Threatened bryophytes occurrence in Portuguese stream habitat

Abstract

Bryophyte species are often conspicuous elements of the macrophyte vegetation in mountain streams. Their community structure, habitat tolerances and niche relationships are extremely specialized and correlated with structural and physiological adaptations. The destruc¬tion of naturally vegetated mountain environments and flow regulation has caused the disappearance or modification of aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats in many Portuguese streams. This work presents new data concerning threatened bryophyte species distribution and ecology in the mountain streams of the North-West of Portugal, contributing to improve the knowledge of the occurrence of taxa evaluated in the Iberian Peninsula and Europe Red Lists of bryophytes.