Arboreal Biodiversity Across Spatial Scales
Neville Winchester1*, Zoë Lindo2 & Kevin Jordan3
1*Corresponding
author: [email protected], University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
2 McGill
3Arbornaut
University, Montreal, QC
Access, Tofino, BC
Introduction
¾Conservation of biodiversity is a major issue in efforts to maintain and enhance ecosystem function in the ancient temperate
rainforests of British Columbia. The main goal of the Arboreal Biodiversity Across Spatial Scales (A.B.A.S.S.) project is to explore
the structural, functional, and biological complexity associated with canopy ecosystems.
¾Arthropods play a primary role in the function of natural ecosystems, as they regulate nutrient cycling and are frequently mentioned
as important components of diversity that need to be identified and preserved to prevent the loss of undescribed species (Centinelan
extinction). Exploring how species composition and patterns of diversity change across spatial and temporal scales is important for
conservation of biodiversity as it may reveal the sources of diversity and elucidate the processes that create or maintain diversity.
¾We use arboreal (canopy) and terrestrial (ground) microarthropod communities as model systems to address how habitat
availability and complexity, and species dispersal ability affect the patterns of biodiversity.
Sydney
Methods
Watta
Moyeha
Bulson
¾Study site: Clayoquot Sound,
UNESCO Biodiversity Reserve (Fig. 1).
Tranquil
¾Canopy Access: We use single rope
climbing techniques to access ancient
Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong)
Carr.) trees.
Fig. 1. Location of the five watershed estuary sites
within Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biodiversity
Reserve on Vancouver Island, Canada.
¾Sampling: Cores of moss and
suspended soil substrate are collected
(Fig. 2).
¾Extraction: Microarthropods
dominated by oribatid mites (Acari:
Oribatida) (Fig. 3) are extracted using
Berlese funnels (Fig. 4).
Fig. 2. Collecting moss samples in the canopy
using a hand-corer.
Results and Discussion
Fig. 3. Oribatid mite Eupterotegeaus rhamphosus
(TN) collected from arboreal habitats.
We have identified 141 oribatid mite species (canopy and ground) from our sample sites
in Clayoquot Sound. At least 1/3rd of these species are currently undescribed and new
to science.
Canopy oribatid mite communities are distinct from forest floor communities (Fig. 5),
contributing significantly to overall forest biodiversity. The prevalence of undescribed
and rare species in this canopy ecosystem supports the need for conservation initiatives
in these forests.
Factors affecting canopy oribatid mite communities are tree species diversity and
elevation [1], dispersal events [2] and the availability of habitat (e.g. moss mats,
suspended soils, epiphytic lichens) [3]. This suggests that tree age and development
stage of moss mats and suspended soils are important in sustaining and supporting
large, diverse communities of oribatid mites in forest canopies.
Fig. 4. Berlese funnel extractors for
microarthropods.
Community Similarity (%)
Fig. 5. Oribatid mite community similarity: canopy
and ground habitats are significantly different
(ANOSIM R = 0.983, P < 0.001) among the five
watersheds sampled in August 2007.
Acknowledgements
Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Tofino Botanical Gardens, NSERC, University of Victoria
Literature Cited
[1] Winchester, Lindo & Behan-Pelletier, 2008. Environmental Entomology 37: 464-471. [2] Lindo & Winchester,
2008. Ecography 31: 53-60. [3] Lindo & Winchester, 2007. Journal of Biogeography 34: 1611-1621.
For more information, please visit: http://web.uvic.ca/~canopy