sŽů͘ϭϲͼKĐƚŽďĞƌϮϬϭϱ Volume  16  ·∙  October  2015

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Diversity and Distribution

of Pteridophytes along the Altitudinal
Gradient of the Northeastern
Slope of a Secondary Forest
in Mt. Makiling, Philippines
MARJORIE D. DELOS ANGELES
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3729-2230
mddelosangeles@gmail.com
University of the Philippines Cebu
Cebu City, Philippines

INOCENCIO E. BUOT, JR.

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2450-2713
inocencio.buot@upou.edu.ph
University of the Philippines
Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

Gunning Fog Index: 11.27 Originality: 100% Grammar Check: 97%

Flesch Reading Ease:44.23 Plagiarism:0%

ABSTRACT

Studies regarding pteridophyte distribution on Mt. Makiling is scarce.

A continuous documentation regarding this floral group, with emphasis on
distribution, will contribute to the current listings and may contribute to the
development of a conservation strategy to preserve the fern flora of Mt. Makiling.

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The plot technique method was employed along the altitudinal gradient of Mt.
Makiling resulting to 10 sampling sites. In general, this study aims to determine
the species richness of ferns along the altitudinal gradient on the northeastern
slope of Mt. Makiling. Furthermore, specific objectives are as follows: a) to
identify the different fern species along the altitudinal gradients of Mt. Makiling
b) to determine the richness and diversity along the altitudinal gradients of these
fern species and c) to determine the zonation pattern of fern vegetation along the
altitudinal gradient. The study was conducted during the months of April and June
which pertains to the dry season. The diversity and distribution of pteridophytes
along the altitudinal gradient of the Northeastern slope of a secondary forest in
Mt. Makiling were determined. A total of 27 species belonging to 18 genera and
14 families were identified. There is an increasing trend in diversity along the
altitudinal gradient. However at the 550 and 650 m.a.s.l. altitudes, there was a
higher diversity in both seasons due to the presence of a running body of water
as well as a rocky substrate providing favorable habitat for the ferns. There were
three zones identified during the dry season using dendogram by average linkage
clustering (i) Zone 1: 150-450masl; (ii) Zone 2: 550-750masl; (iii) Zone 3: 850-
1050masl.

KEYWORDS

Altitudinal zonation, ferns, pteridophytes, Mt. Makiling, tropical rainforests,

Philippines

INTRODUCTION

Ferns are usually found in humid, sheltered habitats where hygric and mesic
bryophytes also grow (Pugnaire & Valladares, 2007). Majority of these spore-
bearing plants are for aesthetic purposes (Zamora & Co, 1986; Buot, 1999;
Banaticla & Buot, 2006) and in handicraft manufacture (Zamora & Co, 1986),
many of them have been discovered to be of medicinal importance (Amoroso,
1987; Zamora & Co, 1986).
To date, around 1100 species under 144 genera and 39 families of
pteridophytes have been reported to thrive in the Philippines (Barcelona, 2002).
An early comprehensive attempt in studying the pteridophytes present in Mt.
Makiling was that of Salvoza (1939). Salvoza reported 12 families, 70 genera,
227 native species, and 7 introduced species of pteridophytes. In the work of

