Abstract Detail
Bryological and Lichenological Section/ABLS Kraichak, Ekaphan [1]. Epiphyllous Cryptogams as a System for Studying Metacommunity Processes. Tropical broad leaves or “phyllospheres” offer unique opportunities to study meta-community dynamics because they harbor spatially and temporally discrete, as well as highly diverse, communities of cryptogams (bryophytes and lichens). In this system, habitat patches (leaves) can harbor incredibly rich assemblages of species at a size that lends itself to analysis of the effects of spatial scale on meta-community processes. In an ongoing study, I am quantifying cryptogam diversity in these leaf systems to explore the possibility of using this system to understand and ultimately test the generality of theoretical predictions of community assembly and co-occurrence theory developed at broader spatial scales. Preliminary results suggest that host specificity is less important than leaf architecture and that stochastic processes are more important than deterministic processes in determining the cryptogam assemblage of each leaf. Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - University of California, Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, 3060 Valley Life Science Buliding #3140, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
Keywords: metacommunity cryptogam Bryophyte lichen epiphyll tropical.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for BSA Sections Session: 22 Location: Magpie B/Cliff Lodge - Level B Date: Monday, July 27th, 2009 Time: 4:15 PM Number: 22010 Abstract ID:811 |