The Impact of Changing Climate on an Endangered Epiphytic Orchid (Pleione formosana) in a Montane Cloud Forest and the Conservation Challenge Ahead.

Pleione formosana Hayata is an endemic orchid that was once widely distributed across the mid-elevations of Taiwan. However, populations of this orchid have steadily shrunk due to orchid poaching in most of its habitats. By correlating data from micrometeorological stations that we installed in the cloud forest canopy at the study site, Yuanyang Lake (YYL) from 2017, we discovered the critical role of spring rainfall in triggering flowering and summer rainfall in promoting the growth of new bulbs. We found that rising temperatures and frequent drought events threaten orchid growth, potentially leading to pathogen infections. We climbed old-growth yellow cypresses to collect seed capsules of P. formosana for in vitro germination at YYL beginning in the autumn of 2018. Orchid plantlets were reintroduced to the study site in mid-August of 2022. However, the seedlings failed to survive the summer of 2023. This study is the first persistent monitoring of this rare orchid in the forest canopy of this old-growth cloud forest. Based on the result, we propose conservation strategies and directions for protecting this orchid on a regional scale. Our study highlights the mounting challenge to conservation efforts posed by global climate change.

Caught in the Act: Incipient Speciation at the Southern limit of Viburnum in the Central Andes.

A fundamental objective of evolutionary biology is to understand the origin of independently evolving species. Phylogenetic studies of species radiations rarely are able to document ongoing speciation; instead, modes of speciation, entailing geographic separation and/or ecological differentiation, are posited retrospectively. The Oreinotinus clade of Viburnum has radiated recently from north to south through the cloud forests of Mexico and Central America to the Central Andes. Our analyses support a hypothesis of incipient speciation in Oreinotinus at the southern edge of its geographic range, from central Peru to northern Argentina. Although several species and infraspecific taxa of have been recognized in this area, multiple lines of evidence and analytical approaches (including analyses of phylogenetic relationships, genetic structure, leaf morphology, and climatic envelopes) favor the recognition of just a single species, V. seemenii. We show that what has previously been recognized as V. seemenii f. minor has recently occupied the drier Tucuman-Bolivian forest region from Samaipata in Bolivia to Salta in northern Argentina. Plants in these populations form a well-supported clade with a distinctive genetic signature and they have evolved smaller, narrower leaves. We interpret this as the beginning of a within-species divergence process that has elsewhere in the neotropics resulted repeatedly in Viburnum species with a particular set of leaf ecomorphs. Specifically, the southern populations are in the process of evolving the small, glabrous, and entire leaf ecomorph that has evolved in four other montane areas of endemism. As predicted based on our studies of leaf ecomorphs in Chiapas, Mexico, these southern populations experience generally drier conditions, with large diurnal temperature fluctuations. In a central portion of the range of V. seemenii, characterized by wetter climatic conditions, we also document what may be the initial differentiation of the leaf ecomorph with larger, pubescent, and toothy leaves. The emergence of these ecomorphs thus appears to be driven by adaptation to subtly different climatic conditions in separate geographic regions, as opposed to parapatric differentiation along elevational gradients as suggested by Viburnum species distributions in other parts of the neotropics.

Climate-Affected Australian Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Plants: Metabolomic Profiles, Isolated Phytochemicals, and Bioactivities.

The Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA) in northeast Queensland is home to approximately 18 percent of the nation's total vascular plant species. Over the past century, human activity and industrial development have caused global climate changes, posing a severe and irreversible danger to the entire land-based ecosystem, and the WTWHA is no exception. The current average annual temperature of WTWHA in northeast Queensland is 24 °C. However, in the coming years (by 2030), the average annual temperature increase is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.4 °C compared to the climate observed between 1986 and 2005. Looking further ahead to 2070, the anticipated temperature rise is projected to be between 1.0 and 3.2 °C, with the exact range depending on future emissions. We identified 84 plant species, endemic to tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) within the WTWHA, which are already experiencing climate change threats. Some of these plants are used in herbal medicines. This study comprehensively reviewed the metabolomics studies conducted on these 84 plant species until now toward understanding their physiological and metabolomics responses to global climate change. This review also discusses the following: (i) recent developments in plant metabolomics studies that can be applied to study and better understand the interactions of wet tropics plants with climatic stress, (ii) medicinal plants and isolated phytochemicals with structural diversity, and (iii) reported biological activities of crude extracts and isolated compounds.

