Species Diversity and Habitat Association of Ferns and Lycophytes in Mts. Palay-Palay Mataas na Gulod Protected Landscape

Abstract

Ferns and lycophytes are distinct lineages of free-sporing vascular plants that are frequently used to study composition and diversity patterns in tropical forests. These plant groups are known to be sensitive to environmental changes and stresses, leading them to possible ecological threats. Not much is known about their ecology in one of the Philippines’ Key biodiversity areas, the Mts. Palay-Palay Mataas na Gulod Protected Landscape situated in the Island of Luzon. Hence, this chapter aims to discuss the ferns and lycophytes species diversity found in the landscape and describe the environmental variables that affect them. Based on the data generated from the conducted study, a total of 21 species of ferns and lycophytes belonging to 7 families and 11 genera were documented from the sampling plots established along the mountain’s elevational gradients. As elevation increased, an increasing trend in the Shannon-Wiener Diversity (H′) was observed. Further, ordination techniques suggested that the most influential factors affecting pteridophytes’ diversity and distribution were elevation and light intensity. Other factors like soil moisture, air temperature, soil temperature, and relative humidity were also considered essential. Pteridophyte species were found to be preferential in unique environmental constraints, indicative of environmental stress and forest quality. A few species were documented to have a distinct association with habitats suggestive of environmental stress making them good indicators of disturbances.