Claudine Ah-Peng

Baker's law and the island syndromes in bryophytes

Summary The evolution of island syndromes has long served as a model to understand the mechanisms accounting for phenotypic differentiation. Combining literature data with actual observations, we determine whether typical syndromes such as the loss of dispersal power and the bias towards self-compatibility (Bakers law) apply to vagile organisms, using bryophytes as a model. The life-history traits (LHTs) observed in oceanic island floras were statistically different from those observed on continents, evidencing the evolution of island syndromes. In contrast, LHTs of continental and continental island floras were similar, pointing to differences in migration intensity between continents, continental islands and oceanic islands. The proportion of bisexual species was significantly higher on oceanic islands than on continents. A significant proportion of species that are unisexual or bisexual on continents shifted towards exclusive bisexuality on oceanic islands, suggesting that Bakers law applies to bryophytes. The underlying mechanisms, however, probably differ from in situ selection for selfing. The proportion of species producing specialized asexual diaspores, which are assumed to play a role in short-distance dispersal (SDD), was higher on oceanic islands than on continents. The proportion of species producing spores, which are involved in long-distance dispersal (LDD), exhibited the reverse trend, suggesting a shift in the prevalent reproductive strategy to favour SDD on oceanic islands. Approximately 50% of the species, however, maintained the ability to produce sporophytes on oceanic islands, and the relative frequency of fertile shoots within collections of four model species was even higher on islands than on continents. Synthesis. Bryophytes exhibit typical island syndromes, indicating that migration rates between oceanic islands and continents are not sufficient to prevent the effects of genetic drift and contradicting the view that the sea does not impede migration in the group. Significant shifts in life-history traits (LHTs) towards increased production of specialized asexual diaspores and decreased sporophyte production on oceanic islands indeed point to a global loss of long-distance dispersal (LDD) ability. The maintenance of traits characteristic for LDD in a large number of species has, however, substantial consequences for our understanding of island plant evolution, and in particular, for our vision of islands as evolutionary dead ends.

Checklist of the Bryophytes of Madagascar

Abstract This updated checklist of the bryophytes of Madagascar was compiled from the literature, herbarium and recent collections. A total of 1144 species and infraspecific taxa are recorded for Madagascar composed of 751 mosses, 390 liverworts and 3 hornworts. 28.67% of the species reported for the Island are endemics. Twenty-four taxa are newly recorded for Madagascar and two of them, Fissidens cyathaeicola Brugg.Nann. and Taxithelium nepalense (Schwägr.) Broth. are reported for the first time for the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Additions to the bryoflora of Reunion Island 3: new and interesting records from the Tropical Bryology Group (British Bryological Society)

Abstract This contribution is a result of collaborative work based on the fieldwork organized during a workshop of the Tropical Bryology Group on Mascarene bryophytes in September 2008, and also from previous unpublished records of the authors. We add 35 new taxon records (17 mosses and 18 liverworts) as well as five other interesting records for Réunion Island (Mascarene Archipelago). Grimmia austrofunalis Müll. Hal., Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. subsp. magellanicum, Didymodon tectorum (Müll. Hal.) K. Saito, Anastrophyllum revolutum Steph. and Lejeunea exilis (Reinw. et al.) Grolle are reported for the first time for Africa. Syrrhopodon vardei L. T. Ellis, Ceratolejeunea papuliflora Steph. and Xylolejeunea grolleana (Pócs) X.-L. He & Grolle, previously known as endemic from Madagascar, are here recorded for Réunion. The latter species is also illustrated with SEM pictures.

Mosses and liverworts show contrasting elevational distribution patterns in an oceanic island (Terceira, Azores): the influence of climate and space

Due to ongoing global changes, it is essential to establish a baseline record from which to determine future shifts in species distributions and community assembly patterns. In this context, we used digitised historical bryophyte distribution data along a 1021 m elevational gradient in Terceira Island (Azores) to determine how bryophyte species distribution varies with elevation and which spatial and climatic drivers contribute to this variation. We used ordinary least squares analysis to test for climatic and spatial data as explanatory variables for bryophyte richness and Mid-Domain Null simulations to assess the influence of spatial constraints on species distributions. Bryophyte richness follows a hump-shaped pattern, with mosses predominating in the first half of the gradient and liverworts in the second half. While moss richness did not correlate to any climatic variables and responded weakly to the presence of forest cover, liverwort presence was related to temperature, rainfall, humidity and the occurrence of native forest areas, suggesting that these plants are more sensitive to changes in their environment and can thus be used as better indicator species for climate change. Despite their inherent biases, our study shows that historically compiled data can be a valuable tool for preliminary assessment of macroecological patterns.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 45