Leaf functional traits and ecological niche of Fagus grandifolia and Oreomunnea mexicana in natural forests and plantings as a proxy of climate change.

PREMISE: Functional traits reflect species' responses to environmental variation and the breadth of their ecological niches. Fagus grandifolia and Oreomunnea mexicana have restricted distribution in upper montane cloud forests (1700-2000 m a.s.l.) in Mexico. These species were introduced into plantings at lower elevations (1200-1600 m a.s.l.) that have climates predicted for montane forests in 2050 and 2070. The aim was to relate morphological leaf traits to the ecological niche structure of each species. METHODS: Leaf functional traits (leaf area, specific leaf area [SLA], thickness, and toughness) were analyzed in forests and plantings. Atmospheric circulation models and representative concentration pathways (RCPs: 2.6, 4.5, 8.5) were used to assess future climate conditions. Trait-niche relationships were analyzed by measuring the Mahalanobis distance (MD) from the forests and the plantings to the ecological niche centroid (ENC). RESULTS: For both species, leaf area and SLA were higher and toughness lower in plantings at lower elevation relative to those in higher-elevation forests, and thickness was similar. Leaf traits varied with distance from sites to the ENC. Forests and plantings have different environmental locations regarding the ENC, but forests are closer (MD 0.34-0.58) than plantings (MD 0.50-0.70) for both species. CONCLUSIONS: Elevation as a proxy for expected future climate conditions influenced the functional traits of both species, and trait patterns related to the structure of their ecological niches were consistent. The use of distances to the ENC is a promising approach to explore variability in species' functional traits and phenotypic responses in optimal versus marginal environmental conditions.

Unraveling fruit and seed morphology and seedling establishment of a narrow endemic tree species / Desentrañando la morfología de frutas y semillas, así como el establecimiento de plántulas de una especie de árbol estrechamente endémica

Abstract Montane ecosystems in South America harbor high levels of endemism typically with species that are often threatened. Here we investigated fruit and seed morphology, germination, and early growth parameters of Crinodendron brasiliense, an endangered and narrow endemic tree species of subtropical montane cloud forests in Southern Brazil. We obtained fruit and seed size and shape, number of lobes and number of seeds per fruit and evaluated germination and early growth parameters in a greenhouse. We tested the effect of different container types and parent plant on seed morphology, germination, and early growth. We also tested whether thermal scarification would improve germination rates. We showed that parent plant significantly influenced fruit and seed morphology as well as early growth rates. The germination rate of the species was extremely low (0.003-0.004%), which may be one important underlying cause of its small population size and restricted distribution. Thermal scarification was ineffective to improve the germination of seeds. Unexpectedly, container type significantly affected germination success, as seeds in trays germinated faster and in higher rates than seeds planted in seedbeds. Such result suggests a higher soil moisture could improve germination success. Our study is the first documented propagation of the species and provides essential aspects on the reproductive biology and early development of Crinodendron brasiliense. We highlight the urgent need for further research and collaborative conservation initiatives to prevent the extinction of this species.

