventory of the montane bryophyte flora of Cordillera de Talamanca. All species were assigned to phytogeographical elements on the basis of their currently known distribution. Absolute and percentage similarities were employed to evaluate floristic affinities. Results A total of 401 species [191 hepatics (liverworts), one hornwort, 209 mosses] are recorded; of these, 251 species (128 hepatics, one hornwort, 122 mosses) occur in oak forests. Ninety‐three per cent of all oak forest species are tropical in distribution, the remaining 7% are temperate (4%) and cosmopolitan (3%) species. The neotropical element includes almost 74% of the species, the wide tropical element (pantropical, amphi‐atlantic, amphi‐pacific) only 19%. A significant part of the neotropical species from oak forests are species with tropical Andean‐centred ranges (27%). As compared with bryophyte species, vascular plant genera in the study region are represented by fewer neotropical, more temperate and more amphi‐pacific taxa. Bryophyte floras of different microhabitats within the oak forest and epiphytic bryophyte floras on Quercus copeyensis in primary, early secondary and late secondary oak forest show a similar phytogeographical make‐up to the total oak forest bryophyte flora. Comparison of oak forest and páramo reveals a greater affinity of the páramo bryophyte flora to temperate regions and the great importance of the páramo element in páramo. Surprisingly, oak forests have more Central American endemics than páramo. Main conclusions (1) Providing first insights into the phytogeographical patterns of the bryophyte flora of oak forests and páramo, we are able to confirm general phytogeographical trends recorded from vascular plant genera of the study area although the latter were more rich in temperate taxa. (2) Andean‐centred species are a conspicuous element in the bryophyte flora of Cordillera de Talamanca, reflecting the close historical connection between the montane bryophyte floras of Costa Rica and South America. (3) High percentages of Central American endemics in the bryophyte flora of the oak forests suggest the importance of climatic changes associated with Pleistocene glaciations for allopatric speciation.     

Floristic diversity patterns in the White Carpathians biosphere reserve,Czech Republic

The flora of the White Carpathians, a mountain range in the south-east of the Czech Republic, is documented by about 485,000 records of vascular plant occurrences collected since the mid-19^th century. A total of 1299 species recorded in 93 grid cells of 2.8 × 3.1 km were used for an analysis of spatial patterns of floristic diversity in the White Carpathians. Multivariate statistical techniques such as ordination and classification were used to reveal the main gradients in floristic composition and species richness, and measured environmental data and Ellenberg indicator values were used to assess underlying environmental factors. There is a striking floristic contrast between the western and eastern part of the study area, which is associated with differences in climate, mean altitude, topographic heterogeneity measured as altitudinal range, and land use. The western part is characterised by thermophilous, continental and calcicolous species of open habitats. In contrast, the more forested eastern part along the state border with Slovakia and the north-eastern part of the area are characterised by acidophilous species with higher moisture requirements. This pattern is consistent with the established phytogeographical division of the Czech Republic into the phytogeographical regions of Thermophyticum and Mesophyticum. The further division of the area into four regions, based on classified grid data, is also similar to the current division into phytogeographical districts, except for the Javorníky district. There are two distinct hot spots of species richness, in the western and the extreme north-eastern part. A poorer flora was found in landscapes with intensive agriculture. Species richness is associated with different environmental factors than species composition, namely with soil types and land-use categories. Alien species are more common in areas with a higher incidence of arable land and built-up areas, and less common in areas dominated by grasslands and forests.     

Community homogenization and the invasiveness of commensal species in Mediterranean afforested landscapes

The ecological consequences of homogenization remain relatively unexplored. One example of landscape-homogenizing is the establishment of plantations. We studied the effect of human-made forests by contrasting plant and small-mammal community composition between planted tree stands and adjacent natural habitat in two different Mediterranean habitats in Israel: (1) inland habitat where we focused on pine (Pinus halepensis) and carob (Ceratonia siliqua) stands, and (2) coastal sand dune habitat where we focused on planted acacia (Acacia saligna) stands. We first wanted to verify whether planted trees modify plant species composition, and second, if and how the small-mammal community is affected by the different habitat conditions created in plantations with different canopy cover. We were especially interested in the abundance of the commensal house mouse (Mus musculus). All tree stands underwent biotic homogenization indicated by abundance of house mice coupled with lower diversity of indigenous vegetation and small-mammal abundances and diversities. Habitat structural diversity was positively related with small-mammals diversity and was lower in artificial tree stands in both habitats. Our results suggest that using the abundance of commensal generalist species such as the house mouse relative to other more specialist small-mammals is a good approach to determine ecosystem integrity. Pre-commercial thinning treatment is a potential management tool to maintain a proportion of native tree species within the canopy of planted tree stands. However, until sufficient data is available for making generalizations, the exact level of thinning necessary to reverse the homogenization processes in man-made plantations and keeping indigenous small-mammal communities diverse and less prone to invasion must be determined empirically.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir: a comparison of species richness in native western North American forests and Patagonian plantations from Argentina