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Price (1975), he accounted 28 families, 97 genera, 291 species, four varieties and
three hybrids of pteridophytes from Mt. Makiling. Working with Mt. Banahaw,
Banaticla (2004) and Banaticla and Buot (2005), signified that ferns are effective
as altitudinal zone markers and indicators for biodiversity conservation in a forest
ecosystem. They found out that there is a dearth of data regarding the species
richness and distribution of these pteridophytes present at Mt. Makiling. Espinas
(2003) did a quick survey of ferns at the midmontane zone only of Mt. Makiling.
Ferns are excellent tools in recognizing the altitudinal zonation of tropical
mountains (Frahm & Gradstein, 1991) on account of the following: (i) they are
indicators of climatic factors such as temperature and humidity; (ii) they have
much wider ranges than most vascular plants, and (iii) they are fewer in species
than other vascular plants. Furthermore, due to the distinct fronds as well as
rhizomes, fern and fern allies are easily detected in the field.
Tropical rainforests such as Mt. Makiling, are the most diverse ecosystems.
Even though they cover only 7% of the planet’s landmass, they house half to two-
thirds of the species of plants and animals on Earth (Raven, 1988; Wilson, 1988).
Currently, different human activities leading to forest fragmentation may lead to
this decrease in diversity. Mt. Makiling is one of the most famous mountains in
Luzon for its mystic affiliation to the goddess Maria Makiling as well as its affinity
to trekkers alike. Due to this constant human activity of trekking or hiking,
Mt. Makiling, especially along the trail, may be in need of certain conservation
measures due to the disturbances caused by such activities.
Currently, studies regarding the pteridophyte distribution in Mt. Makiling
are lacking. Documentation of these pteridophytes is scanty. Thus, this study
may contribute to the current knowledge of the ferns present in Mt. Makiling
at different altitudinal gradients. Furthermore, this study highlights the role of
pteridophytes as altitudinal markers along mountains. This survey will contribute
to the current listings of the flora in Mt. Makiling. Moreover, this study will also
shed light on the current conditions of Mt. Makiling and may contribute to the
development of a conservation strategy to preserve the fern flora of Mt. Makiling.
This study will focus on the species richness well as the species distribution of
fern species along the different elevations of Mt. Makiling which would provide a
better understanding of the vertical structure of fern vegetation of this legendary
mountain.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to determine the species richness of ferns along the altitudinal
gradient on the northeastern slope of Mt. Makiling. Specifically, it aimed to: a)
identify the different fern species along the altitudinal gradients of Mt. Makiling;
b) determine the richness and diversity along the altitudinal gradients of these
fern species, and; c) determine the zonation pattern of fern vegetation along the
altitudinal gradient.

METHODOLOGY

Study area
The study was conducted in Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna during the
dry season (Fig. 1). Mt. Makiling rises at 1,110 meters above sea level (Lenson,
2004). It is currently categorized as an inactive volcano. It is one of the most
significant botanical areas in the Philippines due to a combination of natural
conditions and historical factors (Price, 1975). The study areas were located from
150-1050 m.a.sl. at the northeastern side of the mountain.
Ten sampling sites have been determined at alternating sides based on a
100-meter elevation interval along the northeastern slope of the mountain
(Fig. 2). For the ten sampling sites, the coordinates were noted as well as the
landmarks found every 100 m. interval. The sampling sites that were established
are the same with those of the sampling sites in the study of Lambio and Buot
(2011). The study was conducted at the same time as the study of Chua entitled
“Vegetation Analysis of Understory Species in A Secondary Growth Forest along
the Northeastern slope of Mt. Makiling”.

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Figure 1a. Map of the Philippines showing the Location of Mt. Makiling

Figure 1b. Trail Used in Data Sampling at Mt. Makiling (adapted from
Lambio & Buot, 2011)

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Figure 2. The Detailed Trail along the Northeastern Slope

of Mt. Makiling (adapted from Lambio & Buot, 2011)

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METHODS

Field methods
The plot technique was employed using a 20x20 meter quadrat established 20
m away from the trail. Three 5x2 subquadrats were randomly distributed within
the established quadrat. The quadrat was established 20-50 meters away from
the trail. In each quadrat, all the occurring pteridophyte species were taken into
account, and the number of individuals for every species of fern found within
was noted and recorded.
Epiphytic and climbing individuals were considered only when they had
such fronds that are less than 2 m from the ground. Ferns are considered to be
epiphytic. Ferns can be found growing on fallen trees and branches, as well as
those growing on standing trees, provided they do not have a root connection to
the ground (Jones, Tuomisto, Clark, & Olivas, 2006). The number of individuals
of ferns per unit area was used as a measure of dominance. The sampling date,
fern species and its corresponding subquadrats were recorded. Ferns that were
not located inside the subquadrats but are present within the 20 x 20 meter
quadrat were recorded for documentation. Altitude and geographic location
were measured using a geographic positioning system (GPS) device. Composite
soil samples were collected from the three subplots. Soil samples were analyzed
for pH, moisture content, and percentage content of nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium using the soil test kit of the Department of Soil Science, College of
Agriculture, UP Los Baños College, Laguna.
Voucher specimens were collected for each fern species. The unknown species
were identified using the herbarium specimens at the Plant Biology Division
Herbarium (PBDH), Systematics Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences,
College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños and from
the Philippine National Herbarium, National Museum in Manila. Fern specialists
were consulted for the identification of the collected unknown specimens. Mike
Price’s “The Pteridophytes of Mt. Makiling and Vicinity” was one of the main
references used in identifying the plant specimens.