Resumo Investigamos la morfología de frutos y semillas, la germinación y los parámetros del crecimiento inicial de Crinodendron brasiliense, una especie arbórea en peligro de extinción y endémica de los bosques montanos del sur de Brasil. Obtuvimos el tamaño y la forma de frutos y semillas, el número de lóbulos por fruto y el número de semillas por fruto, además de evaluar los parámetros de germinación y crecimiento inicial - desconocidos para la especie. Demostramos que la planta madre influyó significativamente en la morfología de frutos y semillas, así como en las tasas de crecimiento inicial. La tasa de germinación de la especie fue extremadamente baja (0.003-0.004%), lo que podría ser una causa importante para explicar su pequeño tamaño poblacional y restringida distribución. La escarificación térmica fue ineficaz para la germinación de semillas. Inesperadamente, el tipo de contenedor afectó significativamente el éxito de la germinación, ya que las semillas plantadas en bandejas germinaron más rápido y en tasas más altas que las semillas plantadas en semilleros. Tal resultado sugiere que una mayor humedad del suelo podría mejorar el éxito de la germinación. Nuestro estudio es el primer registro documentado de la propagación de esta especie y proporciona aspectos esenciales sobre la biología reproductiva y el desarrollo inicial de Crinodendron brasiliense. Destacamos la necesidad urgente de realizar más estudios e iniciativas de conservación colaborativas para evitar la extinción de esta especie.

Eugeniasarahchazaroi (Myrtaceae, Myrteae), a new species from the cloud forest of Mexico.

Following the description of Eugenianaraveana in 2016 from the cloud forest of the Cofre de Perote volcano, Mexico, the doubt about the existence of another unlocalized and sympatric species of Eugenia remained. After years of searching, the second endemic species of the Cofre de Perote volcano, Eugeniasarahchazaroi, is presented here. It belongs to the section Umbellatae, and is described, illustrated, and compared with E.naraveana and E.coetzalensis, recently described from Veracruz, the second state with the highest diversity of Eugenia in Mexico. The species is only known from the type locality and is classified in the Critically Endangered CR B1+B2(a,biii) category of the IUCN Red List conservation assessments.

The first epiphytic species of Valeriana in the world: Valerianarudychazaroi (Caprifoliaceae).

The currently known species of Valeriana are herbs, shrubs, small trees and vines. After 20 years without new species of Valeriana in Mexico, here is described and illustrated the first epiphytic species in the genus. The species was found growing on Quercusglabrescens trees of the cloud forests from central Veracruz in eastern Mexico. It is known and described from very few specimens in the type locality. The most morphologically similar Mexican species are the vines V.naidae and V.subincisa, it was compared. Conservation assessment classifies this species under the Critically Endangered CR B1+B2ab(ii,v) category of the IUCN Red List Criteria.

Diversity and conservation of mammals in indigenous territories of southern Mexico: proposal for an "Archipelago Reserve".

Southern Mexico's tropical forests are home to the country's highest richness of mammal species; La Chinantla region is situated within this area, its name from the indigenous group residing in the area and holding territorial ownership, namely the Chinantecos. In La Chinantla, there are no Protected Areas; instead, there are Areas Destined Voluntarily for Conservation (ADVC) and "Voluntary Conservation Areas" (VCA), that are managed by local inhabitants through social consensus. These ADVC may function as an archipelago reserve, which represents regional diversity, including the social context, through complementarity. To verify its biodiversity, we analyzed the richness, composition, distribution, and conservation of wild mammals in the region. Records were obtained from four sources-primary data collection, databases, scientific literature, and community monitoring-and were organized into four zones based on altitudinal and vegetation gradients. We compared the diversity between zones for three categories of mammals: small (<100 gr.), bats, and medium and large (>100 gr.). 134 species were identified comprising 11 orders, 26 families and 86 genera. The zone with highest elevation presented the greatest species richness for the assemblage of mammals and terrestrial mammals, while the zone with the lowest elevation had the highest richness of bats. For each mammal category, the zone with the most species also registered the highest number of exclusive species. For the assemblage of mammals and for medium and large mammals, the similarity index was highest between the two intermediate zones, while for small mammals and bats, the greatest similarity occurred between the areas of higher altitude. The study region was found to have the second highest richness of mammals in Mexico. Finally, we suggest that the conservation proposals by indigenous people could function as a set of "islands" that promote the conservation of biodiversity, possibly as an Archipelago Reserve.