The putative ectomycorrhizal fungal species registered from sporocarps associated with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests in their natural range distribution (i.e., western Canada, USA, and Mexico) and from plantations in south Argentina and other parts of the world are listed. One hundred and fifty seven taxa are reported for native ponderosa pine forests and 514 taxa for native Douglas-fir forests based on available literature and databases. A small group of genera comprises a high proportion of the species richness for native Douglas-fir (i.e., Cortinarius, Inocybe, and Russula), whereas in native ponderosa pine, the species richness is more evenly distributed among several genera. The comparison between ectomycorrhizal species richness associated with both trees in native forests and in Patagonia (Argentina) shows far fewer species in the latter, with 18 taxa for the ponderosa pine and 15 for the Douglas-fir. Epigeous species richness is clearly dominant in native Douglas-fir, whereas a more balanced relation epigeous/hypogeous richness is observed for native ponderosa pine; a similar trend was observed for Patagonian plantations. Most fungi in Patagonian Douglas-fir plantations have not been recorded in plantations elsewhere, except Suillus lakei and Thelephora terrestris, and only 56% of the fungal taxa recorded in Douglas-fir plantations around the world are known from native forests, the other taxa being new associations for this host, suggesting that new tree + ectomycorrhizal fungal taxa associations are favored in artificial situations as plantations.     

Origins and genetic conservation of tropical trees in agroforestry systems: a case study from the Peruvian Amazon

Hundreds of native tree species are currently found in extensive agroforestry ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon, forming an important reservoir of biodiversity. To further promote conservation, farmers are encouraged to supplement intra-specific genetic diversity in these populations with seed collected from local forests. For some tree species, however, this approach may be inappropriate, as stands of these taxa already found on-farm may not be of local origin. Despite this issue being of importance for conservation, little information is available on the history of cultivated trees in the region, a situation that we here rectify for the important fruit tree Inga edulis. Based on nuclear SSR and chloroplast DHPLC analyses of closely geographically matched natural and planted stands at five sites, it appears that cultivated material of I. edulis is primarily of non-local origin, indicating that conservation based on new wide-scale infusions from local wild stands into farms may be inappropriate in the region. Although nuclear and chloroplast diversity were both lower in planted stands, values were still relatively high (∼80 and 70% of natural stands, respectively), indicating that when farmers plant trees, good collection practice of seed from already cultivated I. edulis should be an effective means for ensuring long-term conservation on farms.     

On the plurality of Chydorus sphaericus (O. F. Müller) (Cladocera,Chydoridae), and designation of a neotype from Sjaelsø, Denmark

Two readily distinguishable species of Chydorus sphaericus sens. lat. occur in Salmon Lake, Montana, differing from each other in size and shape of rostrum, headpore configuration, frequency of doubling of teeth on the postabdomen, pattern of reticulation of the shell, and morphology of the mature male, especially the postabdomen, postabdominal claws, copulatory hooks, and rostrum. In any such comparisons, individual specimens are not sufficient; populations are needed to sort out morphological characters associated with instar and sex and character's that change with increasing body size. Comparison of population structure and stage of reproduction can be accomplished by a size-frequency distribution and by specific morphological characters that enable the three male instars to be recognized individually.One species, thought at first to be Chydorus herrmanni, is very close to Chydorus sphaericus sens. str. from Denmark. The other taxon with a short, generally blunt labrum, is described as the new species Chydorus brevilabris. Because of morphological diversity among the entities currently listed as Chydorus sphaericus from around the World, it is certain that a complex of species is represented. To facilitate the eventual resolution of this problem, the population in Sjaelsø, Sjaelland, Denmark has arbitrarily been selected as the standard of comparison, and from this population a neotype and several allotypes have been designated. Cursory examination of various available populations suggests that C. sphaericus sens. str. and C. brevilabris represent a major dichotomy in the sphaericus complex, each branch consisting of an unknown number of closely-related species. Cautions are voiced against assuming that Chydorus sphaericus is a single cosmopolitan and ubiquitous species.This study has been aided by grant GB-29725 for the work in Denmark in 1971–72 and by my present grant DEB 76-20237, both from the National Science Foundation. I am indebted to D. F. Brakke for the samples from Salmon Lake and neighboring localities in Montana and information concerning these localities, and to Brenda J. Hann for dissections and drawings of trunk limbs and help in their interpretation. I am also indebted to Geoffrey Fryer, whose innocent inquiry precipitated this study.     

