I am familiar only with the literature on fungal endophytes. For this group, in temperate regions, within about 50 to 100 km, colonization frequency may vary but the same core group of dominant species typically appears wherever a plant is sampled. Furthermore, the core of dominant endophytic species is particular to each plant species.
I am interested in contrasting this with other groups of organisms that can colonize the aerial surfaces (i.e. leaves, twigs, bark) of plants. These include epiphytic vascular plants such as orchids and bromeliads, mosses, lichens, algae, filamentous fungi, yeasts, bacteria, and archaea (each with its own group of experts). Can anyone provide references or information about the degree of variation in assemblages of these epiphytic organisms when the same plant species is sampled at different localities?
You could use marine epiphytes on macroalgae as a comparator too. This provides for a contrast between comparatively highly dispersal-limited terrestrial systems and more open marine systems. Or data for kelp holdfast assemblages indicate that the same patterns you describe in your question are repeated at a kilometre scale in temperate coastal systems. Drop me a line if you are interested.
Hello,
I hope this article serves you. It describes the structure and composition of epiphytic bromeliads as well as hosts in five contrasting vegetation types along a rainfall gradient in Mexico.
Greetings.
Article Climatic and Structural Factors Influencing Epiphytic Bromel...
I suggest you contact with Alejandro Flores-Palacios (Morelos, Mexico).
Hi,
I think you will find this article (Zytynska et al 2011 ) concerning epiphytic composition according to tree host genetic variability of much use. It also analyzed the invertebrate composition, if you are interested in possible influence of the host tree on other groups outside plantae. In the references section you can find other suitable articles.
I am also attaching three more articles on host specificity and epiphytic composition of bromeliads and vines. You may want to make a narrower search on the ecological work by Gerhard Zotz.
I hope you find this answer useful. Best,
Melania Fernández
Lankester Botanical Garden - Costa Rica
Andrew - Thank you. I hadn't thought of marine epiphytes. The comparison could be very interesting considering dispersal differences. I had originally been looking for a some guidelines for a discussion, but maybe a short review in the future would be worthwhile. All these groups provide examples of community assembly at different scales and possibly with organisms of differing dispersal abilities. While scale and dispersal may vary, a single species of plant provides probably similar niches wherever it is (unless genetics of the host is a major factor..?).
Hi Christopher,
You may find this paper useful.
Cheers,
Rebecca
Article Genetic Diversity and Spatial Genetic Structure of an Epiphy...
Dear Christopher,
The question of specificity on vascular epiphytes is a tricky one, here there is a very recent review on the subject:
http://aobpla.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/01/05/aobpla.plu092.abstract
Greetings,
g.
Glenda, thank you this review looks fantastic
Rebecca, thank you for the paper as well.
-Chris
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