Factors influencing the diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens and bryophytes on the relict tree Zelkova abelicea (Lam.) Boiss. (Ulmaceae)
DOKPE
- Fazan, Laurence ORCID University of Fribourg
- Gwiazdowicz, Dariusz J. ORCID Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Fragnière, Yann ORCID University of Fribourg
- Fałtynowicz, Wiesław ORCID Wroclaw University, Wrocław, Poland
- Ghosn, Dany ORCID Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece
- Remoundou, Ilektra Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece
- Rusińska, Anna Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- Urbański, Paweł ORCID Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Pasta, Salvatore ORCID Institute of Biosciences and BioResources - National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
- Garfì, Giuseppe ORCID Institute of Biosciences and BioResources - National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
- Kozlowski, Gregor ORCID University of Fribourg
- 2022
Published in:
- The Lichenologist. - Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 2022, vol. 54, no. 3-4, p. 195-212
Crete
dwarfed over-browsed trees
ecological indicator values
epiphytic assemblages
Greece
phorophyte
English
Trees have a crucial importance in the functioning of ecosystems on Earth. They are among the largest and longest-living taxa and provide habitat and shelter to numerous species belonging to diverse groups of organisms. Relict trees are of particular interest through their history of survival and adaptation, and because they potentially shelter rare or threatened organisms today. We investigated for the first time the diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens and bryophytes found on the Cretan (Greek) endemic and relict phorophyte Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae). Our results showed that Z. abelicea hosts a high number of epiphytes. The Levka Ori mountain range in western Crete seems to be a hot spot for epiphytic lichens on Z. abelicea. Bryophytes had the highest diversity on Mt Kedros in central Crete but were absent from several other sites. Moreover, 17% of the studied lichens were recorded for the first time for Crete and 5% have never been recorded for Greece. Geographical position and browsing intensity seem to be important factors influencing the epiphytic community encountered. Tree morphology (dwarfed or arborescent) was also significant in influencing community composition although it was not possible to dissociate this factor from the effect of topography. Dwarfed individuals were found to have as much epiphytic diversity as arborescent trees. Ecological indicator values showed that high epiphytic diversity was found in some sites despite signs of eutrophication and disturbance due to pastoral activities and suggest the co-occurrence of both disturbance tolerant and sensitive species. Our results show how little is known about the biodiversity of Cretan phorophytes and highlights the need for further research on the topic.
- Faculty
- Faculté des sciences et de médecine
- Department
- Département de Biologie
- Language
-
- English
- Classification
- Botany
- License
- CC BY
- Open access status
- hybrid
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1017/S0024282922000159
- ISSN 0024-2829
- ISSN 1096-1135
- Persistent URL
- https://folia.unifr.ch/unifr/documents/330808
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