Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient
Abstract Aim Lichens are a major component of Arctic biodiversity. However, they appear vulnerable to climate change, as they are exposed to warmer temperatures and increased competition with vascular plants. Our study aims to evaluate lichen cover, species richness, functional diversity and communi...
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crwiley:10.1111/jbi.14233 2024-09-15T17:52:17+00:00 Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient Chagnon, Catherine Simard, Martin Boudreau, Stéphane Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14233 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jbi.14233 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/jbi.14233 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Journal of Biogeography volume 48, issue 11, page 2742-2754 ISSN 0305-0270 1365-2699 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14233 2024-08-27T04:32:06Z Abstract Aim Lichens are a major component of Arctic biodiversity. However, they appear vulnerable to climate change, as they are exposed to warmer temperatures and increased competition with vascular plants. Our study aims to evaluate lichen cover, species richness, functional diversity and community composition among the dominant vegetation types along a 640‐km latitudinal gradient, and to identify environmental determinants related to patterns in lichen communities. Location From subarctic (56°N) to arctic (62°N) Nunavik (Québec, Canada). Taxon Lichens. Methods We characterized macrolichen communities at the species level in 42 sites across a latitudinal gradient, and identified latitudinal trends in lichen cover, species richness and functional diversity. Using linear models and distance‐based redundancy analysis, we investigated the effect of climate, vegetation, topography and soil characteristics on lichen communities. Results Lichen cover and species richness were the lowest at high latitudes, while functional diversity increased with increasing latitude. Vegetation types and surficial deposits were strongly related to lichen cover and richness. However, these factors did not influence functional diversity, which was mainly driven by climatic conditions. Main conclusion Our results highlight the importance of vegetation structure in lichen communities and corroborate the negative relationship between vascular plant abundance and lichen abundance and species richness. While we found no influence of vegetation structure on lichen functional diversity, further studies using targeted functional traits are needed to accurately investigate the impact of ongoing changes in northern vegetation on ecosystem functioning. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic biodiversity Climate change Subarctic Nunavik Wiley Online Library Journal of Biogeography 48 11 2742 2754 |
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English |
description |
Abstract Aim Lichens are a major component of Arctic biodiversity. However, they appear vulnerable to climate change, as they are exposed to warmer temperatures and increased competition with vascular plants. Our study aims to evaluate lichen cover, species richness, functional diversity and community composition among the dominant vegetation types along a 640‐km latitudinal gradient, and to identify environmental determinants related to patterns in lichen communities. Location From subarctic (56°N) to arctic (62°N) Nunavik (Québec, Canada). Taxon Lichens. Methods We characterized macrolichen communities at the species level in 42 sites across a latitudinal gradient, and identified latitudinal trends in lichen cover, species richness and functional diversity. Using linear models and distance‐based redundancy analysis, we investigated the effect of climate, vegetation, topography and soil characteristics on lichen communities. Results Lichen cover and species richness were the lowest at high latitudes, while functional diversity increased with increasing latitude. Vegetation types and surficial deposits were strongly related to lichen cover and richness. However, these factors did not influence functional diversity, which was mainly driven by climatic conditions. Main conclusion Our results highlight the importance of vegetation structure in lichen communities and corroborate the negative relationship between vascular plant abundance and lichen abundance and species richness. While we found no influence of vegetation structure on lichen functional diversity, further studies using targeted functional traits are needed to accurately investigate the impact of ongoing changes in northern vegetation on ecosystem functioning. |
author2 |
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Chagnon, Catherine Simard, Martin Boudreau, Stéphane |
spellingShingle |
Chagnon, Catherine Simard, Martin Boudreau, Stéphane Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
author_facet |
Chagnon, Catherine Simard, Martin Boudreau, Stéphane |
author_sort |
Chagnon, Catherine |
title |
Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
title_short |
Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
title_full |
Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
title_fullStr |
Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
title_full_unstemmed |
Patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
title_sort |
patterns and determinants of lichen abundance and diversity across a subarctic to arctic latitudinal gradient |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14233 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jbi.14233 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/jbi.14233 |
genre |
Arctic biodiversity Climate change Subarctic Nunavik |
genre_facet |
Arctic biodiversity Climate change Subarctic Nunavik |
op_source |
Journal of Biogeography volume 48, issue 11, page 2742-2754 ISSN 0305-0270 1365-2699 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14233 |
container_title |
Journal of Biogeography |
container_volume |
48 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
2742 |
op_container_end_page |
2754 |
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1810294355146047488 |