Data analysis
The density obtained was used as a basis and measure of dominance. The
dominant species were obtained using Ohsawa’s (1984) dominance analysis as
follows:

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where d = deviation, xi = the actual percent share of the top species; x = the
ideal percent share based on the aforementioned model; Xj = the percent share of
the remaining species (U), and N is the total number of species obtained.
Shannon index of diversity (H) was also computed with the following
formula:

Where pi= relative abundance or the proportion of total sample belonging to

nth species
Fisher’s alpha (S) indicating species richness was also determined using the
following formula:

Where S is the total number of species and N is the total number of individuals.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Fern Species Composition along the Altitudinal Gradient of Mt. Makiling

A total of 27 species belonging to 18 genera and 14 families were identified.
The most represented families for the dry season were Tectariaceae and
Dryopteridaceae (4 spp.) and Lycopodiaceae (3 spp.) which accounted for 8.28%
and 12.76% respectively (Fig. 4). The most represented genera were Tectaria and
Selaginella both with three species and Cyathea and Bolbitis each having two
species (Table 2).

Table 2.Floristic composition of pteridophytes along the altitudinal gradient of

Mt. Makiling for the dry season
Dry Season
Altitudinal Distribution
Taxa / Species Exsiccata
Range (m.a.s.l.)
Polypodiaceae
Microsorum heterocarpum 550-850 6177
Tectariaceae
Pleocnemia sp. 350-650 -
Tectaria beccariana 650-850 6191
Tectaria siifolia 550 6198
Tectaria sp. 350 6200

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Lomariopsidaceae
Nephrolepis biserrata 750 -
Dryopteridaceae
Bolbitis heteroclita 150-750 6169
Bolbitis sinnuata 650 6171
Davallia hymenophylloides 750 6175
Polysticum obtusum 850 6180
Blechnaceae
Blechnum egregium 150-850 6174
Thelypteridaceae
Christella parasitica 350-550 -
Sphaerostephanos lbatus 650-950 6183
Aspleniaceae
Asplenium tenerum 750-850 -
Pteridaceae
Pteris blumeana 350-650 6185
Dennstaedtiaceae
Histiopteris incise 1050 -
Lindsaeaceae
Lindsaea obtuse 650 6182
Cyatheaceae
Cyathea sp. 1 850 -
Cyathea sp. 2 850 6190
Lygodiaceae
Lygodium circinnatum 250-350 -
Marattiaceae
Marattia sylvatica 750 6197
Lycopodiaceae
Selaginella cupressina 650-750 6163
Selaginella involvens 150-850 6167
Selaginella sp.2 850 -
Selaginella sp.3 1050 -

Unidentified
Fern species. 2 450 -
Fern species. 3 550 -

Fern Species Density and Dominance Along the Altitudinal Gradient

Using Ohsawa’s formula, the density values obtained during the wet and dry
season were used (Table 3) to determine the number of dominant species in each
sampling site (4).

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The lowest density value during the dry season was 0.00033. At 150 m.a.s.l.
Selaginella involvens had the lowest density. At 350 m.a.s.l. the following fern
species had the lowest density value: Lygodium circinnatum, Pleocnemia sp., Pteris
blumeana, Selaginella involvens, and Tectaria sp. At 450 m.a.s.l. Christella parasitica
had the lowest density value. At 550 m.a.s.l.,Nephrolepis biserrata had the lowest
density value. At 650 m.a.s.l.,Pleocnemia sp. had the lowest density value. At 750
m.a.s.l., Asplenium tenerum, Bolbitis heteroclita, and Sphaerostephanos lobatus had
the lowest density value. At 850 m.a.s.l. Cyathea sp.2 and Tectaria becchariana
had the lowest density values. During the dry season, Selaginella cupressina had
the highest density value of 0.0077 while the average density was 0.0022.