New Species of Bioluminescent Mycena Sect. Calodontes (Agaricales, Mycenaceae) from Mexico.

Mycena section Calodontes is macromorphologically distinguished by the collybioid or mycenoid basidiome, which is pink, purple, or violet, and, rarely, reddish-brown or yellowish. It is further characterized by the presence of oxalate crystals in the basal mycelium. The section comprises approximately 40 taxa, of which only five species and one variety exhibit bioluminescence. As part of an extensive study on Mycena sect. Calodontes in Mexico, specimens belonging to this section were collected and subjected to morphological analysis. Sequences from the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, RNA polymerase II large subunit Rpb1 (rpb1), and translation elongation factor-1α (Tef-1α) were generated to infer the relationships within Mycena sect. Calodontes using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The phylogenetic evidence, along with the macro- and micromorphological features, supported the recognition of five new bioluminescent species within Mycena sect. Calodontes. Detailed macro- and micromorphological descriptions, line-drawing illustrations, and light and dark photographs of the new species are provided.

Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams.

Background: Land use is a major factor determining stream water physicochemistry. However, most streams move from one land use type to another as they drain their watersheds. Here, we studied three land use scenarios in a tropical cloud forest zone in Mexico. We addressed three main goals, to: (1) assess how land use scenarios generate different patterns in stream physicochemical characteristics; (2) explore how seasonality (i.e., dry, dry-to-wet transition, and wet seasons) might result in changes to those patterns over the year; and (3) explore whether physicochemical patterns in different scenarios resulted in effects on biotic components (e.g., algal biomass). Methods: We studied Tropical Mountain Cloud Forest streams in La Antigua watershed, Mexico. Streams drained different three scenarios, streams with (1) an upstream section draining forest followed by a pasture section (F-P), (2) an upstream section in pasture followed by a forest section (P-F), and (3) an upstream forest section followed by coffee plantation (F-C). Physicochemistry was determined at the upstream and downstream sections, and at the boundary between land uses. Measurements were seasonal, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH. Water was analyzed for suspended solids, alkalinity, silica, chloride, sulfate, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Nutrients included ammonium, nitrate, and phosphorus. We measured benthic and suspended organic matter and chlorophyll. Results: Streams presented strong seasonality, with the highest discharge and suspended solids during the wet season. Scenarios and streams within each scenario had distinct physicochemical signatures. All three streams within each scenario clustered together in ordination space and remained close to each other during all seasons. There were significant scenario-season interactions on conductivity (F = 9.5, P < 0.001), discharge (F = 56.7, P < 0.001), pH (F = 4.5, P = 0.011), Cl- (F = 12.2, P < 0.001), SO42- (F = 8.8, P < 0.001) and NH4+ (F = 5.4, P = 0.005). Patterns within individual scenarios were associated with stream identity instead of land use. Both P-F and F-C scenarios had significantly different physicochemical patterns from those in F-P in all seasons (Procrustes analysis, m12 = 0.05-0.25; R = 0.86-0.97; P < 0.05). Chlorophyll was significantly different among scenarios and seasons (F = 5.36, P = 0.015, F = 3.81, P = 0.42, respectively). Concentrations were related to physicochemical variables more strongly during the transition season. Conclusion: Overall, land use scenarios resulted in distinctive water physicochemical signatures highlighting the complex effects that anthropogenic activities have on tropical cloud forest streams. Studies assessing the effect of land use on tropical streams will benefit from assessing scenarios, rather than focusing on individual land use types. We also found evidence of the importance that forest fragments play in maintaining or restoring stream water physicochemistry.

Small-fragment, high turnover: soil microenvironment fluctuation effect on tree diversity in a Neotropical montane oak forest.

