Search Results (312)

Hamatocaulis vernicosus is a pleurocarpous moss of conservation concern, listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive due to its significant and ongoing decline across Europe. H. vernicosus is also listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the Red List of Romanian Bryophytes. Despite its protected status, the species remains under-recorded in Romania, where many potentially suitable habitats have yet to be surveyed. The ecosystems, classified as Transition mire and quaking bog (NATURA 2000 code: 7140), are wet peatlands with oligo- to mesotrophic conditions and a pH of 5.0–7.5. H. vernicosus is recorded in 58 Romanian locations (10 confirmed by us, 5 new), spanning the Continental and Alpine bioregions. Models showed good performance (AUC 0.79–0.83; TSS 0.54–0.59), with distribution mainly shaped by mean annual temperature and temperature range, and secondarily by precipitation. The species favors cold, stable climates with high seasonal rainfall. Even though the number of localities reported for this species has increased in recent years, this does not indicate an improvement in its conservation status, but rather is an effect of recent recording efforts. To support targeted conservation planning, an ensemble species distribution model was developed in order to predict the suitable habitats of H. vernicosus across Romania. Both climate models project major range losses for the varnished hook-moss: ~30% by 2050 and ~40–60% by 2100, depending on the scenario. Losses are gradual under SSP245 but more abrupt under SSP585, with increased fragmentation, especially between the Eastern and Southern Carpathians. By integrating field observations with predictive climate change modeling, our study brings critical insights applicable to the conservation of H. vernicosus and the unique peatland ecosystems it relies on. Full article

Although mountain vertical vegetation belts are key in revealing the response to climate change and the maintenance mechanism of biodiversity, traditional field surveys and remote sensing methods face significant limitations in the structurally complex tropical humid mountainous regions of Hainan Island. As bryophytes are good microclimate indicators and characteristic components of the structure of the tropical rainforest, they may be useful tools for the construction of a general scheme of the altitudinal zonation of tropical rainforests. We surveyed bryophyte communities across eight elevations and three vegetation types at LiMu Mountain, southern China. Bryophyte species alpha diversity increased significantly as elevation increased, while beta diversity showed the contrasting pattern. Bryophyte community composition differed significantly along elevation gradients and the distribution of vegetation types was clearly distinguished by three significantly different bryophyte assemblages with specific elevational range. Hierarchical partitioning revealed that microclimate outweighed topography in structuring communities, aligning with global patterns of bryophyte thermal sensitivity. Bryophytes are effective bioindicators for tropical rainforest elevational zonation, reflecting fine-scale environmental gradients. Their sensitivity to microclimate supports their utility in monitoring vegetation shifts under climate change, particularly in topographically complex regions. Full article

Austrian loess cliffs represent unique habitats supporting a rich bryophyte flora, including numerous rare and endangered species. We conducted a comprehensive survey of 86 loess cliff sites in the Pannonian area of Lower Austria, Burgenland, and Vienna, recording 79 bryophyte species. The results highlight that Austrian loess cliffs, despite their small spatial extent, are key refugia for light-demanding, desiccation-tolerant bryophytes. Hilpertia velenovskyi, a critically endangered species, was recorded at six new sites, expanding its known Austrian distribution. Our study also documents the first Austrian occurrences of several Pterygoneurum species. Seven bryophyte communities were distinguished: Aloinetum rigidae, Hilpertio velenovskyi–Pterygoneuretum compacti, and the newly described subassociations Didymodontetum glauci didymodontetosum cordati and Eurhynchietum schleicheri didymodontetosum cordati, as well as Pterygoneuro–Acaulonetum triquetri ass. nov. Multivariate analyses suggest carbonate content as the most consistent environmental driver. Despite their ecological significance, loess cliffs are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, overgrowth by vascular plants, and shading from invasive trees. Our study provides a detailed syntaxonomic and ecological framework for bryophyte communities on loess cliffs, underlining their role as refugia for rare species and the urgent need to protect remaining sites in the Pannonian region. Full article