Trees as templates for tropical litter arthropod diversity

Increased tree species diversity in the tropics is associated with even greater herbivore diversity, but few tests of tree effects on litter arthropod diversity exist. We studied whether tree species influence patchiness in diversity and abundance of three common soil arthropod taxa (ants, gamasid mites, and oribatid mites) in a Panama forest. The tree specialization hypothesis proposes that tree-driven habitat heterogeneity maintains litter arthropod diversity. We tested whether tree species differed in resource quality and quantity of their leaf litter and whether more heterogeneous litter supports more arthropod species. Alternatively, the abundance–extinction hypothesis states that arthropod diversity increases with arthropod abundance, which in turn tracks resource quantity (e.g., litter depth). We found little support for the hypothesis that tropical trees are templates for litter arthropod diversity. Ten tree species differed in litter depth, chemistry, and structural variability. However, the extent of specialization of invertebrates on particular tree taxa was low and the more heterogeneous litter between trees failed to support higher arthropod diversity. Furthermore, arthropod diversity did not track abundance or litter depth. The lack of association between tree species and litter arthropods suggests that factors other than tree species diversity may better explain the high arthropod diversity in tropical forests.     

Variable life history of a cyclopoid copepod: the role of food availability

Populations of the copepod Cyclops vicinus in two Danish lakes differed in their life cycles. In Lake Væng C. vicinus was absent during summer, whereas in Lake Søbygård it continued producing distinct cohorts throughout summer. A comparison between the lakes showed that in the lake where C. vicinus was absent during summer, food limitation generally existed. In contrast, abundance of C. vicinus during summer in Lake Søbygård always coincided with available resources sufficient for the whole life cycle. Thus, summer diapause of C. vicinus is suggested to be a strategy to avoid food limitation. Avoidance of fish predation does not seem substantially to influence life cycles.     

Diversity and ecology of the bryophytes in the cave environment: a study on the volcanic and karstic caves of Sicily

The results of a long investigation (20 years) on bryophyte diversity of 28 Sicilian caves are reported; the study regarded both karstic and volcanic caves, located at altitudes ranging from 15 to 2030 m a.s.l. The bryophyte diversity consists of a total of 136 taxa, 20 liverworts, 3 hornworts and 113 mosses. The ecological analysis was performed using the Ellenberg indicator values for moisture, light and soil reaction to the substrate. On the whole, mesophytic and meso-hygrophytic, sciophytic and photo-sciophytic species strongly prevail independently from the geological nature of the caves; the values of the soil reaction to the substrate well reflect the characteristics of the substrate. The phytogeographical analysis shows the prevalence of the Mediterranean species, followed by the temperate and southern-temperate species. It is remarkable the occurrence of boreo-arctic-montane species, which find refuge for their survival in some high-altitude caves. Some typical species well adapted to the cave environment are reported, including Amphidium mougeotii, Isopterygiopsis pulchella, Thamnobryum alopecurum and Rhynchostegiella tenella, showing a troglophilous character. The occurrence of species of phytogeographical significance, as well as of conservation interest, e.g. Ptychostomum cernuum, Tortula bolanderi, Rhabdoweisia fugax, Grimmia torquata, Brachytheciastrum collinum, very rare in Italy, is emphasized too.     

Phylogeography of the genus Cardiandra based on genetic variation in cpDNA sequences

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Cardiandra based on plastid DNA sequences. The phylogenetic tree showed that Cardiandra populations from the Ryukyu Islands (Japan) and Taiwan were monophyletic (Ryukyu–Taiwan clade), whereas taxa from China and mainland Japan were sisters to this clade. The divergence time between the Ryukyu–Taiwan clade and the other species was estimated to be 0.082 MYA, i.e., the late Pleistocene. The infrageneric and/or infraspecific differentiation of Cardiandra is estimated to have depended largely on allopatric differentiation caused by the presence or division of the past landbridge of the Ryukyu Islands, which connected mainland Japan to the Asian Continent during the Quaternary.     

Tree and stand level variables influencing diversity of lichens on temperate broad-leaved trees in boreo-nemoral floodplain forests

Tree and stand level variables affecting the species richness, cover and composition of epiphytic lichens on temperate broad-leaved trees (Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Ulmus glabra, and U. laevis) were analysed in floodplain forest stands in Estonia. The effect of tree species, substrate characteristics, and stand and regional variables were tested by partial canonical correspondence analysis (pCCA) and by general linear mixed models (GLMM). The most pronounced factors affecting the species richness, cover and composition of epiphytic lichens are acidity of tree bark, bryophyte cover and circumference of tree stems. Stand level characteristics have less effects on the species richness of epiphytic lichens, however, lichen cover and composition was influenced by stand age and light availability. The boreo-nemoral floodplain forests represent valuable habitats for epiphytic lichens. As substrate-related factors influence the species diversity of lichens on temperate broad-leaved trees differently, it is important to consider the effect of each tree species in biodiversity and conservation studies of lichens. Nomenclature Randlane et al. (2007) for lichens; Leht (2007) for vascular plants.