Bolivian Begonia are among the most poorly studied of American begonias. We provide here a checklist and key to the Bolivian Begonia flora, which currently includes ten sections, 43 species, three subspecies and three varieties. We also fully discuss the nomenclature and typification of all Bolivian Begonia species and designate 16 lectotypes. We describe and provide an illustration of one new species and provide emended descriptions for eight species. We have assessed six species for extinction risk under IUCN Red List criteria and provide four new synonyms. We compare our checklist with previous treatments of Bolivian Begonia and discuss all changes in detail.Las begonias de Bolivia se encuentran entre las begonias americanas menos estudiadas. Proporcionamos una lista de verificación y una clave para la flora de begonias de Bolivia, que actualmente incluye diez secciones, 43 especies, tres subespecies y tres variedades. También proporcionamos una discusión completa de la nomenclatura y tipificación de todas las especies bolivianas de Begonia y designamos 16 lectotipos. Describimos e ilustramos una nueva especie y adicionamos descripciones corregidas para ocho especies. Evaluamos seis especies en riesgo de extinción según los criterios de la lista roja de la UICN y proponemos cuatro nuevos sinónimos. Comparamos nuestra lista de verificación con tratamientos anteriores sobre las begonias bolivianas y discutimos todos los cambios en detalle.
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The science of tropical dendrochronology is now emerging in regions where tree-ring dating had previously not been considered possible. Here, we combine wood anatomical microsectioning techniques and radiocarbon analysis to produce the first tree-ring chronology with verified annual periodicity for a new dendrochronological species, Neltuma alba (commonly known as “algarrobo blanco”) in the tropical Andes of Bolivia. First, we generated a preliminary chronology composed of six trees using traditional dendrochronological methods (i.e., cross-dating). We then measured the 14 C content on nine selected tree rings from two samples and compared them with the Southern Hemisphere (SH) atmospheric 14 C curves, covering the period of the bomb 14 C peak. We find consistent offsets of 5 and 12 years, respectively, in the calendar dates initially assigned, indicating that several tree rings were missing in the sequence. In order to identify the tree-ring boundaries of the unidentified rings we investigated further by analyzing stem wood microsections to examine anatomical characteristics. These anatomical microsections revealed the presence of very narrow terminal parenchyma defining several tree-ring boundaries within the sapwood, which was not visible in sanded samples under a stereomicroscope. Such newly identified tree rings were consistent with the offsets shown by the radiocarbon analysis and allowed us to correct the calendar dates of the initial chronology. Additional radiocarbon measurements over a new batch of rings of the corrected dated samples resulted in a perfect match between the dendrochronological calendar years and the 14 C dating, which is based on good agreement between the tree-ring 14 C content and the SH 14 C curves. Correlations with prior season precipitation and temperature reveal a strong legacy effect of climate conditions prior to the current Neltuma alba growing season. Overall, our study highlights much potential to complement traditional dendrochronology in tree species with challenging tree-ring boundaries with wood anatomical methods and 14 C analyses. Taken together, these approaches confirm that Neltuma alba can be accurately dated and thereby used in climatic and ecological studies in tropical and subtropical South America.more » « less
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null (Ed.)Weinmannia epicae is described and illustrated. It grows in Andean high-montane forests of the Yungas region in the department of La Paz, northwestern Bolivia, between 2900 and 3300 m. It differs from other morphologically similar species as W. cundinamarcensis, W. haenkeana and W. pubescens by having the maximum number of leaflets pairs usually between 10 to 14, medial leaflets of 1.3 to 2.3 cm, with more or less rough surface and undersurfaces with hirsute to hirsute-villous indument, and mature capsules villous-pubescent of 5-7 × 1.8-2.7 mm, conspicuously pedicellated. The differences with morphological similar species are pointed out, and information on their geographical distribution, ecology, phenology and the assessment of conservation status according to IUCN criteria are provided.more » « less
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Abstract Aim The climate variability hypothesis proposes that species subjected to wide variation in climatic conditions will evolve wider niches, resulting in larger distributions. We test this hypothesis in tropical plants across a broad elevational gradient; specifically, we use a species‐level approach to evaluate whether elevational range sizes are explained by the levels of thermal variability experienced by species.
Location Central Andes.
Time Period Present day.
Taxon Woody plants.
Methods Combining data from 479 forest plots, we determined the elevational distributions of nearly 2300 species along an elevational gradient (~209–3800 m). For each species, we calculated the maximum annual variation in temperature experienced across its elevational distribution. We used phylogenetic generalized least square models to evaluate the effect of thermal variability on range size. Our models included additional covariates that might affect range size: body size, local abundance, mean temperature and total precipitation. We also considered interactions between thermal variability and mean temperature or precipitation. To account for geometric constraints, we repeated our analyses with a standardized measure of range size, calculated by comparing observed range sizes with values obtained from a null model.
