Pérez-Pérez, Mervin E

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    Do novel Spathodea campanulata forests function as habitat for bryophytes? Analysis of diversity and establishment process
    (2010) Pérez-Pérez, Mervin E; Sastre-De Jesús, Inés; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Kolterman, Duane; Thaxton, Jarrod; Department of Biology
    In Puerto Rico an economic change has promoted the natural succession of secondary forests dominated by alien species such as Spathodea campanulata. These forests represent novel habitats in the Neotropics and appear to facilitate invasion/establishment of native vascular species. The vascular plants and invertebrates have been well studied in these secondary forests. In contrast we do not know about their bryophyte communities and much less about their establishment process. In fragments of different age, past land use, and geological substrates we carried out bryophyte inventories following the floristic habitat sampling technique. Moreover, a multi-factor experiment using Neckeropsis disticha propagules was conducted to evaluate habitat quality and microclimate in bryophyte establishment over a year (from May 2009 to June 2010). There was a significant difference in bryophyte richness among patches; those in karst had the highest bryophyte richness value. This pattern was explained by microhabitat diversity and shorter flood periods. In S. campanulata patches temperature and light intensity were higher at the forest edge than in the interior, while relative humidity showed an opposite pattern. Non relationship of microclimate gradient with the bryophyte richness and composition was observed, but these climatic factors suggest an important value for species cover. In addition, forest structure and age also explained bryophyte richness better than altitude and vascular species richness. In field experiment vegetative propagules were more successful in the establishment process than sexual ones. Significant difference was observed in vegetative propagules growth over a year. The meso- and microsite interaction were not significant, but when time and treatments were included in the tests of effect slices the growth values were significant at both levels of meso- and microsite. However, the significance was only for treatment with the highest light levels. In S. campanulata forests the microhabitats without flooding periods and with both higher light intensity and alkaline pH values enhance gametophyte growth. Since S. campanulata forests support bryophyte re-establishment and succession of epiphytic bryophyte and also promote native vascular species, these forest should be considered a restoration tool for heavily disturbed landscapes as abandoned sugar cane fields or pasture in Puerto Rico and other Neotropical areas.