Abstract
Background: Trait-based assembly rules are a powerful tool in community ecology, used to explore the pattern and process of community structure (richness and composition). Aims: A preliminary test for the utility of trait-based assembly rules in explaining cryptogamic epiphyte communities (lichens and bryophytes). Methods: We sampled epiphytes from three different tree species (aspen, birch and pine), and from trees of contrasting age. The community composition of epiphyte species (taxon analysis) and functional groups (trait analysis) was summarised using multivariate ordination (nonmetric multidimensional scaling, NMDS). Results: Ordination documented a widely observed pattern in which different tree species have taxonomically different epiphyte communities. However, NMDS sample scores were correlated to tree age in the trait-based analysis, but not in the taxon analysis. Conclusions: Our results point to the existence of a common pattern in community traits during succession (on trees of different age) when measured for epiphyte communities with contrasting taxonomic composition. This pattern is evidenced by consistent trends in lichen growth form and reproductive strategy (sexual vs. asexual).
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Different tree species hosted taxonomically different epiphyte communities.
- Taxon
- epiphyte communitiese0
- Outcome
- taxonomically different epiphyte communitiese0
- Setting
- tree speciese0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“different tree species have taxonomically different epiphyte communities”
Claim · model-written summary
Trait-based ordination scores correlated with tree age.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“NMDS sample scores were correlated to tree age in the trait-based analysis, but not in the taxon analysis”
Claim · model-written summary
Taxon-based ordination scores did not correlate with tree age.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“NMDS sample scores were correlated to tree age in the trait-based analysis, but not in the taxon analysis”
Claim · model-written summary
Lichen growth form and reproductive strategy showed consistent trends across succession on trees of different ages.
Verbatim
e0“common pattern in community traits during succession (on trees of different age) when measured for epiphyte communities with contrasting taxonomic composition. This pattern is evidenced by consistent trends in lichen growth form and reproductive strategy (sexual vs. asexual)”