D. S. G. Henriques, O. V. Ilina, J. E. Gil-Novoa, M. E. Morales-Puentes, S. R. Gradstein, R. Gupta, V. Nath, A. K. Asthana, A. Koczur, M. Lebouvier, A. Mesterházy, F. Mogro, A. Mežaka, Cs. Németh, J. D. Orgaz, Y. Sakamoto, J. Paiva, F. Sales, N. Pande, M. S. Sabovljević, J. Pantivić, A. D. Sabovljević, A. Pérez-Haase, D. Pinheiro da Costa, V. Plášek, J. Sawicki, M. Szczecińska, J. Chmielewski , A. Potemkin , A. Scha 31 32 ̈fer-Verwimp , W. B. Schofield 33 , C. Sérgio, M. Sim-Sim, S. Sjögren, D. Spitale, A. Stebel, S. Ştefănuţ , G. M. Sua 40 ́rez , J 41 . R. Flores , L. Thouvenot , J. Va 41 42 ́ňa , 43

Microlejeunea strasbergii sp. nov. (Lejeuneaceae) from Réunion Island (Mascarenes)

Abstract Microlejeunea strasbergii J. Bardat & C. Ah-Peng is described from Réunion Island. It differs from Microlejeunea africana Steph. in the larger lobule, the incurved distal margin of the lobe and the apical tooth of the lobule that is almost in contact with the distal margin of the lobe. The new species is described, illustrated, its IUCN status assessed, and an identification key for the genus is provided for the Mascarene archipelago (Réunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues).

Additions to the bryoflora of Réunion Island 2: Anthocerotopsida, Marchantiopsida and Jungermanniopsida from the herbarium of the National Botanic Garden of Belgium

Abstract The collections of liverworts and hornworts from Réunion Island held in the herbarium of the National Botanic Garden of Belgium (BR) were investigated, and 21 hepatics and 1 hornwort are newly reported from the island. Of these, 5 liverworts and 1 hornwort are new for the Index Muscorum region Afr 3 and 5 liverworts are new for the Mascarenes. New illustrations are provided for Herbertus grossevittatus (Steph.) S.W.Arnell ex Grolle and Cheilolejeunea cordigera (Steph.) Grolle.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 50

1. Andreaea flexuosa R.Br.bisContributors: R. Ochyra and N. J. M. GremmenHeard Island, Subantarctica: Eastern slope of Scarlet Hill, 340 m a.s.l., 53°06ʹ18ʺS, 73°38ʹ23ʺE, on red consolidated scoria...

Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS): a proposal for the long-term coordinated survey and monitoring of native island forest biota

Islands harbour evolutionary and ecologically unique biota, which are currently disproportionately threatened by a multitude of anthropogenic factors, including habitat loss, invasive species and climate change. Native forests on oceanic islands are important refugia for endemic species, many of which are rare and highly threatened. Long-term monitoring schemes for those biota and ecosystems are urgently needed: (i) to provide quantitative baselines for detecting changes within island ecosystems, (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management actions, and (iii) to identify general ecological patterns and processes using multiple island systems as repeated ‘natural experiments’. In this contribution, we call for a Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) for monitoring the remaining native island forests, using bryophytes, vascular plants, selected groups of arthropods and vertebrates as model taxa. As a basis for the GIMS, we also present new, optimized monitoring protocols for bryophytes and arthropods that were developed based on former standardized inventory protocols. Effective inventorying and monitoring of native island forests will require: (i) permanent plots covering diverse ecological gradients (e.g. elevation, age of terrain, anthropogenic disturbance); (ii) a multiple-taxa approach that is based on standardized and replicable protocols; (iii) a common set of indicator taxa and community properties that are indicative of native island forests’ welfare, building on, and harmonized with existing sampling and monitoring efforts; (iv) capacity building and training of local researchers, collaboration and continuous dialogue with local stakeholders; and (v) long-term commitment by funding agencies to maintain a global network of native island forest monitoring plots.

A contribution to the bryoflora of Mozambique from the ‘Google Forest’, Mabu Mountain, Zambezia Province

Abstract Mozambique, with only approximately 82 moss and 54 liverwort species recorded, is among the bryologically most poorly known regions of Africa. We here report on a collection of bryophytes made on Mabu Mountain; a poorly known but biologically rich area of forest in NW Mozambique. The specimens were bulk collections of bryophyte mats made by non-specialists with no attempt to separate or target particular species in the field. Nevertheless, our identifications from this material yielded 56 species (40 mosses and 16 hepatics) of which 43 (ca 75%) are new records for the country. Given the apparent diversity, as well as the presence of several rare and/or disjunctive species, the bryophytes constitute yet another significant element in the biological richness of the Mabu area, and help highlight its national and regional biological significance. Mabu should be the target of more detailed bryological exploration.