Table 3. Density values of ferns along altitudinal gradient during the dry season.
Dry Season
Sampling site Fern species Density Relative density
150 Blechnum egregium 2 x 10-3 66.67
Bolbitis heteroclite 6.67x10-4 22.22
Selaginella involvens 3.33x10-4 11.11
250 Lygodium circinnatum 1x10-3 42.86
Selaginella involvens 1.33x10-3 57.14
350 Christella parasitica 1x10-3 37.50
Lygodium circinnatum 3.33x10-4 12.50
Pleocnemia sp. 3.33x10-4 12.50
Pteris blumeana agardh 3.33x10-4 12.50
Selaginella involvens 3.33x10-4 12.50
Tectaria sp. 3.33x10-4 12.50
450 Selaginella involvens 1x10-3 50.00
Fern species. 2 6.67x10-4 33.33
Christella parasitica 3.33x10-4 16.67
550 Nephrolepis biserrata 3.33x10-3 29.41
Tectaria siifolia 2.67x10-3 23.53
Christella parasitica 0.002 17.65
Bolbitis heteroclite 1.67x10-3 14.71
Microsorum heterocarpum 1.00x10-3 8.82
Fern species. 3 6.67x10-4 5.88

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650 Bolbitis heteroclite 7.00x10-3 38.18

Lindsaea obtusa b. 2.67x10-3 14.55
Sphaerostephanos lobatus 2.67x10-3 14.55
Bolbitis sinnuata 2.00x10-3 10.91
Tectaria becchariana 1.33x10-3 7.27
Selaginella cupressina 0.001 5.45
Microsorum heterocarpum 6.67x10-4 3.64
Pteris blumeana agardh 6.67x10-4 3.64
Pleocnemia sp. 3.33x10-4 1.82
750 Selaginella cupressina 7.67x10-3 43.40
Microsorum heterocarpum 5.67x10-3 32.08
Tectaria becchariana 1.33x10-3 7.55
Davallia hymenophylloides 6.67x10-4 3.77
Marattia sylvatica 6.67x10-4 3.77
Nephrolepis biserrata 6.67x10-4 3.77
Asplenium tenerum 3.33x10-4 1.89
Bolbitis heteroclita 3.33x10-4 1.89
Sphaerostephanos lobatus 3.33x10-4 1.89
850 Selaginella involvens 1.83x10-2 55.00
Sphaerostephanos lobatus 8.67x10-3 26.00
Microsorum heterocarpum 2.00x10-3 6.00
Cyathea sp. 1 1.67x10-3 5.00
Asplenium tenerum 6.67x10-4 5.00
Blechnum egregium 6.67x10-4 5.00
Polysticum obtusum 6.67x10-4 5.00
Cyathea sp. 2 3.33x10-4 1.00
Tectaria becchariana 3.33x10-4 1.00
950 Selaginella sp.2 1.30x10-2 92.86
Sphaerostephanos lobatus 1.00x10-3 7.14
1050 Histiopteris incise 2.33x10-3 19.44
Selaginella sp.3 7.00x10-3 58.33
Cyathea sp.1 2.67x10-3 22.22

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Table 5. Dominant species of the 10 sampling sites during the dry season. The
dominant species were using Dominance Analysis of Ohsawa (1984)
Altitude Dominant Species

150 Blechnum egregium, Bolbitis heteroclite

250 Lygodium circinnatum, Selaginella involvens

Christella parasitica, Lygodium circinnatum, Pleocnemia sp., Pteris blumeana,
350
Selaginella involvens, Tectaria sp.
450 Selaginella involvens, Fern species 2, Christella parasitica
Nephrolepis biserrata, Tectaria siifolia, Christella parasitica, Bolbitis heteroclita,
550
Microsorum heterocarpum
Bolbitis heteroclita, Lindsaea obtusa, Sphaerostephanos lobatus, Bolbitis sinnuata,
650
Tectaria becchariana
750 Selaginella cupressina, Microsorum heterocarpum