Mires are fragile ecosystems in which plant communities are structured by complex interactions among hydrological regimes and groundwater properties. Although extensively studied in boreal and temperate regions, their environmental drivers in southern European mountains remain poorly understood. We investigated five complex mires in the Pyrenees, sampling 156 plots of vascular plants and bryophytes while measuring water table dynamics and groundwater chemistry over two years. Vegetation was classified into six main groups, including acid and alkaline fens, transition mires and Sphagnum hummocks. Ordination analyses (tb-PCA and RDA) revealed that mean water table depth, groundwater calcium and silicon content, and pH were the most important determinants of floristic composition. Bryophytes responded primarily to pH, whereas vascular plants were more influenced by water table variables, reflecting functional trait differences. Despite these environmental effects, spatial structure explained a comparable or greater proportion of variance, especially for vascular plants, underscoring the roles of local species pools, dispersal limitation, and site history in shaping community patterns. Establishing a reliable baseline is crucial for interpreting the distribution patterns of mire vegetation. Our results demonstrate that both environmental gradients and spatial processes are fundamental to understanding mire vegetation and highlight the importance of analyzing plant taxonomic groups separately. Full article

The degree of informational redundancy is often examined in genetic studies but not yet detailed for taxa conceived as minimally monophyletic groups (microgenus). Evolutionary processes in microgenera were reviewed, detailing critical sets of traits, the novon, the immediate ancestron, and the ancestron. Calculations were made from known intra-genus character state changes for maximum entropy, Shannon entropy, and entropic redundancy. Additional evaluations of contrived data sets were intended to evaluate the range of informational variation in small, medium, and large numbers of species and traits. Results indicate that measures of Shannon information and redundancy are rather similar in all but microgenera with the smallest number of species and traits per species. Hypothetically, this similarity is due to the fairly constant balance between numbers of newly evolved traits and traits monothetically redundant because all are shared with all species in the genus. This balance may be explained by a selective construct or emergent property that balances innovation leading to the colonization of new niches and conservation of proven ancestral traits for survival sympatricially and peripatrically in the particular challenges of the ancestor’s niche. The entropic redundancy calculations indicate that 0.20 to 0.30 of the information in a microgenus serves as flexibility in survival adaptation at the genus level. Full article

Plagiomnium affine is a species of terrestrial moss that inhabits mainly coniferous forests but also occurs in areas with other characteristics. It is very adjustable, being a commercially available aquarium plant and popular among enthusiasts. Despite its wide distribution in various habitats, its physiological and biochemical adaptations, ecological roles, and responses to environmental changes remain only partially understood. In fact, it is not known what biomedical applications lie in this species, which is relatively easy to cultivate in vitro, and its role as an accumulator of elements such as manganese or cadmium is largely ignored. This article reviews the current state of research on P. affine, focusing on available published data that can help illuminate the biomedical application of the species, highlighting gaps in knowledge and identifying priorities for future research. For this purpose, all available literature, regardless of year of study, addressing the indicated topic was reviewed. The report presents P. affine as a uniquely adaptable moss species rich in bioactive compounds of scientific interest, highlighting its application importance in modern science. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fissidens crispulus Brid. is a dioicous moss with conspicuous axillary hyaline nodules and serrulate leaf margins. It features Neoamblyothallia-type peristome teeth and serves as an ecologically significant model for studying adaptation in the hyperdiverse genus Fissidens (>440 species). Methods: In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of F. crispulus was sequenced and de novo assembled, enabling detailed comparative genomic, phylogenetic, and codon usage bias studies. Results: As the third fully sequenced member of Fissidentaceae, this study deciphers its 124,264–124,440 bp quadripartite genome encoding 129 genes (83 CDS, 32 tRNAs, 8 rRNAs). Repeat analysis identified 125–127 SSRs, dominated by mono-/di-nucleotide A/T repeats (>70%), and dispersed repeats predominantly forward (F) and palindromic (P) (>85%), confirming profound AT-biased composition (GC content: 28.7%). We established 7 hypervariable loci (matK, ycf2, etc.) as novel Dicranidae-wide phylogenetic markers. Codon usage exhibited significant A/U-ending preference, with 12 optimal codons (e.g., GCA, UGU, UUU) determined. Maximum likelihood analyses resolved F. crispulus and F. protonematicola as sister groups with high support value (MBP = 100%). Conclusions: This work provides the foundational cpDNA resource for Fissidens, filling a major gap in bryophyte chloroplast genomics and establishing a framework for resolving the genus’s infrageneric conflicts. Furthermore, it offers critical insights into bryophyte plastome evolution and enables future codon-optimized biotechnological applications. Full article

