Low foristic richness of afro‐alpine vegetation of Mount Kenya is related to its small area

dc.contributor.authorNyaga, Justine M.
dc.contributor.authorOnipchenko, Vladimir G.
dc.contributor.authorKopylova, Natalia A.
dc.contributor.authorKipkeev, Alii M.
dc.contributor.authorElumeeva, Tatiana G.
dc.contributor.authorAzovsky, Andrei
dc.contributor.authorDudov, Sergei V.
dc.date.accessioned2021-01-26T11:58:59Z
dc.date.available2021-01-26T11:58:59Z
dc.date.issued2019-10-29
dc.description.abstractDiversity patterns of tropical alpine vegetation is poorly studied. We estimated vascular plant floristic richness for two typical afro-alpine communities in Mount Kenya using a series of nested plots sized from 25 to 100 m2. The α-diversity was low for all plot sizes (4.8–7.8 and 12.8 species per one and 100 m2, respectively). Comparative analysis of α-, β- and γ-diversity across 22 plant communities from five Mountain regions (Mount Kenya, European Alps, Caucasus, Tibet, New Zealand Alps) revealed that area of mountain system was the only significant variable shaping the local richness; this effect became stronger with increasing spatial scale. Beta-diversity, by contrast, showed neither latitudinal trends nor significant correlation with other geographical or climatic variables. We conclude that the total area of mountain system is one of the main factors determining the regional species pool and, ultimately, the local diversity of alpine plant communities (the “echo-effect”). Small area and isolation of Mt. Kenya are considered as the main reasons for low local richness of its afro-alpine vegetation.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-019-00229-z
dc.identifier.urihttp://repository.embuni.ac.ke/handle/embuni/3702
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSpringeren_US
dc.subjectSpecies–area relationshipen_US
dc.subjectFloristic richnessen_US
dc.subjectAlpha-diversityen_US
dc.subjectBeta-diversityen_US
dc.subjectMt. Kenyaen_US
dc.subjectAfro-alpineen_US
dc.subjectTropical alpine · Plant communitiesen_US
dc.titleLow foristic richness of afro‐alpine vegetation of Mount Kenya is related to its small areaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Low foristic richness of afro‐alpine vegetation of Mount Kenya is related to its small area.pdf
Size:
893 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Full Text
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: