Matches in SemOpenAlex for { <https://semopenalex.org/work/W1601408068> ?p ?o ?g. }
- W1601408068 abstract "To date all experimental approaches on the mechanisms that determine the lower elevational limits of plants have been carried out in temperate regions. Despite of the concrete and relevant information from these studies it is uncertain that these information could be applied to tropical mountain communities since diversity and community structure in these areas are different. Through a series of experimental approaches we examine the importance of some factors on the lower elevational limits of tropical plants. Since the current global warming will principally affect lower elevational limits, we also evaluated how climate change could affect the distribution of tropical montane plants. In the first approach we assess the importance of biotic and abiotic factors in the determination of the elevational limits of tropical ferns by observing the symmetry of the distributions for each species calculating the skewness. We assumed that abiotic factors should determine truncated and biotic factors attenuated limits, and that species range limits were spatially more regular when they were determined by abiotic than by biotic factors. The species presented different distribution patterns, which ranged from symmetric- to asymmetric-distributions. However most of the species were asymmetricaly distributed and showed truncated upper limits and attenuated lower limits. This is consistent with the observation that upper elevational limits are determined mainly by climatic factors while lower elevational limits are determined by biotic interactions. In a second experimental approach we analyzed the effects of litterfall on two understory species of tropical montane forest by observing their growth at different elevations. After two years, we found that the species restricted to higher elevation were more sensitive to damage by litterfall than the wideranging species. Based on these results, it can be suggested that litterfall may be playing an important role in the determination of the lower elevational limits in plants of trop ical montane forests, and that the elevational distribution reflect the species plasticity and resiliance to litterfall disturbs. In the third approach we examined the role of surrounding vegetation on the elevational distribution and occupation patterns of five high Andean geophyte species. Studying the structure of vegetation and the abundance of the geophyte species we found that structural changes in the vegetation appeared to determine the presence/absence and abundance of the geophyte species along the elevational gradient. In the fourth experiment we described the changes in the biomass allocation patterns for seedlings of two puna species when growing outside their natural elevational ranges. According to our results, the ability or inability to change the resource allocation patterns of these species appear to be playing an important role in the present elevational distribution, and could be key factor in the reaction of these species to climate change. In the last experimental approach we assess the effect of a warmer and more seasonal environment on non-vascular epiphyte communities. For that we translocated complete non-vascular epiphyte communities from 3000 m to 2700 m and 2500 m. After two years, epiphyte communities translocated to lower elevations did not differ in total bryophyte cover from those left at 3000 m, but they were more dynamic, with higher cover changes of species composition. The response of epiphytes to the translocation was distinctly species-specific. According to this it could be postulated not only that epiphyte communities may be already reacting to climate change but also that communities will not necessary collapse under the new climatic scenaria, and that ecosystem functions mediated by epiphytes, such as nutrient cycling and water retention may only experience limited changes.With this worldwide first experimental approach on the elevational limits of tropical plants, it has been possible to determine some relevant factors for the elevational distribution of plants in the Andes, and how climate change could affect them. However it is necessary to indicate that many factors, such as germination, dispersal limitation, and the direct effect of herbivory and pathogens could not be included in this investigation. In this way a complete perspective of the factors that determine the lower elevational limits of tropical montane plants and the effect of the climatic change on them is still incomplete. Only knowing the importance of these factors will permit to establish the true effect of the climatic change on these areas and to predict in an adequate way the response of the vegetation to this scenario." @default.
- W1601408068 created "2016-06-24" @default.
- W1601408068 creator A5011654006 @default.
- W1601408068 creator A5045002713 @default.
- W1601408068 date "2022-02-20" @default.
- W1601408068 modified "2023-09-30" @default.
- W1601408068 title "Factors controlling the lower elevational limits in tropical montane plants in the Andes and their implications under the current climatic change" @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1022858248 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W103650626 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1489560030 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1505338736 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1507156144 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1519918296 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1524202986 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1528850960 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1532540194 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1564371012 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1564542662 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1599507792 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1599864329 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W167579821 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1678035252 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1715289541 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1757006577 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1895534306 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1913829529 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1975847744 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1976439884 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1979046395 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1980585474 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1982030391 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W1989371375 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2001032337 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2001557842 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2003485756 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2009547828 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2009578074 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2011938630 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2018934868 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2020447639 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2021831883 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2023413516 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2024649846 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2030000987 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2033367668 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2033959873 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2035342473 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2039460652 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2040085089 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2043360468 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2043402983 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2044099825 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2045291252 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2059327049 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2061777392 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2066120356 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2066913969 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2067593414 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2075809877 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2076098400 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2076775069 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2077454220 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2083324867 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2084205529 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2088004739 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2097788276 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2099679267 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2100910751 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2103450462 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2104071879 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2108004544 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2108589156 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2108906369 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2111187016 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2114689794 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2122770582 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2126533192 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2127770468 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2131229013 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2133501143 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2133592976 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2135338837 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2139173493 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2141075017 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2144377259 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2145731645 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2149507322 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2149910095 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2159332358 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2162641775 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2162686614 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2163816695 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2166715253 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2169917233 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2172843913 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2181384262 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2267714437 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2333471697 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2334695972 @default.
- W1601408068 cites W2334816143 @default.