Bryophytes as indicators of environmental factors in forest phytocoenoses

Abstract

Ecological indicator values of bryophytes have been investigated by bryologists during the last two centuries. The ecological preference of several taxa was generally fixed to a much too narrow amplitude. Several bryophytes were wrongly supposed to be ecologically very specialized and more or less confined to a certain type of vegetation. Compensating ecological factors were rarely treated. The ability of bryophytes to survive unfavorable ecological conditions have been studied during twenty years in permanent sample plots in deciduous woods on the island of öland in the Baltic. This ability was revealed to be much larger for several bryophytes than for vascular plants of the same phytocoenoses. Investigations on substratum preference of bryophytes under different climatic conditions were another way to trace their ecological preference and amplitude. Comparison in different localities in West Europe of differential values of bryophytes also turned out to be a useful way to trace ecological indicator values of bryophyte taxa or groups of taxa. Scandinavian forest mosses for example were recorded as successively more frequent in habitats without protecting trees or shrubs towards westernmost Europe. Required shadow and air humidity in Scandinavian forests are compensated by higher amounts of precipitation and higher cloud and mist frequency in localities in West Europe. © 1974 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.