Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: The effect of apple cultivar on epiphyte diversity.

ABSTRACT: In natural systems, extended phenotypes of trees can be important in determining the species composition and diversity of associated communities. Orchards are productive systems where trees dominate, and can be highly biodiverse, but few studies have considered the importance of tree genetic background in promoting associated biodiversity. We tested the effect of apple cultivar (plant genetic background) on the diversity and composition of the associated epiphytic bryophyte community across a total of seven cultivars in five productive East Anglian orchards where each orchard contained two cultivars. Data were collected from 617 individual trees, over 5 years. Species richness and community composition were significantly influenced by both orchard and cultivar. Differences among orchards e

SUBMITTER: Stevenson CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5306003 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature