TY - JOUR

T1 - Soil texture and altitude, respectively, largely determine the floristic gradient of the most diverse fog oasis in the Peruvian desert

AU - Muenchow, Jannes

AU - Hauenstein, Simon

AU - Bräuning, Achim

AU - Bäumler, Rupert

AU - Rodríguez, Eric Frank

AU - von Wehrden, Henrik

PY - 2013/9/1

Y1 - 2013/9/1

N2 - Studying species turnover along gradients is a key topic in tropical ecology. Crucial drivers, among others, are fog deposition and soil properties. In northern Peru, a fog-dependent vegetation formation develops on mountains along the hyper-arid coast. Despite their uniqueness, these fog oases are largely uninvestigated. This study addresses the influence of environmental factors on the vegetation of these unique fog oases. Accordingly, vegetation and soil properties were recorded on 66 4 × 4-m plots along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 200 to 950 m asl. Ordination and modelling techniques were used to study altitudinal vegetation belts and floristic composition. Four vegetation belts were identified: a low-elevation Tillandsia belt, a herbaceous belt, a bromeliad belt showing highest species richness and an uppermost succulent belt. Different altitudinal levels might reflect water availability, which is highest below the temperature inversion at around 700 m asl. Altitude alone explained 96% of the floristic composition. Soil texture and salinity accounted for 88%. This is in contrast with more humid tropical ecosystems where soil nutrients appear to be more important. Concluding, this study advances the understanding of tropical gradients in fog-dependent and ENSO-affected ecosystems.

AB - Studying species turnover along gradients is a key topic in tropical ecology. Crucial drivers, among others, are fog deposition and soil properties. In northern Peru, a fog-dependent vegetation formation develops on mountains along the hyper-arid coast. Despite their uniqueness, these fog oases are largely uninvestigated. This study addresses the influence of environmental factors on the vegetation of these unique fog oases. Accordingly, vegetation and soil properties were recorded on 66 4 × 4-m plots along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 200 to 950 m asl. Ordination and modelling techniques were used to study altitudinal vegetation belts and floristic composition. Four vegetation belts were identified: a low-elevation Tillandsia belt, a herbaceous belt, a bromeliad belt showing highest species richness and an uppermost succulent belt. Different altitudinal levels might reflect water availability, which is highest below the temperature inversion at around 700 m asl. Altitude alone explained 96% of the floristic composition. Soil texture and salinity accounted for 88%. This is in contrast with more humid tropical ecosystems where soil nutrients appear to be more important. Concluding, this study advances the understanding of tropical gradients in fog-dependent and ENSO-affected ecosystems.

KW - Biology

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - altitudinal zonation

KW - diversity gradients

KW - dry tropics

KW - edaphic gradient

KW - ENSO

KW - floristic modelling

KW - La Niña

KW - South America

KW - spatial analysis

KW - species richness

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84884537232&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0266467413000436

DO - 10.1017/S0266467413000436

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84884537232

VL - 29

SP - 427

EP - 438

JO - Journal of Tropical Ecology

JF - Journal of Tropical Ecology

SN - 0266-4674

IS - 5

ER -