850 Selaginella involvens, Sphaerostephanos lobatus

950 Selaginella sp.2

1050 Selaginella sp.3

During the dry season at different elevations the dominant species were (Table
5): 150 m.a.s.l.: Blechnum egregium and Bolbitis heteroclita; 250 m.a.s.l.: Lygodium
circinnatum and Selaginella involvens; 350 m.a.s.l.: Christella parasitica, Lygodium
circinnatum, Pleocnemia sp., Pteris blumeana, Selaginella involvens and Tectaria
sp;.450 m.a.s.l.: Selaginella involvens and Fern sp.2.;550 m.a.s.l.: Nephrolepis
biserrata, Tectaris siifolia, Christella parasitica, Bolbitis heteroclita and Microsorum
heterocarpum; 650 m.a.s.l.: Bolbitis heteroclita, Lindsaea obtusa, Sphaerostephanos
lobatus, Bolbitis sinnuata, and Tectaria becchariana; 750 m.a.s.l.: Selaginella
cupressina and Microsorum heterocarpum; 850 m.a.s.l.: Selaginella involvens and
Sphaerostephanos lobatus: 950 m.a.s.l.: Selaginella sp.3. The tenth sampling site
had one fern species which dominated the area and that is Selaginella sp.2.

Fern species richness and diversity

Based on Table 6, site 6 at an elevation of 650 m.a.s.l., had the highest value
for the Shannon index of diversity (1.818288). The established subquadrats were
located within the wilderness zone which is characterized by a rocky substrate
and is enclosed by canopies of trees. Moreover, a stream was present in the site

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that provided sufficient moisture for ferns to grow. Among the sampling sites,
the presence of rocks in the area provides a suitable substrate for ferns to attach.
Since the area is enclosed by a canopy, moisture in the soil will have a lower rate
of being evaporated into the atmosphere.

Table 6. The calculated Shannon index of diversity and Fisher’s Alpha for the ten
sampling sites during the dry season.
Dry season
Sampling site Shannon index of diversity Species Richness (Fisher’s Alpha)
150 0.85 2.20
250 0.68 2.60
350 1.67 1.50
450 1.01 2.20
550 1.67 1.50
650 1.82 0.99
750 1.52 1.10
850 1.32 1.10
950 0.26 2.60
1050 0.97 2.20

In a study conducted by Zuquim, Costa, Prado, and Braga-Neto (2009),

most fern species were concentrated in areas with low light plots. Furthermore,
the opening of gaps in a forest causes a local input of light. This opening drives
the change in microclimate and shifts the composition of species. During the dry
season, site 9 at 950 m.a.s.l. had the lowest value for Shannon index of diversity
(0.257319). Even if ferns have strategies, that allow them to adapt to disturbed
areas and invest in rapid gametophyte growth and recruitment (Watkins, Mack,
& Mulkey, 2007). Sampling site 9 had the lowest value for Shannon index of
diversity. It is considered to be a disturbed site since it is close to the trail. Also,
in sampling site 9, the area was close to a cliff. The researcher was limited to the
establishment of only one subquadrat.

Altitudinal zones
With the use of fern density values along the altitudinal gradient the fern
vegetation was classified with the aid of a hierarchical cluster analysis (average
linkage) using the software, statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) ver.

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16. The dendogram (Fig. 3) showed three distinct clusters at a square Euclidean
distance of 8. The resulting clusters were designated as zones. Zone 1 located
at the lowest portion of the Dendogram was situated at an altitude of 150-450
m.a.s.l. Zone 2 had the most number of ferns which is at an elevation of 550-
750 m.a.s.l. Zone 3 has an altitude of 850-1050 m.a.s.l. Incidentally, these zones
corresponded with the lowland, mid-montane and montane zones of Brown
(1919).

Figure 3. Dendogram of the 28 subquadrats from the ten sampling sites

during the dry season by average linking clustering using the SPSS software.
Three zones were identified: Zone 1 at 150-450 m.a.s.l.; Zone 2 at 550-750
m.a.sl.; Zone 3 at 850-1050 m.a.s.l.

