Bergamini Ariel

Bergahornweiden im Alpenraum: Kulturgeschichte, Biodiversität und Rudolphis Trompetenmoos (Tayloria rudolphiana)

Project Number: CH-5862

Project Type:	Dissertation
Project Duration:	01/01/2012 - 12/31/2017 project completed
Funding Source:	WSL ,
Leading Institution:	WSL Birmensdorf
Project Leader:	Dr. Ariel Bergamini Biodiversität und Naturschutzbiologie WSL Zürcherstrasse 111 8903 Birmensdorf Phone: +41 (0) 44 739 23 32 ; +41 (0) 44 739 21 11 e-Mail: ariel.bergamini(at)wsl.ch https://www.wsl.ch

related to this project.

for which the project has a relevance.

Research Areas:

Biodiversity

Disciplines:

botanics
environmental sciences

Keywords:
Acer pseudoplatanus, Alps Biodiversity, Epiphytes, Red-listed species, Tayloria rudolphiana

Abstract:
Tree crowns typically cover the vast majority of the surface area of trees, but they are rarely considered in diversity surveys of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens, especially in temperate Europe. Usually only stems are sampled. We assessed the number of bryophyte and lichen species on stems and in crowns of 80 solitary sycamore maple trees (Acer pseudoplatanus) at six sites in wooded pastures in the northern Alps. The total number of species detected per tree ranged from 13 to 60 for bryophytes, from 25 to 67 for lichens, and from 42 to 104 for bryophytes and lichens considered together. At the tree level, 29 % of bryophyte and 61 % of lichen species were recorded only in the crown. Considering all sampled trees together, only 4 % of bryophyte, compared to 34 % of lichen species, were never recorded on the stem. Five out of 10 red-listed bryophyte species and 29 out of 39 red-listed lichen species were more frequent in crowns. The species richness detected per tree was unexpectedly high, whereas the proportion of exclusive crown species was similar to studies from forest trees. For bryophytes, in contrast to lichens, sampling several stems can give a good estimation of the species present at a site. How- ever, frequency estimates may be highly biased for lichens and bryophytes if crowns are not considered. Our study demonstrates that tree crowns need to be considered in research on these taxa, especially in biodiversity surveys and in conservation tasks involving lichens and to a lesser degree also bryophytes.


Publications:
Kiebacher, T. et al. (2016): Hidden crown jewels: the role of tree crowns for bryophyte and lichen species richness in sycamore maple wooded pastures. In: Biodiversity & Conservation 25: 1605-1624.
DOI 10.1007/s10531-016-1144-4

Kiebacher, Thomas. 2016. Sycamore maple wooded pastures in the Northern Alps: Biodiversity, conservation and cultural history. PhD-Thesis, Philosophisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Bern und WSL, Birmensdorf.
pdf Dissertation



Last update: 8/11/22
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-5862

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