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(American Journal of Botany. 2005;92:411-421.)
© 2005 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Ecology

Microhabitat distribution of two Florida scrub endemic plants in comparison to their habitat-generalist congeners1

Satya Maliakal-Witt2,5, Eric S. Menges3 and J. S. Denslow4

2Louisiana State University, Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 USA; 3Archbold Biological Station; P. O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, Florida 33862 USA; 4Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, USDA Forest Service, 23 East Kawili Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 USA

Habitat-specialist species may be restricted to a narrower range of microhabitats than habitat-generalist species. We addressed this hypothesis by comparing microhabitats of two pairs of congeners that differ in habitat specificity and co-occur in one distinct habitat type, Florida rosemary scrub. We characterized microhabitats of rosemary scrub specialists, Polygonella basiramia and Lechea cernua, their habitat-generalist congeners, Polygonella robusta and Lechea deckertii, and random points in the rosemary scrub habitat. Plants of both habitat specialists occurred in microhabitats with significantly more bare sand than plants of habitat-generalist species and random points. Plants of all four species occurred in microhabitats that were farther from dominant shrubs, Ceratiola and Quercus spp., than random points. Seedlings of both habitat specialists grew larger in bare sand microhabitats, whereas ground lichens and litter did not affect seedling growth of the habitat generalists. As the time since fire increases, bare sand cover decreases, Ceratiola density increases, Quercus density remains constant, and shrubs become taller. Physical characteristics, such as soil temperature, soil carbon, and soil moisture, differ slightly with respect to microhabitat. Our results suggest that P. basiramia and L. cernua are specialized on bare sand microhabitats that characterize their preferred habitat, rosemary scrub. Microhabitat specialization may limit the distribution of these rare species.

Key Words: congeneric species-pairs • Florida scrub • habitat specialization • Lechea • microhabitat • Polygonella • rarity • rosemary scrub






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