Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37897046›Full record

ArticleAnnals of botany2023

Epiphytic CAM bromeliads indicate vulnerability of tropical forest communities to climate change.

Jamie Males, Yasmin Baksh-Comeau, Dan Jaggernauth, Shane Ballah, Shahada Paltoo, Howard Griffiths

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of botany, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
5.5field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jamie MalesDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
Yasmin Baksh-ComeauNational Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago, University of West Indies St Augustine Campus, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Dan JaggernauthNational Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago, University of West Indies St Augustine Campus, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Shane BallahNational Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago, University of West Indies St Augustine Campus, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Shahada PaltooNational Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago, University of West Indies St Augustine Campus, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Howard GriffithsDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
University of Cambridge · GB

Funding

National Herbarium of Trinidad and TobagoNatural Environment Research Council NE/M001946/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and scopeVascular epiphytes have a variety of mechanisms to trap and retain water, including crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Niche segregation was investigated for epiphytic bromeliads on the tropical Caribbean island of Trinidad, where habitats range from lowland deciduous forests to high-rainfall montane tropical forests, ~1000 m in elevation.

methodsFour tank-impounding bromeliad epiphytes in the genus Aechmea (Ae. aquilega, Ae. fendleri, Ae. nudicaulis and Ae. dichlamydea) with CAM were mapped across their distinct geographical and elevational zonations in northern Trinidad and Tobago. Species distribution modelling was used to determine environmental limitations for each species. Anatomical and physiological measurements included leaf succulence traits, gas exchange and CAM activity; hydraulic conductance and vulnerability; stomatal sensitivity and quantum yield responses to nocturnal temperature and long-term water deficits. KEY

resultsA total of 2876 field observations identified the transitions between the lowland Ae. aquilega and montane Ae. fendleri, occurring >500 m a.s.l. at the drier western end of the Northern Mountain Range and at progressively lower elevations towards the wetter, eastern region. Anatomical and physiological sensitivities of gas exchange, CAM activity and water use, and responses to elevated nocturnal temperatures and drought, were markedly different for Ae. fendleri compared with Ae. aquilega or the ubiquitous Ae. nudicaulis.

conclusionsThe species distribution model highlighted the susceptibility of Ae. fendleri to a changing climate. For each species, physiological and anatomical traits were tailored to environmental tolerances, consistent with specialist or generalist niche preferences. Using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios, we predict that rapid rainfall and temperature changes will lead to the loss of Ae. fendleri and associated lower (and upper) montane forest communities from Trinidad, seriously impacting both biodiversity and critical ecosystem functions here and in other tropical island habitats. Epiphytic bromeliads act as markers for threatened communities, and their physiological tolerances represent key indicators of climate change impacts.

Indexed as

Crassulacean Acid MetabolismEcosystemClimate ChangeForestsTropical ClimateWaterWaterBromeliaceaeClimate change sensitivityenvironmental niche segregationleaf structure–function traitsmontane tropical forestspecies distribution modellingvascular epiphytes

Identifiers

PMID37897046
PMCPMC10799987
OpenAlexW4387996500

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.