Biomass and diversity of epiphytic liverworts along environmental gradients in a cloud forest in Mexico

ABSTRACTIntroduction Bryophytes can reach levels of coverage sufficient to influence key ecological processes; for example, their water retention capacity can supply an appreciable amount of humidity to forest ecosystems. The variation in biomass and diversity of epiphytic liverwort species in a Mexican cloud forest (CF) in the state of Hidalgo was estimated along elevation and latitude gradients, as was the relationship between epiphytic liverwort structural attributes and environmental factors.Methods Liverwort species were sampled in three municipalities with CF in Hidalgo State, at elevations of 1345–2019 m. In each municipality, two 0.1 ha plots were located at the two extremes of the gradient. For each of 10 trees per plot, three 10 × 10 cm areas of bark were selected as microplots, and from each microplot, samples of liverwort were obtained to determine structural data for the liverworts.Key results Species diversity was highest at the upper elevation level (1985–2001 m), and lowest at the lower elevation level (1345–1375 m). The highest dry and saturated weight values (15.20 g and 83.30 g, respectively) were found at lower elevations, and the lowest (11.78 g and 60.04 g, respectively) at high elevations.Conclusion Species diversity was positively related to elevation gradient, and species biomass decreased gradually with elevation. Beta diversity values were not associated with geographical distance between sites. Local factors, such as light input, available area, phorophyte species, humidity and temperature, may have more influence on the growth of epiphytic liverworts than elevation or geographical distance.KEYWORDS: Bryophyteselevationliverwortsspecies diversitytemperate forests AcknowledgementsWe gratefully acknowledge the Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT) for the scholarship granted to the first author to carry out postgraduate studies. Dr. Robert Gradstein is thanked for his help in corroborating identifications of some specimens. We greatly appreciate the comments of three anonymous reviewers, who contributed to substantially improving the manuscript.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Additional informationNotes on contributorsJosé Francisco Juárez-LópezJosé Francisco Juárez-López is a Ph.D. student at the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. His research focuses on the taxonomy and ecology of bryophytes, particularly Marchantiophyta, in Mexico.Arturo Sánchez-GonzálezArturo Sánchez-González is a professor-researcher at the Biological Research Center of the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. His research work has focused on the taxonomy, ecology and conservation of bryophytes in different ecosystems of Mexico.Numa PavónNuma Pavón is a professor at the Biological Research Center of the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. His research focuses on the effects of global change on ecological processes.Dorismilda Martínez-CabreraDorismilda Martínez-Cabrera is a professor-researcher at Huejutla Technological Institute, Mexico. She is currently a curator of the herbarium and director of the biology laboratory. Her research work has focused on the anatomy and taxonomy of bryophytes and vascular plants.