Movement of metals to new growing tissue in the moss Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) BSG

Abstract

To obtain Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) BSG, that varied in metal (K, Mg, Ca and Zn) content, moss samples were collected from six sites around a zinc contaminated area of Latvia; metal contents were artificially lowered by branch excision. The first fully expanded annual segment (mature segments), together with the unexpanded segment (juvenile segment) were grown in the laboratory with watering from below. The contents of K, Mg, Ca and Zn in new growth were correlated with initial contents in the juvenile + mature segments. However, the concentrations of these metals in the new growth were generally not correlated with those in the pre-experimental segments. The excision of branches from the mature segment favoured subsequent branch development in the young juvenile segment over further growth of the already expanded mature segment, but less new growth was observed when branches were excised.