Diversidad de briófitos y líquenes epífitos en un bosque montano con diferentes tipos de manejo dentro del Parque Nacional Cotopaxi en la sierra norte del Ecuador

Abstract

Non-vascular epiphytic organisms constitute an important component of montane forests, because they are a characteristical element in terms of diversity and functioning; however, they are one of the ecosystems that presents the most threats. The changes in the richness and composition of lichens and bryophytes were analyzed in the undisturbed and disturbed forest within the Cotopaxi National Park. A total of 120 trees divided into 12 plots of 25 x 25 meters were recorded. To measure changes in species richness, the Shannon-Weaver and Simpson indices were used. The composition of the communities was carried out through multidimensional non-metric scaling (NMDS) and multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA). We registered a total of 119 species (67 lichens and 52 bryophytes). Statistical analyses showed that the species richness not changes between forest types, on the contrary the composition is different in each type of forest.