Saline–alkaline wetlands represent critical ecosystems for maintaining biodiversity, regulating hydrological processes, and supporting regional ecological resilience. However, the extent to which dominant vegetation regulates soil functionality and microbial assemblages in these unique saline systems remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we examined five characteristic vegetation types—Phragmites communis Trin., Typha angustifolia L., Bryophytes, Suaeda salsa (L.) Pall., Echinochloa phyllopogon (Stapf) Koss.—across the saline wetlands of Chagan Lake, northeast China, which are embedded in a heterogeneous matrix of forests, grasslands, and agricultural lands. Comprehensive assessments of soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and bacterial communities were conducted, integrating high-throughput sequencing with multivariate statistical analyses. Our results revealed that vegetation cover markedly influenced soil attributes, particularly total organic carbon (TOC) and alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN), alongside key enzymatic functions such as urease and alkaline phosphatase activities. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria emerged as dominant bacterial phyla, with their relative abundances tightly linked to vegetation-induced shifts in soil environments. Notably, soils under E. phyllopogon demonstrated elevated bacterial diversity and enzymatic activities, underscoring the synergistic effects of plant selection on soil biogeochemical health. Structural equation modeling further elucidated complex pathways connecting vegetation, microbial diversity, soil quality, and enzymatic functioning. These findings emphasize the pivotal role of vegetation management in improving soil fertility, shaping microbial communities, and guiding the sustainable restoration of saline–alkaline wetlands under environmental stress. Full article

Evolutionary processes involving sustainability are here expressed in units of classical mechanics, where newly evolved traits are distance, segments of evolutionary trees are time, and species as entire character sets are mass. Data arranged on a morphological evolutionary tree (caulogram) allow precise calculations of evolutionary velocity, acceleration, momentum and force, with force interpretable as resistance to environmental change. Stem-taxon trees of species of the moss family Streptotrichaceae and Pottiaceae tribe Pleuroweisieae were developed as sets of minimally monophyletic genera, and annotated with numbers of newly evolved traits per species. Calculations provided evidence that precise and comparative measures of the results of sustainable evolutionary processes may be calculated, and, as directly derived from expressed traits, are also accurate and informative about processes leading to resilience across multiple extinction events. The two groups evidenced similar, gradual evolutionary rates, implying that similar evolutionary processes occur across 110 my for Streptotrichaceae and 66 my for Pleuroweisieae, although habitats differ. Extension of sets of new traits per species into the past imply origination of the oldest extinct recognizable progenitors near the Permian–Triassic extinction event, when a cut-off in all data imply a complete over-haul of the character set for both groups, i.e., a major change in evolutionary mass. Speciation occurs in bursts. Extinction is gradual, the negative of acceleration. The rates of origination of genera over time for both groups are nearly the same as those previously proposed for genera of extinct horses. Plateaus in graphs of species per genus imply ancient quadratic patterns of speciation. The combination of process-governed stability through stasis of morphological traits, and of resilience as the ability to survive multiple extinction events has apparently little changed, and both contribute to sustainability over geologic time. Full article

