Abstract
Bryophyte communities were compared from three stream valleys in Mingo County, West Virginia. The stream valleys were typical of three stages of succession: that undisturbed by human activities, that disturbed by ongoing strip-mining, and that of recovered abandoned mine land. Heterogeneity and equitability indices indicated that the recovering abandoned mine land had the highest species diversity of the three stream valleys. The area disturbed by ongoing strip-mining had the lowest species diversity. Heterogeneity was found to be regulated by variation in species richness rather than by variation in relative abundance or evenness. Of the indices used, species richness and equitability were found to evaluate more accurately than species diversity. High bryophyte species diversity was found on strip-mined and filled areas that had been prepared for revegetation. Of all species ofbryophytes encountered in the study, Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid. appeared to have the highest potential for the reclamation of mined land. This moss seemed to thrive as a pioneer on dry disturbed spoils, especially in open areas. The results from the inves- tigation suggest that bryophytes should be included in the revegetation plan.
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