Abstract
The biogeography of bryophytes present in Serbia is analysed for the first time in this paper. Bryophyte spectra in different regions and units within the country are compared with each other, as well as with the Southeast European spectrum. The obtained results show similarities and differences in comparison with Southeast European bryophyte spectra, reveal certain biogeographical peculiarities of Serbia?s bryophytes and indicate regions of the country with an under-recorded bryoflora. The biogeographical characteristics of bryophytes also suggest a strong overlap with local climate types. These results should be taken into consideration when preparing a national strategy for conservation and management of bryophyte diversity.
Highlights
One of the fundamental tasks of biogeography is to detect patterns and trends in the modern distribution of taxa (Loidi et al 2010)
No continental range type is known among liverworts of Serbia
Local differences are observed for liverworts of the arctic range type, which are most common in the mountainous areas of Eastern Serbia (5%), quite rare in other parts of the country (1%) and so far not observed in Southern Serbia or the region of Kosovo and Metohija
Summary
One of the fundamental tasks of biogeography is to detect patterns and trends in the modern distribution of taxa (Loidi et al 2010). While there are studies focused on the influence of climate and other factors determining the richness and elevational distribution of bryophytes, much rarer are those exploring regional patterns of species distribution. For Serbia and the area of Southeast Europe in general, there are no ecological and biogeographical studies of bryophytes. The pattern of disjunction between North America and Europe is present among many temperate species. North America and Europe share many genera and species as well; in some areas, species composition can be up to 70% identical (Crum & Anderson 1981; Frahm & Vitt 1993). Studies of bryophyte phylogeography and phylogenetics based on variable molecular markers over a certain geographic area suggest that many disjunct distribution patterns are likely formed by processes such as short-distance dispersal, rare long-distance dispersal events, extinction, recolonisation and diversification (Heinrichs et al 2009)
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