| Abstract Detail
Bryology and Lichenology INDORF, Marc-Frédéric [1], ROUTE, Tana [2], Bergeron, Yves [3], Fenton, Nicole [4]. Plant species coexistence in Baie-James, Québec: a hierarchy of community assembly processes. Species coexistence and its driving processes – ranging from neutral ones to niche differentiation – have been an important part of ecological research, yet disentangling the different processes is not an easy task. Hierarchical diversity partitioning combined with diversity mesure indexes – alpha, beta, and gamma – is one approach that separates observed biodiversity patterns across spatial scales through comparison with null models of randomised species distributions. Divergence or convergence of the observed data compared with randomised data can highlight different underlying processes of community assembly at each scale.
Through the use of an adapted hierarchical partitioning method, this study aims to understand the drivers of observed floristic patterns across 35 boreal peatlands in the James Bay Region of North-Western Québec. Sites were selected from three sectors covering a 1 000 km transect and 3 taxinomical groups were inventoried: bryophytes, tracheophytes and lichens.
Results show that different ecological processes operate at different spatial scales. For exemple, biogeographical processes are important at the regional scale, abiotic factors are particularly important in each sector, and biotic interactions and niche differentiation influence the local community, except in fens where neutral processes seem to prevail. Bryophyte communities tend to be influenced by neutral processes at the local level, but seem heavily influenced by abiotic filters. Further analysis of the biotic interactions (facilitation and competition) as well as the abiotic factors will help understand how these communities might change in the near future with a growing mining industry and climate changes.
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PhD project description
1 - Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Institut de recherche sur les forêts (IRF), 445, Boulevard de l'Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X1Z8, Canada
2 - Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Institut de recherche sur les forêts, 445, Boulevard de l'Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X1Z8, Canada
3 - UQAT, IRF, 445 Boul. De L'Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X 5E4, Canada
4 - UQAT, 445 Boul De L'Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9Y 1E8, Canada
Keywords:
species pool
community assembly
Beta diversity
James Bay
peatland
bryophtyes
Lichens
vascular plants.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: BL1, Bryology/Lichenology AJ Sharp Session
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Thursday, July 30th, 2020
Time: 10:15 AM
Number: BL1002
Abstract ID:569
Candidate for Awards:A. J. Sharp Award |