Background: Soil microenvironmental variables showed an important key in α and ß-tree diversity in Neotropical montane oak forest. Thus, understanding the microenvironment fluctuation at small-fragment effects on tree diversity is crucial in maintaining the montane oak ecosystems. In this study, we hypothesized that within a relatively small-fragment (151.63 ha), tree α and ß-diversity fluctuate and specific soil microenvironmental factors could influence tree species diversity to answer three questions: Do tree α and ß-diversity differ among transects, even in a short-distance between them? Do microenvironmental variables influence tree diversity composition that occurs within a relict Neotropical montane oak forest? Is there a particular microenvironmental variable influencing tree species-specific? Methods: We established four permanent transects during a year in a relict Neotropical montane oak forest, we assessed tree diversity and specific microenvironmental variables (soil moisture, soil temperature, pH, depth litterfall and light incidence). This allowed us to evaluate how microenvironmental variables at small-fragment influence α and ß-tree diversity and tree species-specific. Results: Our results showed that α-diversity was not different among transects; however, ß-diversity of tree species was mostly explained by turnover and soil moisture, soil temperature, and light incidence were the microenvironmental variables that triggered the replacement (i.e., one species by another). Those variables also had effect on tree species-specific: Mexican beech (Fagus mexicana), Quebracho (Quercus delgadoana), Pezma (Cyathea fulva), Aguacatillo (Beilschmiedia mexicana), Pezma (Dicksonia sellowiana var. arachneosa), and Mountain magnolia (Magnolia schiedeana). Discussion: Our results confirm our hypothesis related to ß-diversity but not with α-diversity; however, the tree community structure of the diversity was similar among transects. Our study represents the first effort to evaluate and link the soil microenvironmental effect on tree α and ß-diversity, finding a high replacement in a small-fragment of Neotropical montane oak forest from eastern Mexico.

A new species of Liparis (Orchidaceae, Epidendroideae, Malaxidinae) from the Bosque de Protección Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru.

Liparisaltomayoënsissp. nov. is described, illustrated, and tentatively assigned to the Neotropical section Decumbentes on the basis of its branching, prostrate rhizomes and upright stems bearing several leaves. Vegetatively, the new species is distinguished by its short, upward stems bearing 3-6 leaves, these with undulate, translucent margins and reticulate, prominent veining on the upper surface. Florally, it is distinctive in the labellum with fleshy basal one-half provided with a central, rounded cavity limited on each side by a prominent, bilobulate ridge and apically by a lunate ridge, and membranaceous, trilobulate apical one-half deflexed ca. 90°. In contrast with other species of section Decumbentes, in which fruit formation is infrequent, in L.altomayoënsis a high proportion (⁓50-100%) of flowers develop into a fruit; in some flowers the pollinaria rotate and contact the stigma, apparently resulting in at least facultative self-pollination. The main differences among the six species of L.sectionDecumbentes hitherto known are contrasted in a dichotomous key. The new species is known only from three populations located in the Bosque de Protección Alto Mayo, on the Amazonian slope of the Andes in northeastern Peru but appears to be under no foreseeable threats.

ResumenLiparisaltomayoënsissp. nov. es descrita, ilustrada y asignada tentativamente a la sección neotropical Decumbentes con base en sus rizomas postrados, ramificados y tallos ascendentes portando varias hojas. Vegetativamente, la nueva especie se distingue por sus tallos ascendentes cortos con 3­6 hojas, éstas con márgenes undulados, translúcidos y venación reticulada prominente en la superficie superior. Floralmente, es distintivo su labelo con la mitad basal carnosa, provista de una cavidad central redondeada que está limitada a cada lado por una cresta bilobulada prominente y apicalmente por una cresta lunada, y la mitad apical del labelo membranácea, trilobulada y deflexa ca. 90°. En contraste con otras especies de la sección Decumbentes, en las que la producción de frutos es infrecuente, en L.altomayoënsis una alta proporción (⁓50­100%) de las flores produce fruto; en algunas flores los polinarios rotan y contactan el estigma, aparentemente resultando en autopolinización al menos facultativa. Las diferencias principales entre las seis especies de L. sección Decumbentes conocidas hasta ahora se contrastan en una clave dicotómica. La nueva especie se conoce solamente de tres poblaciones localizadas en el Bosque de Protección Alto Mayo, en la vertiente amazónica de los Andes en el noreste de Perú, pero no parece estar sujeta a amenazas previsibles.

