Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa
The variation in patterns of plant species distribution has been of interest to naturalists and ecologists. However, African mountains remain nature's laboratories least explored. This study aims to identify the altitudinal pattern of plant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, and community st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific African |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S246822762300474X |
| _version_ | 1827329814007119872 |
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| author | Peninah Cheptoo Rono Fredrick Munyao Mutie Shuai Peng Itambo Malombe Maxwell Njoroge Njenga Paul M. Kirika Guang-Wan Hu Qing-Feng Wang |
| author_facet | Peninah Cheptoo Rono Fredrick Munyao Mutie Shuai Peng Itambo Malombe Maxwell Njoroge Njenga Paul M. Kirika Guang-Wan Hu Qing-Feng Wang |
| author_sort | Peninah Cheptoo Rono |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The variation in patterns of plant species distribution has been of interest to naturalists and ecologists. However, African mountains remain nature's laboratories least explored. This study aims to identify the altitudinal pattern of plant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, and community structure of Mt. Elgon, which is an isolated ancient volcanic mountain of the Oligocene-Miocene epoch in Africa, hosting a rare species pool. Species diversity data (1606 species) was obtained through random walk field surveys, herbaria collections and online databases. We calculated Faiths’ phylogenetic diversity and its standard effect size (SES_PD), net related index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI) among its four vegetation zones, six habitats and 28–100m elevation bands. Our results indicated that herbaceous plants had higher species richness than woody plants and they both assumed a monotonic decline pattern among vegetation zones, and a hump shaped pattern among habitats and 100m elevation bands. However, standardized phylogenetic diversity and structure (SES_PD, NTI and NRI) pattern differed and fluctuated between woody and herbaceous plants demonstrating a zigzag pattern. Mid-elevation phylogenetic overdispersion structure was observed based on NRI (clade level), while phylogenetic clustering progressively increased with elevation in NTI (taxon level). The complex phylogenetic diversity and structure in this study indicate a unique ecosystem worth conservation and more scientific exploration. Consequently, we recommend regions of phylogenetic overdispersion structure for priority conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:46:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f45aba40438450c8697f53478ea40c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2468-2276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:46:34Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific African |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f45aba40438450c8697f53478ea40c72024-03-05T04:30:09ZengElsevierScientific African2468-22762024-03-0123e02020Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in AfricaPeninah Cheptoo Rono0Fredrick Munyao Mutie1Shuai Peng2Itambo Malombe3Maxwell Njoroge Njenga4Paul M. Kirika5Guang-Wan Hu6Qing-Feng Wang7CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaEast African Herbarium, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 451660-0100, Nairobi, KenyaCAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, KenyaEast African Herbarium, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 451660-0100, Nairobi, KenyaCAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan 430200, China; Corresponding author at: Wuhan Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430074, China.CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaThe variation in patterns of plant species distribution has been of interest to naturalists and ecologists. However, African mountains remain nature's laboratories least explored. This study aims to identify the altitudinal pattern of plant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, and community structure of Mt. Elgon, which is an isolated ancient volcanic mountain of the Oligocene-Miocene epoch in Africa, hosting a rare species pool. Species diversity data (1606 species) was obtained through random walk field surveys, herbaria collections and online databases. We calculated Faiths’ phylogenetic diversity and its standard effect size (SES_PD), net related index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI) among its four vegetation zones, six habitats and 28–100m elevation bands. Our results indicated that herbaceous plants had higher species richness than woody plants and they both assumed a monotonic decline pattern among vegetation zones, and a hump shaped pattern among habitats and 100m elevation bands. However, standardized phylogenetic diversity and structure (SES_PD, NTI and NRI) pattern differed and fluctuated between woody and herbaceous plants demonstrating a zigzag pattern. Mid-elevation phylogenetic overdispersion structure was observed based on NRI (clade level), while phylogenetic clustering progressively increased with elevation in NTI (taxon level). The complex phylogenetic diversity and structure in this study indicate a unique ecosystem worth conservation and more scientific exploration. Consequently, we recommend regions of phylogenetic overdispersion structure for priority conservation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S246822762300474XAltitudinal patternsMt. ElgonPhylogenetic diversityStructureSpecies diversity |
| spellingShingle | Peninah Cheptoo Rono Fredrick Munyao Mutie Shuai Peng Itambo Malombe Maxwell Njoroge Njenga Paul M. Kirika Guang-Wan Hu Qing-Feng Wang Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa Scientific African Altitudinal patterns Mt. Elgon Phylogenetic diversity Structure Species diversity |
| title | Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa |
| title_full | Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa |
| title_fullStr | Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa |
| title_short | Revisiting Oligo-Miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of Mt. Elgon in Africa |
| title_sort | revisiting oligo miocene epoch through the altitudinal patterns study of plant species and phylogenetic diversity of mt elgon in africa |
| topic | Altitudinal patterns Mt. Elgon Phylogenetic diversity Structure Species diversity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S246822762300474X |
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