Water-energy relationships shape the phylogenetic diversity of terricolous lichen communities in Mediterranean mountains: Implications for conservation in a climate change scenario |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy;2. University of L''Aquila, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, Piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100, L''Aquila, Italy;3. Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34121, Trieste, Italy;4. Università di Genova, Dipartimento di Farmacia, viale Cembrano, 4, 16148, Genova, Italy;5. Università di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via la Pira 4, 50121, Firenze, Italy;6. Parco Nazionale della Maiella, Via Badia, 28, 67039, Sulmona, Italy |
| |
Abstract: | Lichens are symbiotic organisms sensitive to climate change and susceptible to a severe decline in diversity, especially in high elevation environments that are already threatened. In this study, we focused on water-energy relationships derived from climatic variables and phylogenetic diversity indices of terricolous lichen communities occurring on a representative Mediterranean mountain. We hypothesized that the variation of precipitation and temperature and their interaction along the altitudinal gradient will shape the phylogenetic diversity and structure of lichen communities. Our results reveal that dry and arid conditions lead to a strong loss in phylogenetic diversity with consequent impoverishment of high elevation lichen communities under a climate change scenario. The interaction between variables, reflecting water-energy relationships with phylogenetic and community diversity patterns, suggests that in a future climate change scenario, the novel climatic conditions may reduce the capability of the species to survive harsher conditions, and Mediterranean mountains may face a severe loss of genetic diversity in a climate change scenario. |
| |
Keywords: | Altitudinal gradient Climate change High elevation environments Maiella massif Mediterranean mountains Phylogenetic diversity Structure Terricolous lichens Water-energy hypothesis |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|