Ej Pharo

Effectiveness of using vascular plants to select reserves for bryophytes and lichens

There is strong interest in finding surrogates for taxa that are difficult to identify, primarily because of wide-ranging implications for management and conservation. We examined the effectiveness of using vascular plant diversity as a basis for choosing reserves to capture bryophyte and lichen diversity. We surveyed 35, 20×50 m sites for bryophytes, lichens and vascular plants in a forest management district of eastern Australia. Despite being based on a relatively few sites, these results are informative because datasets in which all three taxa are identified to species level are uncommon. We found that a set of sites that reserved 90% of vascular plant species captured 65% of bryophyte species and 87% of lichen species. Also, the sites that were ‘irreplaceable’ for overstorey species in a minimum reserve set captured 88 and 89% of bryophyte and lichen species, respectively. Vascular plant communities defined using clustering predicted highly significant variation in both bryophyte and lichen species composition. However, both vascular plant species richness and genus richness were poor predictors of bryophyte and lichen species diversity. The results indicate that, on a local scale, reserves selected for vascular plants can capture large percentages of bryophytes and lichens, however individual sites important for bryophyte and lichen conservation may not be important for vascular plant conservation.

Local Variation in Bryophyte and Macro-lichen Cover and Diversity in Montane Forests of Western Canada

Abstract The patterns of cover and species diversity (richness and composition) of macro-lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants are described for a Canadian montane forest in an area where the forest is highly valued both for wood production and for the terrestrial lichen that is a vital part of the diet of the endangered woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou Gmelin). In 180, 6.5 m × 6.5 m plots placed in nine stands within a 375 km2 area, we found lichens were abundant, but the ground layer was dominated by feather moss. Mean species richness at the plot level for lichens (23) is about double that of bryophytes (13) and vascular plants (11). Differences in species composition are small with any two plots having in common at least 50% of their vascular plants, 60% of their bryophytes, and 70% of their lichens. Comparisons of 10% of the most open with 10% of the most dense canopy plots revealed that the more open sites have greater lichen cover, higher elevation, older trees, more lichen and vascular plant species, less moderately decayed logs, and lower cover of Pleurozium schreberi, the dominant feather moss. Twenty-two species (14%) were found only once; of these five were lichens (9% of the lichen flora), six bryophytes (17% of the bryophyte flora), and 11 vascular plants (17% of the vascular plant flora). None of these is provincially endangered, but all are rare in this particular forest type. Only three of these species occur in the 20% of sites having the most open or dense canopies. Our data indicate that at the local scale, the ground layers of these forests are highly variable and have little local distinctiveness. The lack of strong environmental correlations with species patterns suggests that within the natural forest regime other factors are at least partially responsible for ground layer patterns at the local scale. These may include dispersal and establishment success as well as stochastic disturbance regimes.

The Association Between Substrate Variability and Bryophyte and Lichen Diversity in Eastern Australian Forests

Abstract The difference in species diversity on different substrates and the effect of both substrate (ground, logs, rocks, trees, and fallen branches) and site variation (such as disturbance history, aspect, slope) on bryophyte and lichen diversity were investigated in eastern Australian forests. Thirty-five sites in forest types ranging from dry sclerophyll to riparian were surveyed using a 50 m × 20 m area. Despite strong differences between the different substrates in species richness and composition for both bryophytes and lichens, differences within each substrate were limited. On examining each substrate separately, we found that variation in substrate quality, such as degree of log decay, was not strongly correlated with species diversity, explaining no more than 16% of richness and 5% of composition. Despite both bryophytes and lichens showing high fidelity for particular substrates, the quality of that substrate was not an important factor in determining species diversity in this study. Site environmental variables explained larger variation in both bryophyte and lichen species diversity, in particular species richness, with individual site variables explaining up to 41% of richness (topographic position) and 6% of composition (time since fire). For some site variables, notably some of the disturbance variables, there were no overall trends, but significant results for particular substrates, such as logging being significant only on logs and trees.

