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Habitat loss effects on spatial distribution of non-vascular epiphytes in a Brazilian Atlantic forest

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Abstract

The vertical distribution of the richness, abundance, and composition of epiphytic bryophytes was studied in a matrix of fragmented habitats in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest of the Murici Ecological Station (9°11′05″–9°16′48″ S, 35°45′20″–35°55′12″ W), northeastern Brazil. The aim was to compare the horizontal (between sites) and vertical (between phorophyte heights) turnover to test a hypothesis based on niche width vulnerability. There was a highly significant decreasing of richness accompanying the loss of habitat, and the most conserved fragment housed a total richness more than 10 times higher than the less conserved fragment. Epiphytes failed to colonize lower trunks (2.1–10 m) and higher zones in most of the non-conserved fragments; they were restricted to the base (0–2 m) and displayed a clear altered floristic composition. The species with restricted ecological amplitudes such as sun and shade tolerant taxa were more negatively affected by habitat loss than generalists. Although the mean richness of generalists decreased in non conserved fragments, the proportional contribution of this guild increased, proving that these taxa are the ones which persist in disturbed sites. The forest fragments capable of harboring rich epiphyte flora in the area studied are over 300 ha in size, which is far from being a common size among Brazilian Atlantic rainforest fragments. Hence, our results highlight the need of conserving the few large remnants in this ecosystem.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank W. L. Silva, M. Dantas de Paula, A. Alves-Araújo and S. O. Costa for technical, logistical, and scientific support, as well as Dr. C. P. Alves-Costa for aid in analyzing the data. This study was carried out with the financial support of the Fundação O Boticário de Proteção à Natureza and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq.

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  1. Laboratory of Bryophytes Biology, CCB, Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rêgo, s/n CDU, CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Lisi Dámaris Pereira Alvarenga, Kátia Cavalcanti Pôrto & Juliana Rosa do Pará Marques de Oliveira

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  1. Lisi Dámaris Pereira Alvarenga
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  2. Kátia Cavalcanti Pôrto
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Correspondence to Lisi Dámaris Pereira Alvarenga.

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Alvarenga, L.D.P., Pôrto, K.C. & de Oliveira, J.R.d.P.M. Habitat loss effects on spatial distribution of non-vascular epiphytes in a Brazilian Atlantic forest. Biodivers Conserv 19, 619–635 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9723-2

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