Madagascar is a global biodiversity hotspot, with some of the highest levels of diversity and endemism on the planet Myers et al. (2000). Its forests are among the most biologically rich, unique and highest conservation priorities in the world (Mittermeier et al. 2005). Its high mountain massifs are remarkable for having a higher degree of regional endemism, often localized to an individual massif. Each high mountain massif represents a separate phytogeographic entity with interdependent vegetation belts. They are sensitive to two main climate change variables (rising temperatures and changes in precipitation regimes), but also threatened by a high rate of deforestation, hunting, invasive species, and other human threats. These massifs motivated many studies with periods of intense research. Biological inventories and ecological surveys have been carried out extensively on the fauna and flora (mostly vascular plants). However, studies have not been evenly distributed and many groups of organisms remain poorly studied. A group like bryophyte has received very little attention. They are among the least documented components of the rich biodiversity of Madagascar. Bryophytes, composed of mosses, liverworts and hornworts, are early land plants (470 - 515.1 Mya; Morris et al. 2018). They are the most successful group of plants other than angiosperms. Bryophytes differ from vascular plants because they lack a differentiated vascular system, stomata, roots and a significant degree of foliage cuticularization (Glime 2013). Their hydration status depends to a great extent on the water content of their surrounding environment. Because of their short life cycles, very specific ecological requirements, high dispersal ability and high dependence on atmospheric conditions for nutrients and water, bryophytes are ecologically important with significant roles in processes such as water retention and nutrient cycling.

Crucial information is lacking regarding bryophytes responses to climate changes, and that knowledge on ecosystem services provided by bryophytes is particularly limited in the tropics. Thus, I propose to develop a cross-disciplinary and comprehensive research project to study a “hidden” but ecologically important group of land plants – bryophytes of the high massifs of Madagascar.

 

The objectives of this study are to:

• do floristic inventories of bryophytes in the high mountain massifs of Madagascar,

• assess patterns of bryophyte diversity at species, functional and phylogenetic scales along elevational gradients and investigate potential ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie bryophyte community assembly,

• scale bryophyte functional traits to ecosystem processes to better understand the resource use of the whole community

• create a predictive framework that provides a mechanistic link between climate-mediated changes in abiotic and biotic conditions and the structure and dynamics of natural communities, to estimate changes in species composition from current time to the future and

• begin leveraging this diverse group of organisms as a basis for setting conservation priorities for particular sites or vegetation systems.

​

This research was funded by National Geographic Society.