Influence of Substrate Type and Forest Age on Bryophyte Species Distribution in Tasmanian Mixed Forest

Abstract The role of substrate diversity in forest ecosystems in maintaining bryophyte diversity is frequently acknowledged in the bryological literature, but there are few large-scale studies that attempt to disentangle the effect of substrate type and temporal features. We investigated the interaction between substrate type and forest age, which is a contentious issue in landscapes managed for wood production. We studied three age classes, 1–18 years, 33–67 years, and ‘old growth’ forest aged more than 110 years. We investigated the species distribution of bryophytes growing on 15 vascular species, logs, fallen branches, soil, rocks, upturned root bases, stumps, roots, and dead trees. A total of 49 substrate type-age class groups were sampled. Many bryophyte species were found only to occur on one substrate type, but these substrate types were found in more than one forest age class. A number of bryophyte species were restricted to a group of like substrate types, for example Neckera pennata, Calyptopogon mnioides, and Daltonia splachnoides were found only on ‘vertical’ substrate types–Acacia dealbata, Pomaderris apetala, and fallen branches in 33–67 year old forest. There was evidence for a number of bryophyte species preferring logs in forest aged 33–67 years with most of these species also preferring old growth logs. Eucalyptus obliqua trees of 33–67 year old forest and old growth forest supported many of the same preferential bryophyte species, unlike E. regnans trees. A number of these same eucalypt-dwelling bryophyte species were positively associated with fallen branches, logs, and soil in both forest aged 33–67 years and old growth forest. Under current forest management, there is no specific prescription for retention of any substrate type. Coupled with the current 80–100 year harvest rotation time, the bryophyte species may be at risk of exclusion from wood production areas.

Using communities of practice to enhance interdisciplinary teaching: lessons from four Australian institutions

We report on the establishment of communities of practice at four Australian institutions and evaluate their effectiveness and durability as a means of building staff and institutional capacity for interdisciplinary teaching. A community of practice approach is a potentially valuable methodology for overcoming dynamics of fragmentation, isolation and competition within universities. The communities we established were anchored by a shared focus on the topic of climate change and they worked collaboratively to build relationships of trust and reciprocity between teachers in a wide range of disciplines. The aim of each community was to improve the teaching of climate change through enabling members to integrate diverse disciplinary perspectives, to teach collaboratively, to promote innovation through exchange and to demonstrate leadership within their institutions. The key factors that made our communities effective and durable are: (1) designation of two leadership roles, activator and facilitator, (2) provision for institutional autonomy in domesticating the model to fit local circumstances and (3) a pragmatic emphasis on opportunities for teaching innovation and leadership within existing administrative structures, teaching programs and workloads. We conclude that suitably designed and resourced communities of practice are a viable means of improving interdisciplinary teaching of complex problems by facilitating both staff development and institutional learning.

Biological legacies soften pine plantation effects for bryophytes

Biological legacies are organic structures and patterns remaining after a disturbance that may contribute to the complexity of the recovering vegetation. Legacies may, in turn, reduce the impacts of human disturbances such as logging and habitat transformation on elements of biodiversity. To examine the effects of biological legacies on biotic responses after disturbance, we surveyed 32 sites for bryophytes in an area subject to large-scale conversion of native eucalypt forest to exotic Pinus radiata D. Don plantations in eastern Australia. We sampled bryophyte and substrate diversity (log, bare ground, upturned tree/log, and trees) in eight sites in each of four landscape context classes: pine plantation stands, elliptical-shaped remnants, strip-shaped remnants, and controls in a large area of contiguous, unmanaged eucalypt forest. We found a muted response by individual species of bryophyte to landscape context. We attribute this, in part, to the presence of logs in the intensively managed pine plantation sites. The boost in bryophyte diversity from species on logs meant that some pine sites supported similar species composition to the continuous eucalypt forest controls. Our findings also underline the importance of local controls and structural variation, including leaving logs and native trees in plantations, for enhancing bryophyte species richness in managed landscapes.

