Lichen Monitoring Delineates Biodiversity on a Great Barrier Reef Coral Cay

Forests

Paul C. Rogers¹  Roderick W. Rogers²  Anne E. Hedrich³  Patrick T. Moss⁴ 

[1] Wildland Resources Department & Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;Queensland Herbarium, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Department of Botany (Emeritus), The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia; E-Mail:;Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; E-Mail:;Geography Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia; E-Mail:

关键词: bioindicators;    tropical forest;    islands;    Pisonia grandis;    Casuarina equisetifolia;    Australia;    ordination;    NMS;    MRPP;    epiphyte;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f6051557

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Coral islands around the world are threatened by changing climates. Rising seas, drought, and increased tropical storms are already impacting island ecosystems. We aim to better understand lichen community ecology of coral island forests. We used an epiphytic lichen community survey to gauge Pisonia (Pisonia grandis R.BR.), which dominates forest conditions on Heron Island, Australia. Nine survey plots were sampled for lichen species presence and abundance, all tree diameters and species, GPS location, distance to forest-beach edge, and dominant forest type. Results found only six unique lichens and two lichen associates. A Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRPP) test found statistically distinct lichen communities among forest types. The greatest group differences were between interior Pisonia and perimeter forest types. Ordinations were performed to further understand causes for distinctions in lichen communities. Significant explanatory gradients were distance to forest edge, tree density (shading), and Pisonia basal area. Each of these variables was negatively correlated with lichen diversity and abundance, suggesting that interior, successionally advanced, Pisonia forests support fewer lichens. Island edge and presumably younger forests—often those with greater tree diversity and sunlight penetration—supported the highest lichen diversity. Heron Island’s Pisonia-dominated forests support low lichen diversity which mirrors overall biodiversity patterns. Lichen biomonitoring may provide a valuable indicator for assessing island ecosystems for conservation purposes regionally.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.