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Diversity
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Montane Ecosystems and Diversity
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Montane Ecosystems and Diversity

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2024 | Viewed by 4936

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Nigel Barker

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
Interests: African mountain biodiversity; plant systematics; phylogeography; orphan crops; biogeography; African plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mark Robertson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
Interests: introduced plants; biological invasions; invasibility; altitudinal gradients

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The biodiversity of mountain ecosystems is unique. Mountains often harbour high biodiversity as a consequence of steep climatic, physiographic and other gradients, with half the world’s global biodiversity hotspots being found in mountain regions. These ecosystems are sensitive to anthropogenic change, and the effects of future climate change on mountain systems is predicted to be substantial. However, at the most basic level, a biological inventory of the world’s mountains does not exist, and many estimates are based on plants, while estimates of invertebrate diversity are completely lacking worldwide.

This Special Issue is dedicated to improving our understanding on the biodiversity of montane ecosystems around the world, and submissions relating to aspects such as biodiversity assessment, monitoring, altitudinal gradients, ecosystem services, climate change and protected areas and conservation are encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Nigel Barker
Prof. Dr. Mark Robertson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mountain biodiversity
  • climate change
  • altitudinal gradients
  • refugia
  • conservation
  • ecosystem services
  • endemism
  • genetic diversity
  • biological invasions and other threats

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1102 KiB  
Article
Microbial Community Responses to Alterations in Historical Fire Regimes in Montane Grasslands
by Jarishma K. Gokul, Gwynneth Matcher, Joanna Dames, Kuhle Nkangala, Paul J. Gordijn and Nigel P. Barker
Diversity 2023, 15(7), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15070818 - 28 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1292
Abstract
The influence of fire regimes on soil microbial diversity in montane grasslands is a relatively unexplored area of interest. Understanding the belowground diversity is a crucial stepping-stone toward unravelling community dynamics, nutrient sequestration, and overall ecosystem stability. In this study, metabarcoding was used [...] Read more.
The influence of fire regimes on soil microbial diversity in montane grasslands is a relatively unexplored area of interest. Understanding the belowground diversity is a crucial stepping-stone toward unravelling community dynamics, nutrient sequestration, and overall ecosystem stability. In this study, metabarcoding was used to unravel the impact of fire disturbance regimes on bacterial and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community structures in South African montane grasslands that have been subjected to an intermediate (up to five years) term experimental fire-return interval gradient. Bacterial communities in this study exhibited a shift in composition in soils subjected to annual and biennial fires compared to the controls, with carbon and nitrogen identified as significant potential chemical drivers of bacterial communities. Shifts in relative abundances of dominant fungal operational taxonomic units were noted, with Glomeromycota as the dominant arbuscular mycorrhiza observed across the fire-return gradient. A reduction in mycorrhizal root colonisation was also observed in frequently burnt autumnal grassland plots in this study. Furthermore, evidence of significant mutualistic interactions between bacteria and fungi that may act as drivers of the observed community structure were detected. Through this pilot study, we can show that fire regime strongly impacts bacterial and fungal communities in southern African montane grasslands, and that changes to their usually resilient structure are mediated by seasonal burn patterns, chemical drivers, and mutualistic interactions between these two groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Montane Ecosystems and Diversity)
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14 pages, 2735 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Management Practices on the Stability of Meadow Communities on a Mountain Slope
by Volodymyr Kurhak, Lina Šarūnaitė, Aušra Arlauskienė, Uliana Karbivska and Anton Tkachenko
Diversity 2023, 15(5), 605; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050605 - 28 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 838
Abstract
Europe is currently experiencing a huge decline in biodiversity, with the greatest reduction observed in plant species associated with grassland areas. There is therefore a need for more appropriate land management practices that do not endanger native populations. The focus of our research [...] Read more.
Europe is currently experiencing a huge decline in biodiversity, with the greatest reduction observed in plant species associated with grassland areas. There is therefore a need for more appropriate land management practices that do not endanger native populations. The focus of our research was to assess the modification of the species composition of the phytocenoses found in sloping meadows in the mountain–forest belt using organic and mineral fertilization and by reseeding cultural swards (with a mixture of Poaceae or Trifolium repens L.), while applying various meadow usage methods: multipurpose use (cut four times) and hay production (cut two times). The highest botanic richness (41 species from 16 families and 90% of perennial plants) was observed from the multipurpose usage of the meadow, which resulted in 28.1% more species than the haymaking usage. With regard to species stability, the most appropriate fertilization of the meadows was P30K60, regardless of the usage method. Fertilization with nitrogen fertilizers improved the yield of meadows but reduced the number of species. When meadows were reseeded with P. pratense and F. Pratensis and fertilized for haymaking, the number of families and species reduced, with a 25% decline in the number of T. repens families. This study concludes that to maintain the richness of plant species in these grasslands, farmers must receive financial subsidies to limit fertilization and plant cultivated species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Montane Ecosystems and Diversity)
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17 pages, 6259 KiB  
Article
Diversity and Endemism of Southern African Gekkonids Linked with the Escarpment Has Implications for Conservation Priorities
by Gary K. Nicolau and Shelley Edwards
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020306 - 20 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1922
Abstract
South Africa is recognised for its high reptile diversity and endemism, specifically among lizards. Phylogenetic diversity, endemism, and richness can have clear implications or raise important questions in a range of fields, and most urgently in conservation. Among squamate reptiles, these indices are [...] Read more.
South Africa is recognised for its high reptile diversity and endemism, specifically among lizards. Phylogenetic diversity, endemism, and richness can have clear implications or raise important questions in a range of fields, and most urgently in conservation. Among squamate reptiles, these indices are very commonly associated with high temperatures and topographic heterogeneity. Indeed, mountainous biogeography has been a critical driver in the radiation of the family Gekkonidae within the subregion. Here, we assess the species richness, diversity, and endemism of Gekkonidae species inhabiting South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini, accounting for phylogenetic relationships. We also employ the CANAPE method to identify regions that have neo- and/or paleoendemics. Southern African gekkonids appear to be most diverse and show high levels of endemism in three regions of Southern Africa: the northwestern Richtersveld, the escarpment running west to southeast, and the northeastern escarpment in the Limpopo province. Implications for conservation priorities are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Montane Ecosystems and Diversity)
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