Management forest types as a surrogate for vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen diversity

Forest types defined for forest-management purposes are being used in reserve selection and to assess logging impacts on flora and fauna. We investigate whether these forest types are adequate surrogates for vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen species diversity. The data were collected in 35 0.1-ha areas distributed throughout the Morisset Forestry District, north of Sydney, New South Wales. We use analysis of variance and analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) to show that vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen species richness and composition all varied significantly between forest types. Greater differences in species were obtained by using the more refined seven-forest type classification used for management purposes, compared to the five-forest type classification used for environmental impact assessment. Greatest differences were found between the drier, more exposed forest types and the moist, relatively protected forest types of the lower slopes and riparian areas. Highly significant differences in species composition were found for all groups; however, there was still considerable variation not accounted for. Therefore, the validity of the assumption that sites might respond similarly to disturbance must be further investigated. For reserve selection, it is suggested that two of the drier forest types are interchangeable when considering areas to be reserved.

Distributed leadership: building capacity for interdisciplinary climate change teaching at four universities

Purpose – Interdisciplinary approaches to climate change teaching are well justified and arise from the complexity of climate change challenges and the integrated problem-solving responses they demand. These approaches require academic teachers to collaborate across disciplines. Yet, the fragmentation typical of universities impedes collaborative teaching practice. This paper aims to report on the outcomes of a distributed leadership project in four Australian universities aimed at enhancing interdisciplinary climate change teaching. Design/methodology/approach – Communities of teaching practice were established at four Australian universities with participants drawn from a wide range of disciplines. The establishment and operation of these communities relied on a distributed leadership methodology which facilitates acts of initiative, innovation, vision and courage through group interaction rather than through designated hierarchical roles. Findings – Each community of practice found the distributed leadership approach overcame barriers to interdisciplinary climate change teaching. Cultivating distributed leadership enabled community members to engage in peer-led professional learning, collaborative curriculum and pedagogical development, and to facilitate wider institutional change. The detailed outcomes achieved by each community were tailored to their specific institutional context. They included the transformation of climate change curriculum, professional development in interdisciplinary pedagogy, innovation in student-led learning activities, and participation in institutional decision-making related to curriculum reform. Originality/value – Collaborative, non-traditional leadership practices have attracted little attention in research about sustainability education in university curricula. This paper demonstrates that the distributed leadership model for sustainability education reported here is effective in building capacity for interdisciplinary climate change teaching within disciplines. The model is flexible enough for a variety of institutional settings.

Bryophyte relationships with environmental and structural variables in Tasmanian old-growth mixed eucalypt forest

The species richness and species composition of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) was recorded at 33 sites in Tasmanian old growth mixed eucalypt forest. A total of 202 bryophyte taxa were recorded, consisting of 115 liverworts and 87 mosses. This constitutes approximately one third of the total bryophyte flora for Tasmania. Mean liverwort species richness per site was higher than moss species richness. Latitude was found to be a positive predictor in all multiple regression models of bryophyte, moss and liverwort species richness. Mean annual temperature and rainfall of the driest month were positive predictors for bryophyte and liverwort species richness. Basal area of the treefern Dicksonia antarctica Labill. was a negative predictor of liverwort species richness. Latitude, variables relating to moisture, mean annual temperature, rainfall of the driest month and basal area of Dicksonia antarctica were the most significant components in predicting variation in bryophyte, moss and liverwort species composition. There were few relationships between the variables of canopy cover and soil nutrients and bryophyte species richness and composition. Substrate variables were found to be important components in predicting variation in moss and bryophyte species composition.

Managing a neglected component of biodiversity: a study of bryophyte diversity in production forests of Tasmania's northeast

Summary Bryophytes were surveyed in coupes scheduled for conversion to plantation in the wet forests of the Bass District in northeast Tasmania. Besides being the first detailed regional survey of this important component of biodiversity, the study presented the opportunity to compare bryophyte diversity as it relates to a) geology type, b) substrate, c) vascular plant communities, and d) riparian areas (likely to be remnants after harvesting). Overall bryophyte species (81) outnumbered vascular plant species (54) in the 19 areas sampled. There were significant differences in bryophyte richness and composition between the forests on the three geological types (granite, Quaternary sands, mudstone), and the seven substrates (live vegetation, treeferns, coarse woody debris, fallen treeferns, soil, roots, rocks). Other good predictor variables for bryophyte diversity were the five vascular plant communities, and the two Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) communities. Bryophyte composition of riparian sites did not differ significantly from the surrounding forest, although they do cluster together on an ordination diagram. We found 14 species that have not been recorded for the region before, which is likely to be a reflection of under-collecting rather than rarity.