Maestrías

Entérate cómo entregar tus trabajos de titulación

Permanent URI for this community

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1

Open Access
Diversity of Anthurium Schott along an altitudinal gradient in a Montane Forest of Northwestern Ecuador
(PUCE - Quito, 2025) Zambrano Cevallos, Bryan Ricardo; Quintana Medina, Catalina Lilian
Montane forests in the tropical Andes exhibit high biodiversity and endemism, yet the elevational patterns of plant diversity remain insufficiently characterized for many key groups, including Anthurium (Araceae). To evaluate how alpha and beta diversity of Anthurium vary along an 800-meter elevational gradient in the Mashpi Lodge Reserve, we established thirty 100 × 3 m transects across three elevational zones (500–1,300 m). All Anthurium individuals were identified and recorded to assess changes in diversity patterns. We documented 2,276 individuals representing 55 species, 16 of which are endemic to Ecuador. Alpha diversity peaked at mid-elevations, while beta diversity revealed high species turnover between zones. The middle elevation zone exhibited the greatest overlap with adjacent zones, suggesting a transitional role, whereas the low and high zones supported distinct species assemblages. Elevation, forest structure, the evolutionary history of the landscape, and dispersal limitations shape Anthurium distribution along the gradient. The coexistence of both broadly distributed and range-restricted species underscores the ecological importance of elevational corridors and highlights the conservation value of heterogeneous montane landscapes.