Species of Peperomia (Piperaceae) from the Saña River Valley, Peru.

The Saña River Valley in Northern Peru is unusual for the western slopes of the Peruvian Andes because of its nearly year-round regime of precipitation instead of marked seasonal dry winters. This results in unexpected plant diversity. We surveyed the species of Peperomia (Piperaceae), occurring in this valley from 300 to 3000 m elevation, based on the study of specimens from ten herbaria and field collections, resulting in a total of 81 accessions, of which 48 were made by the authors. We found 16 different taxa: Peperomiacacaophila, from Ecuador, is reported for the first time in Peru; P.cymbifolia, P.dolabriformis and P.emarginulata are reported for the first time for the Saña River Valley; other widely distributed species like P.fraseri, P.galioides, P.haematolepis, P.hispidula, P.inaequalifolia, P.microphylla, and P.rotundata were also found. Five species new to science are described: P.pilocarpa, P.riosaniensis, close to P.palmiformis from Amazonas; P.sagasteguii, related to P.trinervis, P.symmankii, close to P.ricardofernandezii from Piura, and P.vivipara, related to P.alata. A key to the species of Peperomia from the Saña River Valley, based on vegetative characters, is provided.

ResumenEl valle del Río Saña en el norte de Perú es inusual para las vertientes occidentales de los Andes peruanos por su régimen de precipitación ininterrumpido en lugar de inviernos secos estacionales marcados. Esto resulta en una diversidad de plantas inesperada. Revisamos las especies de Peperomia (Piperaceae), del valle del Río Saña entre los 300 a 3000 m de altitud, basándonos en el estudio de especímenes de diez herbarios y colecciones de campo, resultando en un total de 81 accesiones, de las cuales 48 fueron realizadas por los autores. Encontramos 16 taxones diferentes: Peperomiacacaophila, de Ecuador, se reporta por primera vez en Perú; P.cymbifolia, P.dolabriformis y P.emarginulata se reportan por primera vez para el valle del Río Saña; otras especies ampliamente distribuidas como P.fraseri, P.galioides, P.haematolepis, P.hispidula, P.inaequalifolia, P.microphylla y P.rotundata también se encontraron. Se describen cinco especies nuevas para la ciencia: P.pilocarpa, P.riosaniensis, cercana de P.palmiformis de Amazonas; P.sagasteguii, relacionada con P.trinervis, P.symmankii, cercana a P.ricardofernandezii de Piura, y P.vivipara, relacionada con P.alata. Se presenta una clave para las especies de Peperomia del Valle del Río Saña basada en caracteres vegetativos.

Antifungal and Insecticidal Activities of Selected Plant Species from Cloud Forest of Veracruz, Mexico: A Contribution to the Search of Novel Control Agents against Ambrosia Pest Complexes.

The antifungal and insecticidal activities of 34 extracts from 27 plant species were evaluated against fungal phytopathogens of the genus Fusarium and Xyleborus Scolytine ambrosia beetles involved in Fusarium dieback (FD) and laurel wilt (LW) diseases. Sixteen extracts caused mycelial growth inhibition (MGI) above 23 % at 2 mg mL-1 against F. solani, those from S. nudum and M. argyrophylla exhibited the highest MGI (57 % and 49 %, respectively). Thirteen extracts displayed significant antifungal activity against F. kuroshium, those from C. nocturnum and M. argyrophylla exhibited the highest MGI (100 % and 54.9 %, respectively). Additionally, ten plants extracts caused mortality in at least one of the beetle species tested, mainly from Solanaceae species. In the most active species, 39 phenolics were identified that may have contributed to their biological effects. This study is one of the first to report the potential of plant-derived natural products against the causative agents of FD and LW.

