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Microclimatic patterns correlate with the distribution of epiphyllous bryophytes in a tropical lowland rain forest in Costa Rica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

Michaela Sonnleitner ,
Stefan Dullinger ,
Wolfgang Wanek  and
Harald Zechmeister
Michaela Sonnleitner
Affiliation:
Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology, Faculty Centre of Biodiversity, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna 1030, Austria
Stefan Dullinger
Affiliation:
Vienna Institute for Nature Conservation and Analysis, Giessergasse 6/7, Vienna 1090, Austria
Wolfgang Wanek
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Ecology and Ecosystem Research, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, Vienna 1090, Austria
Harald Zechmeister*
Affiliation:
Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology, Faculty Centre of Biodiversity, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna 1030, Austria
*
1Corresponding author. Email: harald.zechmeister@univie.ac.at
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Abstract:

Quantitative analyses of the factors driving the distribution of bryophytes in the phyllosphere of tropical rain forests are rare. In this study we sampled epiphyllous bryophytes on two leaves of each of 57 individuals belonging to four phorophyte species (Asplundia pittieri, Carludovica drudei, Costus laevis and Dieffenbachia concinna) at three adjacent, but microclimatically varied sites in the Esquinas forest, Costa Rica. Microclimatic parameters and phorophyte identities were correlated to differences in cover, diversity and species composition of bryophyte assemblages by means of Kruskal–Wallis tests, non-metric multidimensional scaling and indicator species analysis. High relative humidity and in particular daily fluctuations in relative humidity proved to be the most important factors for epiphyll distribution suggesting severe constraints of epiphyll colonisation by pronounced humidity fluctuations. Differences in air temperature and light availability as well as phorophyte identity were only weakly correlated with bryophyte cover and diversity. However, species composition of epiphyllous assemblages was related to all microclimatic variables as well as to phorophyte identity. The strong response of epiphyllous bryophytes to even subtle microclimatic variations suggests that undisturbed forest canopies and their control on microclimate may be essential for the development of epiphyll communities.

Keywords

hemispherical photographyhumidity fluctuationsindicator species analysisLejeuneaceaelight availabilityliverwortsNeotropicsphyllosphere
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , May 2009 , pp. 321 - 330
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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