A Bryological Assessment of the Flint Woods Preserve, Delaware

Abstract

The Flint Woods Preserve is known to contain rare species of vascular flora, yet no bryological survey has previously been performed. Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) are are sensitive to changes in the environment and serve as biological indicators. The objectives of this study were to determine the diversity of bryophytes among habitats and to identify species associations, as compared to known European associations. The similarity of species occurrences among and within habitats and substrates was assessed using the Jaccard index and calculated β diversity. Associations among species and between growth form or life strategy and habitat or substrate were assessed by a two-way contingency table with Fisher's exact test. Thirty-eight species of Bryophyta and Marchantiophyta were found, including four rare species: Dicranum fulvum, Fissidens bushii, Ctenidium malacodes, and Ptilidium pulcherrimum. Seventy-five percent of the species were exclusively epigaeic or occurred on multiple substrates, while only one species was exclusively corticolous. Eleven positive species associations were found, none of which match known European associations. No negative species associations, no associations with life strategy and habitat or substrate, and few associations with growth form and habitat or substrate were observed.