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Zone 1. Blechnum – Selaginella(150-450 m.a.s.l.)

Zone 1 constituted sampling sites 1 to 4 at 150-450 m.a.s.l. The dominant
species included Blechnum egregium and Selaginella sp. The highest density value
for Zone 1 was recorded for Blechnum egregium with a value of 0.002. The species
with the lowest density value were (0.0003) Lygodium circinnatum, Pleocnemia
sp., Pteris blumeana, Selaginella involvens and Tectaria sp.. pH ranged from 6-6.8.
Nitrogen was high while phosphorus was detected to be low. Furthermore, a
covered walk was observed. At 150 m elevation, the site was not that disturbed
since it was off the trekking trail. The area was easily accessible especially at
250-meter elevation since the area is close to the trail.

Zone 2. Selaginella – Bolbitis – Microsorum(550-750 m.a.s.l.)

Zone 2 is characterized by a rocky substrate with a stream. It has ravines
and the area was observed to have a thick canopy. The dominant species were:
Selaginella involvens, Bolbitis heteroclita and Microsorum. Both Selaginella and
Bolbitis are petrophytic ferns, usually attached to crevices of rocks. Microsorum
on the other hand, is a terrestrial fern. It was usually found growing directly in
the soil.
The highest density value in this zone was 0.077 recorded for Selaginella
cupressina while the lowest density (0.00033) was recorded for Pleocnemia sp.,
Asplenium tenerum, Bolbitis heteroclita, and Sphaerostephanos lobatus. pH ranges
from 6 – 6.4. The nitrogen content of soil at Zone 2 fluctuated from a high
nitrogen content to a low nitrogen content. Phosphorus was found to be at very
low amounts. Disturbance at this zone is minimal since the area is located within
a ravine that is far from the usually used trail.

Zone 3. Selaginella – Sphaerostephanos (850 – 1050 m.a.s.l.)

Zone 3 represents the mossy forest ferns. The dominant species were Selaginella
involvens, Sphaerostephanos lobatus and Selaginella sp. 2. Sphaerostephanos lobatus
is a terrestrial fern. Selaginella, on the other hand, is epiphytic, usually attached on
branches of trees. At both altitudes, the sampling sites were established near the
trail. The fern species with the highest density was Selaginella involvens (0.01833).
At 900 m elevation, Selaginella sp. 2 had the lowest density (0.001). pH was
6. Nitrogen in soil was very low as well as phosphorus. At 950 m elevation,
potassium was no longer detected. The area is disturbed since it is near the trail
frequently used by trekkers.

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The zonation pattern of pteridophytes on Mt. Makiling follow the usual

zonation pattern for woody vegetation. It can be noted that the identified zones
of ferns in this study coincided with the identified zones of Brown (1919).
Results were compared with altitudinal zonation studies of other Philippine
mountains, which are the studies of Banaticla and Buot (2005) and Espinas
(2003) (Figure 4). The altitudinal zones of ferns for Mt. Makiling and Mt.
Banahaw were observed to constitute dissimilar species. Differences in location
of these mountains can be one of the reasons for this contrast. Some common
species of ferns were observed between this study and that of Espinas (2003).
Two of these were Sphaerostephanos lobatus and Bolbitis heteroclita. The three
zones that were determined based on this study can be further categorized as
lowland forest for zone 1, a mid-montane for zone 2 and montane for zone 3.

Figure 4. Comparison of altitudinal zones of Mt. Makiling

with Mt. Banahaw de Lucban and Mt. Makiling.

Factors Affecting Fern Zonation

Among the factors that were considered in this study that might affect fern
zonation were pH, moisture content, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The
results obtained from the soil kit were qualitative, the colors were assigned an
equivalent value to obtain a quantitative data. pH, moisture content as well as
nitrogen content in soil were subjected to multivariate analysis using the program,
CANOCO to see responses of samples in the presence of these edaphic factors.

