Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community
Lichens are organisms whose dynamics take place on terrestrial substrates such as rock, dead wood, living plants, and soil. Living trees are used for lichens as structural support to access light. However, little is known about how the genetic traits of a host tree influence which lichen species gro...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Leticia Valencia-Cuevas Jennie Melhado-Carboney Efraín Tovar-Sánchez |
| author_facet | Leticia Valencia-Cuevas Jennie Melhado-Carboney Efraín Tovar-Sánchez |
| author_sort | Leticia Valencia-Cuevas |
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| description | Lichens are organisms whose dynamics take place on terrestrial substrates such as rock, dead wood, living plants, and soil. Living trees are used for lichens as structural support to access light. However, little is known about how the genetic traits of a host tree influence which lichen species grow on it and, consequently, the community structure of this funga. In this study, we investigated how the genetic diversity GD of host oak taxa (<i>Quercus crassifolia</i>, <i>Q. crassipes</i> and their putative hybrid: <i>Q</i>. × <i>dysophylla</i>) influence the community structure of the associated epiphytic lichen community in two hybrid zones (HZs) in Central Mexico. The lichen community was composed of 76 species, 27 genera and 14 families. We found significant differences in lichen composition between genetically distinct individuals and oak taxa in each HZ. Lichen diversity in <i>Q</i>. × <i>dysophylla</i> was intermediate and significantly different between parents in both HZs. We conclude that genetic differences between host oaks promoted significantly different lichen communities and that hybrids may act as ecological islands, accumulating lichen species from both parental species and their own novel species. Consequently, the conservation of HZs due to their high GD may be a strategy to ensure biodiversity conservation of oak-associated lichen communities. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-0a8bc771845d4044b57f86c58db176ee2025-01-24T13:29:33ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182025-01-011716910.3390/d17010069Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen CommunityLeticia Valencia-Cuevas0Jennie Melhado-Carboney1Efraín Tovar-Sánchez2Escuela de Estudios Superiores del Jicarero, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Carretera Galeana-Tequesquitengo s/n, Comunidad El Jicarero, Jojutla 62915, Morelos, MexicoMaestría en Biología Integrativa de la Biodiversidad y la Conservación, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62209, Morelos, MexicoCentro de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62209, Morelos, MexicoLichens are organisms whose dynamics take place on terrestrial substrates such as rock, dead wood, living plants, and soil. Living trees are used for lichens as structural support to access light. However, little is known about how the genetic traits of a host tree influence which lichen species grow on it and, consequently, the community structure of this funga. In this study, we investigated how the genetic diversity GD of host oak taxa (<i>Quercus crassifolia</i>, <i>Q. crassipes</i> and their putative hybrid: <i>Q</i>. × <i>dysophylla</i>) influence the community structure of the associated epiphytic lichen community in two hybrid zones (HZs) in Central Mexico. The lichen community was composed of 76 species, 27 genera and 14 families. We found significant differences in lichen composition between genetically distinct individuals and oak taxa in each HZ. Lichen diversity in <i>Q</i>. × <i>dysophylla</i> was intermediate and significantly different between parents in both HZs. We conclude that genetic differences between host oaks promoted significantly different lichen communities and that hybrids may act as ecological islands, accumulating lichen species from both parental species and their own novel species. Consequently, the conservation of HZs due to their high GD may be a strategy to ensure biodiversity conservation of oak-associated lichen communities.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/1/69epiphytesinterspecific gene flowtemperate forestred oaksspecies diversity |
| spellingShingle | Leticia Valencia-Cuevas Jennie Melhado-Carboney Efraín Tovar-Sánchez Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community Diversity epiphytes interspecific gene flow temperate forest red oaks species diversity |
| title | Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community |
| title_full | Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community |
| title_fullStr | Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community |
| title_full_unstemmed | Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community |
| title_short | Natural Hybridization Between <i>Quercus crassipes</i> and <i>Q. crassifolia</i> (Fagaceae) Is a Key Process to Ensure the Biodiversity of Their Associated Lichen Community |
| title_sort | natural hybridization between i quercus crassipes i and i q crassifolia i fagaceae is a key process to ensure the biodiversity of their associated lichen community |
| topic | epiphytes interspecific gene flow temperate forest red oaks species diversity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/1/69 |
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