Terrestrial bryophyte communities in relation to climatic and topographic factors in a paramo of southern Ecuador

Abstract

Paramos have high species diversity and a high proportion of endemic species and are of major importance for hydrological regulation of the environment. However, they are highly threatened by agriculture and cattle grazing. Bryophytes are an important component of paramo in terms of diversity and biomass as well as the functioning of paramo ecosystems. These poikilohydric organisms are very sensitive to microclimate changes related to humidity and light availability. We studied the influence of climate and topography on the diversity of terrestrial bryophytes in three summit areas in the paramo of Parque Nacional Podocarpus, Ecuador. In each area we established eight plots of 1 × 1 m and registered the presence and cover of terrestrial bryophyte species. Differences in species composition among the three areas were analyzed with non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), climatic and topographic effects with multivariate analysis based on permutations (PERMANOVA). We found that differences in terrestrial bryophyte community composition correlated with precipitation and slope. Highest diversity was found in areas with the highest precipitation, least slope steepness, and highest soil moisture.