Niches and guilds of bryophytes along a 3000-meter elevational gradient

A long and steep elevational gradient presents the opportunity to study niches of a large number species within small geographic area. Along such in Sierra Nevada California, all bryophytes were recorded 253 plots. with occurrence, wetness, incline, shadiness substrate type spot where each bryophyte was living recorded. The average these ecological traits (i.e., central tendency niche) tabulated along determination whether specialist or generalist for that niche dimension. Moving guilds, co-occurrence plots used aggregate into coalitions using program RCLUS. These occupy different parts an ordination species, but they reveal more subtlety than itself. An ecotone evident between foothill vegetation zone higher elevation zone. Other ecotones not obvious; example, we did detect sharp boundary conifer subalpine zone, rather turnover incremental individualistic. For naturalists who know being able characterize them ecologically contributes thoughts assembly communities conservatism clades.