Date of Award
Winter 12-2018
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science - Biology
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Don Pratt
Second Advisor
Dr. Jeremy Stovall
Third Advisor
Dr. James VanKley
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Josephine Taylor
Abstract
The bryophytes, the non-vascular plants, include the mosses (Bryophyta with approximately 13,000 species), the liverworts (Marchantiophyta with approximately 5,000 species), and the hornworts (Anthocerotophyta with approximately 150 species). Initial observations indicated that the midstory tree Carpinus caroliniana Walter (American hornbeam) has a bryophyte composition with an unusually high diversity of leafy liverworts. Voucher samples were taken from the four intercardinal directions (Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast) from six Carpinus trees and their nearest neighbor that was neither Pinus nor another Carpinus at each of six sites across East Texas. Percent coverage, species richness, Shannon’s diversity and Pielou’s evenness were computed. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) was used to determine bryophyte community and site variability. Percent Coverage, Shannon’s Diversity Index, and Pielou’s Evenness indicate that Carpinus trees have a significantly higher leafy liverwort component than that of Non-Carpinus trees. The two sites in the Davey Crockett National Forest had been recently burned, the burn reaching the trees that were sampled in one of the sites but not the other. Although confounded, the two Davey Crockett sites indicated potential effects of prescribed burns on bryophyte diversity that would need further investigating.
Repository Citation
Edwards, Cassey, "BRYOPHYTE ASSEMBLAGES ON AMERICAN HORNBEAM (CARPINUS CAROLINIANA) AND THE SURROUNDING ARBOREAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE FOREST OF EAST TEXAS" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 228.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/228
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