Species Richness Patterns and Plant Size of Vascular Epiphytes Along an Elevation Gradient in the Tropical Montane Forest of Volcán Maderas, Nicaragua.

Author

Hazel Krupzkaya Berrios Alvarez, Arkansas State UniversityFollow

Date of Award

4-27-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Biology, MS

First Advisor

Travis Marsico

Committee Members

Fabricio Medina-Bolivar; Virginie Rolland

Call Number

LD 251 .A566t 2019 B46

Abstract

Aim To quantify distribution patterns of vascular epiphytes and determine how climate gradients drive species turnover patterns of tropical montane cloud forest systems. Location Volcán Maderas, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. Methods Surveys were conducted in five distinct forest types as follows: Dry Forest, Humid Forest, Wet Forest, Cloud Forest, and Elfin Forest. Results A hump-shaped distribution pattern was detected for all vascular epiphytes at approx.1000 m in elevation (Cloud Forest). Overall species turnover was high for vascular epiphytes along the elevation gradient and was mainly driven by water availability. In addition, changes in size of vascular epiphytes were detected. Main conclusions Given the lowest dissimilarity recorded between the Wet and Cloud Forests, the shared species between these two forest types provide evidence for the source-sink hypothesis. Aim To quantify distribution patterns of vascular epiphytes and determine how climate gradients drive species turnover patterns of tropical montane cloud forest systems. Location Volcán Maderas, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. Methods Surveys were conducted in five distinct forest types as follows: Dry Forest, Humid Forest, Wet Forest, Cloud Forest, and Elfin Forest. Results A hump-shaped distribution pattern was detected for all vascular epiphytes at approx.1000 m in elevation (Cloud Forest). Overall species turnover was high for vascular epiphytes along the elevation gradient and was mainly driven by water availability. In addition, changes in size of vascular epiphytes were detected. Main conclusions Given the lowest dissimilarity recorded between the Wet and Cloud Forests, the shared species between these two forest types provide evidence for the source-sink hypothesis. Keywords Climate patterns, cloud forest ecosystems, elevation gradient, plant size, species turnover, vascular epiphytes, Volcán Maderas (Nicaragua).

Rights Management

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Berrios Alvarez, Hazel Krupzkaya, "Species Richness Patterns and Plant Size of Vascular Epiphytes Along an Elevation Gradient in the Tropical Montane Forest of Volcán Maderas, Nicaragua." (2019). Student Theses and Dissertations. 445.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/445