Do Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions Affect Nitrogen Fixation Associated with Tropical Mosses?

Tropical cloud forests are characterized by abundant and biodiverse mosses which grow epiphytically as well as on the ground. Nitrogen (N)-fixing cyanobacteria live in association with most mosses, and contribute greatly to the N pool via biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). However, the availability of nutrients, especially N and phosphorus (P), can influence BNF rates drastically. To evaluate the effects of increased N and P availability on BNF in mosses, we conducted a laboratory experiment where we added N and P, in isolation and combined, to three mosses (Campylopus sp., Dicranum sp. and Thuidium peruvianum) collected from a cloud forest in Peru. Our results show that N addition almost completely inhibited BNF within a day, whereas P addition caused variable results across moss species. Low N2 fixation rates were observed in Campylopus sp. across the experiment. BNF in Dicranum sp. was decreased by all nutrients, while P additions seemed to promote BNF in T. peruvianum. Hence, each of the three mosses contributes distinctively to the ecosystem N pool depending on nutrient availability. Moreover, increased N input will likely significantly decrease BNF associated with mosses also in tropical cloud forests, thereby limiting N input to these ecosystems via the moss-cyanobacteria pathway.

Extreme drought disrupts plant phenology: Insights from 35 years of cloud forest data in Venezuela.

The potential effects of climate change on plant reproductive phenology include asynchronies with pollinators and reductions in plant fitness, leading to extinction and loss of ecosystem function. In particular, plant phenology is sensitive to extreme weather events, which are occurring with increasing severity and frequency in recent decades and are linked to anthropogenic climate change and shifts in atmospheric circulation. For 15 plant species in a Venezuelan cloud forest, we documented dramatic changes in monthly flower and fruit community composition over a 35-year time series, from 1983 to 2017, and these changes were linked directly to higher temperatures, lower precipitation, and decreased soil water availability. The patterns documented here do not mirror trends in temperate zones but corroborate results from the Asian tropics. More intense droughts are predicted to occur in the region, which will cause dramatic changes in flower and fruit availability.

Licariaramiroi (Lauraceae), a new species from Western Mexico.

Licariaramiroi, a species endemic to western Mexico, is described and illustrated. The ascription of the new species to Licaria is analysed. It is classified in the subgen. Licaria and is most closely related to L.triandra and L.siphonantha from which it differs by its glabrous vegetative and floral structures, stamens mainly with free anthers and the inner wall of the receptacle sericeous. According to the IUCN criteria, the species is classified as critically endangered.

Genomic-based microsatellite development for Ternstroemia (Pentaphylacaceae) and transferability to other Ericales.

BACKGROUND: The genus Ternstroemia is associated with the vulnerable tropical montane cloud forest in Mexico and with other relevant vegetation types worldwide. It contains threatened and pharmacologically important species and has taxonomic issues regarding its species limits. This study describes 38 microsatellite markers generated using a genomic-based approach. METHODS AND RESULTS: We tested 23 of these markers in a natural population of Ternstroemia lineata. These markers are highly polymorphic (all loci polymorphic with 3-14 alleles per locus and expected heterozygosity between 0.202 and 0.908), most of them (19 out of 23) are in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium and free of null alleles (18 out of 23). Also we found no evidence of linkage among them. Finally, we tested the transferability to six other American species of Ternstroemia, two other Pentaphylacaceae species, and four species from different families within the order Ericales. CONCLUSIONS: These molecular resources are promising tools to investigate genetic diversity loss and as barcodes for ethnopharmacological applications and species delimitation in the family Pentaphylacaceae and some Ericales, among other applications.