Results Our results supported the main prediction of the climate variability hypothesis. Thermal variability had a strong positive effect on the range size, with species exposed to higher thermal variability having broader elevational distributions. Body size and local abundance also had positive, yet weak effects, on elevational range size. Furthermore, there was a strong positive interaction between thermal variability and mean annual temperature.
Main Conclusions Thermal variability had an overriding importance in driving elevational range sizes of woody plants in the Central Andes. Moreover, the relationship between thermal variability and range size might be even stronger in warmer regions, underlining the potential vulnerability of tropical montane floras to the effects of global warming.
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This item contains version 5.0 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on August 18, 2020; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) post-cleaning scripts that obtain additional but non-essential information from the clean data (e.g. by extracting environmental data from rasters); and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset.
The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as >450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits.
The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director. The director oversees the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com] and Beatriz Nieto [sonneratia@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
The Madidi project has been supported by generous grants from the National Science Foundation (DEB 0101775, DEB 0743457, DEB 1836353), and the National Geographic Society (NGS 7754-04 and NGS 8047-06). Additional financial support for the Madidi Project has been provided by the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Comunidad de Madrid (Spain), the Universidad Autónima de Madrid, and the Taylor and Davidson families. -
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Abstract Aim We examined tree beta diversity in four biogeographical regions with contrasting environmental conditions, latitude, and diversity. We tested: (a) the influence of the species pool on beta diversity; (b) the relative contribution of niche‐based and dispersal‐based assembly to beta diversity; and (c) differences in the importance of these two assembly mechanisms in regions with differing productivity and species richness.
Location Lowland and montane tropical forests in the Madidi region (Bolivia), lowland temperate forests in the Ozarks (USA), and montane temperate forests in the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain).
Methods We surveyed woody plants with a diameter ≥2.5 cm following a standardized protocol in 236 0.1‐ha forest plots in four different biogeographical regions. We estimated the species pool at each region and used it to recreate null communities determined entirely by the species pool. Observed patterns of beta diversity smaller or greater than the null‐expected patterns of beta diversity implies the presence of local assembly mechanisms beyond the influence of the species pool. We used variation‐partitioning analyses to compare the contribution of niche‐based and dispersal‐based assembly to patterns of observed beta diversity and their deviations from null models among the four regions.
Results (a) Differences in species pools alone did not explain observed differences in beta diversity among biogeographic regions. (b) In 3/4 regions, the environment explained more of the variation in beta diversity than spatial variables. (c) Spatial variables explained more of the beta diversity in more diverse and more productive regions with more rare species (tropical and lower‐elevation regions) compared to less diverse and less productive regions (temperate and higher‐elevation regions). (d) Greater alpha or gamma diversity did not result in higher beta diversity or stronger correlations with the environment.
Conclusion Overall, the observed differences in beta diversity are better explained by differences in community assembly mechanism than by biogeographical processes that shaped the species pool.
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Abstract Aim Ecological niches shape species commonness and rarity, yet, the relative importance of different niche mechanisms within and across ecosystems remains unresolved. We tested the influence of niche breadth (range of environmental conditions where species occur) and niche position (marginality of a species’ environmental distribution relative to the mean environmental conditions of a region) on tree‐species abundance and occupancy across three biogeographic regions.
Location Argentinian Andes; Bolivian Amazon; Missouri Ozarks.
Time period 2002–2010.
Major taxa studied Trees.
Methods We calculated abiotic‐niche breadths and abiotic‐niche positions using 16 climate, soil and topographic variables. For each region, we used model selection to test the relative influence of niche breadth and niche position on local abundance and occupancy in regional‐scale networks of 0.1‐ha forest plots. To account for species–environment associations caused by other mechanisms (e.g., dispersal), we used null models that randomized associations between species occurrences and environmental variables.
Results We found strong support for the niche‐position hypothesis. In all regions, species with higher local abundance and occupancy occurred in non‐marginal environments. Observed relationships between occupancy and niche position also differed from random species–environment associations in all regions. Surprisingly, we found little support for the niche‐breadth hypothesis. Observed relationships between both local abundance and niche breadth, and occupancy and niche breadth, did not differ from random species–environment associations.
Main conclusion Niche position was more important than niche breadth in shaping species commonness and rarity across temperate, sub‐tropical and tropical forests. In all forests, tree species with widespread geographic distributions were associated with environmental conditions commonly found throughout the region, suggesting that niche position has similar effects on species occupancy across contrasting biogeographic regions. Our findings imply that conservation efforts aimed at protecting populations of common and rare tree species should prioritize conservation of both common and rare habitats.
