Publicação
Changes in bryophyte functional composition during post-fire succession
| Resumo: | Climate and land-use changes are altering fire regimes in many regions around the world. To date, most studies have focused on the effects of altered fire regimes on woody and herbaceous communities, while the mechanisms driving post-fire bryophyte succession remain poorly understood, particularly in Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Here, we examined changes in bryophyte functional composition along a post-fire chronosequence (ranging from 1 to 20+ years) in Pyrenean oak woodlands (northeastern Portugal). To do so, we defined bryophyte functional groups based on seven morphological, reproductive, and life history traits. Then, we fitted linear and structural equation models to disentangle the direct and indirect effects of fire (time since fire and fire intensity), vegetation structure, climate, topography, and edaphic conditions on the abundance of each group. We identified two main functional groups: early colonizers (species with traits associated with strong colonization ability and desiccation tolerance) and perennial stayers (species with high competitive ability, i.e., large perennial mosses). Overall, the abundance of early colonizer species decreased with time since fire and increased with fire intensity, while the opposite was observed for perennial stayers. Thus, successional dynamics reflected a trade-off between species competitive and colonization abilities, highlighting the role of biotic interactions later in succession. Patterns of functional composition were also consistent with changes in environmental conditions during succession, sug- gesting that species may experience stressful conditions (i.e., high radiation and low water availability) in early stages of post-fire succession. Our results also indicate that increased fire intensity may alter successional tra- jectories, leading to long-term changes in bryophyte communities. By understanding the response of bryophyte communities to fire, we were able to identify species with potential use as soil restoration materials. |
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| Autores principais: | Monteiro, Juliana |
| Outros Autores: | Domingues, Inês; Brilhante, Miguel; Serafim, João; Nunes, Sílvia; Trigo, Ricardo; Branquinho, Cristina |
| Assunto: | Bryophyte functional groups Fire intensity Pyrenean oak woodlands Competition-colonization trade-off Chronosequence Ecological restoration |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | Climate and land-use changes are altering fire regimes in many regions around the world. To date, most studies have focused on the effects of altered fire regimes on woody and herbaceous communities, while the mechanisms driving post-fire bryophyte succession remain poorly understood, particularly in Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Here, we examined changes in bryophyte functional composition along a post-fire chronosequence (ranging from 1 to 20+ years) in Pyrenean oak woodlands (northeastern Portugal). To do so, we defined bryophyte functional groups based on seven morphological, reproductive, and life history traits. Then, we fitted linear and structural equation models to disentangle the direct and indirect effects of fire (time since fire and fire intensity), vegetation structure, climate, topography, and edaphic conditions on the abundance of each group. We identified two main functional groups: early colonizers (species with traits associated with strong colonization ability and desiccation tolerance) and perennial stayers (species with high competitive ability, i.e., large perennial mosses). Overall, the abundance of early colonizer species decreased with time since fire and increased with fire intensity, while the opposite was observed for perennial stayers. Thus, successional dynamics reflected a trade-off between species competitive and colonization abilities, highlighting the role of biotic interactions later in succession. Patterns of functional composition were also consistent with changes in environmental conditions during succession, sug- gesting that species may experience stressful conditions (i.e., high radiation and low water availability) in early stages of post-fire succession. Our results also indicate that increased fire intensity may alter successional tra- jectories, leading to long-term changes in bryophyte communities. By understanding the response of bryophyte communities to fire, we were able to identify species with potential use as soil restoration materials. |
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