Beginning with general references to old-growth forests and the numerous benefits that they provide at multiple levels, this review mentions the main surveys conducted in Italy to identify and characterise Italian old-growth forests and offers an overview of the state of knowledge on bryophytes of these ecosystems in Sicily. Then, it focuses on the relationship between bryophyte diversity and old-growth traits (e.g., structural characteristics, long-term continuity), as well as the potential use of bryophytes as bioindicators of forest continuity and naturalness. In this regard, studies on bryophyte floras and communities in old-growth forests were examined in detail not only for Italy but also for the broader Mediterranean region, also taking into account evidence from investigations conducted in other bioclimatic zones. The analysis shows that old-growth forests often provide refuges for rare and noteworthy taxa and host highly diverse bryophyte communities. However, it appears that in Mediterranean forests, which have been less studied than temperate and boreal forests, the influence of certain factors that are known to be important in other contexts, such as deadwood, may be comparatively less relevant. Also, bryophyte species highly related to old-growth stands or with mature and ancient trees in the Mediterranean area are reported. Full article

Arctic warming is expected to alter permafrost landscapes and shift tundra ecosystems from greenhouse gas sinks to sources. We quantified plant biomass and necromass, carbon stocks, and microbial activity across five Low-Arctic tundra sites in the Yana–Indigirka Lowland (Chokurdakh, NE Siberia) during the 2024 growing season. Above- and below-ground plant biomass was measured by harvest adjacent to 50 × 50 m permanent plots; total C and N were determined by dry combustion on an elemental analyzer. Total organic carbon (TOC) stocks were calculated by horizon from TOC (%), bulk density, and thickness. Microbial basal respiration (BR), substrate-induced respiration (SIR), microbial biomass C (MBC), and the metabolic quotient (qCO₂) were assessed in litter/organic (O), peat (T), and mineral gley horizons. Mean above-ground biomass was 15.8 ± 1.5 t ha⁻¹; total living biomass averaged 43.1 ± 1.6 t ha⁻¹. Below-ground biomass exceeded above-ground by 1.73×. Carbon in above-ground, below-ground, and necromass pools averaged 7.8, 12.2, and 12.5 t C ha⁻¹, respectively. Surface organic horizons dominated ecosystem C storage: litter–peat stocks ranged from 234 to 449 t C ha⁻¹, whereas 0–30 cm mineral layers held 18–50 t C ha⁻¹; total (surface + 0–30 cm) stocks spanned 258–511 t C ha⁻¹ among sites. Key contributors to biomass and C storage were deciduous shrubs (Salix pulchra, Betula nana), bryophytes (notably Aulacomnium palustre), and the graminoids (Eriophorum vaginatum). BR and MBC were highest in O and T horizons (BR up to 21.9 μg C g⁻¹ h⁻¹; MBC up to 70,628 μg C g⁻¹) and declined sharply in mineral soil; qCO₂ decreased from O to mineral horizons, indicating more efficient C use at depth. These in situ data show that Low-Arctic tundra C stocks are concentrated in surface organic layers while microbial communities remain responsive to warming, implying high sensitivity of carbon turnover to thaw and hydrologic change. The dataset supports model parameterization and remote sensing of shrub–tussock tundra carbon dynamics. Full article

Chloroplast genomes are valuable tools for exploring plant evolution, photosynthesis, and molecular systematics due to their relatively conserved structure and gene content. Here, I present a comprehensive comparative analysis of complete chloroplast genomes from 20 taxonomically diverse plant species, focusing on 16 widely used barcoding genes to investigate patterns of genome structure, gene retention, codon usage bias, and phylogenetic relationships. Genome sizes ranged from ~121 kb in Marchantia polymorpha to over 160 kb in Vitis vinifera, with GC content largely conserved across species. A multi-gene Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic framework recovered major taxonomic groupings and revealed gene-specific topological differences, reflecting locus-specific evolutionary histories. Presence/absence profiling showed that 13 of the 16 barcoding genes were consistently retained across species and classified as core genes, while the remaining three exhibited more variable distributions and were considered accessory. This pattern reflects both broad conservation and lineage-specific gene loss across plastomes. Genome-wide similarity analysis revealed high identity among closely related taxa (e.g., Arabidopsis and Brassica) and greater divergence among bryophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Codon usage analysis revealed generally conserved patterns, with lineage-specific biases observed in Cucumis sativus and Brassica rapa, suggesting influences from mutational pressure and potential translational selection. This integrative analysis highlights the dynamic yet conserved nature of chloroplast genomes and underscores the value of combining multiple genomic features in plastome evolution studies. The resulting dataset and analytical pipeline offer a useful resource for future phylogenomic, evolutionary, and biodiversity research in plant science. Full article