Two new species of Ribes (Grossulariaceae) from Peru

The genus Ribes (Grossulariaceae) has a center of diversity in the tropical Andes, especially in Peru. Several new species have been discovered in recent years and additional collections keep turning up material of undescribed species. In the present study we describe two additional new species, both from the wide-ranging species complex around Ribes andicola. Ribes lambayequensis comes from a known centre of diversity of the Andean plants, the Amotape-Huancabamba Zone, but represents the first species of the genus from Lambayeque. It differs most obviously from its geographical neighbor Ribes colandina by its two-coloured flowers in erect inflorescences (versus uniformly dark red flowers in pendulous racemes in R. colandina). The other new species is described from Apurímac and represents the first microendemic species of Ribes from this generally poorly explored region. It is a far southern outlier of the Ribes andicola group, which otherwise finds its southern range limit in the Department of La Libertad. Ribes apurimacensis differs from its closest allies in the Ribes andicola group by an exclusively glandular indument (no simple hairs) in combination with smaller leaves, a serrate leaf margin and dark red flowers.

El género Ribes (Grossulariaceae) tiene un centro de diversidad en los Andes tropicales, especialmente en el Perú. Un número de especies nuevas se describieron en los últimos años y nuevo material sigue agregando novedades taxonómicas. En el presente estudio se describen dos especies nuevas adicionales, ambas de un complejo con amplia distribución afín a Ribes andicola. Ribes lambayequensis proviene de un centro de diversidad botánica bien documentado, la denominada zona Amotape-Huancabamba, pero representa la primera especie del género en Lambayeque. Difiere claramente de su vecino geográfico Ribes colandina en sus flores bicoloras en inflorescencias erguidas (versus flores rojo marrón en inflorescencias péndulas en R. colandina). La otra especie nueva se describe de Apurímac y representa la primera especie microendémica de Ribes de esta región poco investigada. Es muy distante del resto de la distribución principal del grupo Ribes andicola, normalmente restringido a la zona al norte de La Libertad. Ribes apurimacensis difiere de sus aliados en el grupo Ribes andicola en hojas solamente glandulosas (no pubescentes) en combinación con hojas más pequeñas, márgenes de las hojas serradas (no crenadas) y flores marrón oscuro.

Pollinator type strongly impacts gene flow within and among plant populations for six Neotropical species.

Animal pollinators directly affect plant gene flow by transferring pollen grains between individuals. Pollinators with restricted mobility are predicted to limit gene flow within and among populations, whereas pollinators that fly longer distances are likely to promote genetic cohesion. These predictions, however, remain poorly tested. We examined population genetic structure and fine-scale spatial genetic structure (FSGS) in six perennial understory angiosperms in Andean cloud forests of northwestern Ecuador. Species belong to three families (Gesneriaceae, Melastomataceae, and Rubiaceae), and within each family we paired one insect-pollinated with one hummingbird-pollinated species, predicting that insect-pollinated species have greater population differentiation (as quantified with the FST statistic) and stronger FSGS (as quantified with the SP statistic) than hummingbird-pollinated species. We confirmed putative pollinators through a literature review and fieldwork, and inferred population genetic parameters with a genome-wide genotyping approach. In two of the three species pairs, insect-pollinated species had much greater (>2-fold) population-level genetic differentiation and correspondingly steeper declines in fine-scale genetic relatedness. In the Gesneriaceae pair, however, FST and SP values were similar between species and to those of the other hummingbird-pollinated plants. In this pair, the insect pollinators are euglossine bees (as opposed to small bees and flies in the other pairs), which are thought to forage over large areas, and therefore may provide similar levels of gene flow as hummingbirds. Overall, our results shed light on how different animal pollination modes influence the spatial scale of plant gene flow, suggesting that small insects strongly decrease genetic cohesion.