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Figure 5. The predicted response values of ferns species, pH, potassium,

nitrogen, altitude and moisture content during the dry season using the CANOCO
program (Ate= Asplenium tenerum, Beg=Blechnum egregium, Bhe=Bolbitis
heteroclita,Bsi=Bolbitis sinnuata, Cpa=Christella parasitica, Csp1=Cyathea sp.1,
Csp2=Cyathea sp.2, Dhy=Davallia hymenophilloides, Fsp2=Fern sp.2,Fsp.3=Fern
sp.3, Hin= Histiopteris incisa, Lci=Lygodium circinnatum, Lob=Lindsaea obtuse
b., Msy=Marattia sylvatica, Mhe=Microsorum heterocarpum, Nbi=Nephrolepis
biserrata, Pbl=Pteris blumeana Agardh, Psp=Pleocnemia sp., Pob=Polysticum
obtusum, Scu=Selaginella cupressina, Sin=Selaginella involvens,Ssp2=Sellaginela
sp.2,Ssp3=Selaginella sp.3 Sst=Sphaerostephanos lobatus,Tbe=Tectaria
becchariana, Tsi=Tectaria siifolia, Tsp=Tectaria sp.)

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During the dry season, it was indicated that nitrogen, moisture content and
pH were the most important factors affecting fern species richness (Fig. 5). The
different levels of nitrogen affect fern species diversity along a gradient. In a
study conducted by Durand and Goldstein (2001), fronds of tree ferns had a
significantly shorter lifespan and significantly higher nitrogen content per unit
leaf mass. Ferns need nitrogen in small amounts to create a large fern community.
Moisture, as well as pH, also affects species richness of ferns. Ferns need
moisture to propagate. Tropical countries such as the Philippines experience
frequent rainfalls. High rainfall levels lead to leaching of cations leaving behind
Al3+ and H+ which are very strongly held by colloidal particles making the soils
acidic (Gurevitch, Scheiner & Fox, 2002). Outliers are represented by fern
species that are distal from the edaphic factors found in the figure. The edaphic
factors resulted to a species-environment correlation of 0.941 and 0.977 which
quantifies that pH and moisture content influence species richness of ferns.
Collected soil samples were also analyzed. During the dry season, pH, as well
as moisture content, influenced the species richness of ferns along the altitudinal
gradient. Compared to the dry season, soil during the wet season holds more
moisture due to the frequency of rain. Outliers are represented by fern species
that are distal from the edaphic factors found in the figure.

CONCLUSIONS

The species richness of ferns along the altitudinal gradient on the northeastern
slope of Mt. Makiling was determined. A total of 27 species belonging to 18
genera and 14 families during the dry season the most represented families were
Tectariaceae and Dryopteridaceae (4 spp.) and Lycopodiaceae (3 spp.).
Data obtained were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and the
dendogram revealed three zones of fern vegetation along the altitudinal gradient
on Mt. Makiling. The three zones coincided with the lowland, mid-montane and
montane zones of previous studies. During the dry season, the dominant species
in Zone 1 were Blechnum egregium and Selaginella sp. In Zone 2, Selaginella
involvens, Bolbitis heteroclita and Microsorum heterocarpum were the dominant
species. In Zone 3, Selaginella involvens and Bolbitis heteroclita were the dominant
species.
Species richness of ferns increased with altitude. Areas which were characterized
by a rocky substrate increased species richness of ferns since it provided a substrate
for ferns to be rooted upon. At an altitude of 550 and 650, fern species are high

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due to the presence of ravines. The presence of ravines increased species richness
due to the crevices as well as the presence of a stream which provided fern species
moisture for growth and propagation. Results from the CANOCO program
showed that other factors such as pH, nitrogen and moisture content also affect
the species richness of ferns. Moisture provided a medium for ferns to reproduce.

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

The resulting data of the study entitled “Diversity and Distribution of

Pteridophytes along the Altitudinal Gradient of the Northeastern Slope of
a Secondary Forest in Mt. Makiling, Philippines” gave an updated list of the
fern species found along the mountain during the dry season (April and June).
Furthermore, the study is a part of the final report of the CHED funded project
entitled: “Biodiversity Assessment of Mount Makiling”.

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Indexed  by:

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