The Pottiaceae family represents one of the most diverse and ecologically adaptable bryophytes; however, its chloroplast genome diversity remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate plastome variation and identify evolutionary informative loci within the moss genus Tortula. We performed a comprehensive comparative plastome analysis of nine species within the genus Tortula, using Syntrichia princeps as an outgroup within the family Pottiaceae. High-quality chloroplast genomes were assembled and annotated based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. All plastomes exhibited conserved quadripartite structures with genome size ranging from 121,889 to 122,697 bp. Adenine–thymine (AT)-rich dinucleotide repeats were the most abundant simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and several genes contained unique higher-order SSRs, suggesting potential utility as population-level markers. Codon usage analysis revealed species-specific biases, particularly in leucine, serine, and threonine codons, with Tortula acaulon exhibiting the most pronounced deviation. Phyloplastomic analysis based on maximum likelihood identified two major clades, indicating that Tortula section Tortula is not monophyletic. Several highly informative loci were found to replicate the full plastome phylogenetic signal. Additionally, a subset of genes, including atpE and matK, exhibited nonsynonymous-to-synonymous substitution (dN/dS) ratios that suggest possible positive selection. These findings provide new insights into chloroplast genome evolution within Tortula, while identifying candidate loci for future phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. This study contributes to a more robust understanding of plastome-based studies in Pottiaceae and highlights efficient molecular markers for broader bryophyte phylogenomics. Full article

Mosses are key players in semi-arid ecosystems; however, the functional roles of mosses on hydrologic buffering and water quality have hardly been assessed. In the present study, the water storage, saturation dynamics, and ion release experiment of a set of four moss species (Hypnum lacunosum, Homalothecium lutescens, Dicranum scoparium, and Tortella tortuosa) was performed by a more simplified immersion and drainage procedure with water chemistry analyses. All species reached a sorption equilibrium between 10 and 20 min, with pleurocarpous taxa retaining 20–35% more water than acrocarpous species and possessing water-holding capacities (WHCs) between 300% and 700% of dry weight. Species-specific differences in water chemistry (pH, EC, and TDS) were observed: Tortella tortuosa presented the greatest ionic flux, and Hypnum lacunosum presented little variation in pH and electrical conductivity. These findings imply that the mosses operate as micro-scale buffers regulating both water quantity and water quality, and thereby the soil stability, infiltration, and drought resilience. The combined hydrological and biogeochemical view offers a novel understanding of bryophyte ecohydrology and highlights the significance of mosses in the practice of watershed management and climate-change mitigation. Full article

The composition and structure of vegetation have been recognised as the main determinants of habitat quality, which influences biodiversity. The presented research focuses on the mosaic structure of Lithuanian rich fens and their relationship to ecological conditions. This study was conducted across 98 study plots amongst 15 fens distributed throughout Lithuania. This research included the cover and abundance of vascular plants and bryophytes, water parameters (conductivity, pH, and concentrations of Ca²⁺, Fe³⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, and PO₄³⁻), topography type, and the cover of hummocks. Vegetation studies resulted in the distinction of two clusters containing ten bryophyte groups and two clusters containing eleven vascular plants groups. The main diagnostic species for bryophyte clusters were Scorpidium cossonii and Calliergonella cuspidata, and those for the vascular plant clusters were Carex lepidocarpa and Carex rostrata. The mosaic distribution of vegetation observed in both the bryophyte and vascular plant layers is primarily shaped by local hydrological regimes, microtopographical variation, and the amount of iron present. The habitats of bryophyte groups, as compared to those of vascular plants, were determined by narrower ecological conditions. This study emphasised the specificity of Lithuanian fens, which are located at the junction of the boreal and continental biogeographical regions. Full article