Abstract
AbstractMosses are one of the most important and dominant plant communities, especially in the temperate biome, and play a significant role in ecosystem function and dynamics. They influence the water, energy and element cycle due to their unique ecology and physiology. The present study was undertaken in three different temperate forest sites in the Garhwal Himalayas, viz., Triyuginarayan (Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS)), Chakrata, and Kanasar forest range. The study was focused on understanding the influence of mosses on soil physical properties and nutrient availability. Different physico-chemical properties were analysed under two different substrata, that is, with and without moss cover in two different seasons, viz., monsoon and winter. We observed mosses to influence and alter the physical properties and nutrient status of soil in both seasons. All soil physical and chemical properties, except magnesium, showed significant difference within the substrates, among all the sites and across the two seasons. Besides the soil characteristics underneath the moss vegetation, the study also highlights the diversity of mosses found in the area. Mosses appear to create high nutrient microsites via a high rate of organic matter accumulation and retain nutrients for longer periods thus, maintaining ecosystem stability.
Highlights
Soil nutrients are an essential component of the forest ecosystem
Ten species of terrestrial mosses were identified from Triyuginarayan
Plagiomnium cuspidatum and Thuidium sp. were commonly occurring in our study area based on the observations made during sampling
Summary
Soil nutrients are an essential component of the forest ecosystem. Nutrient status of the soil plays a critical role in determining the plant species and the microbial communities in the soil. Mosses are the most diverse and widespread group of plants and form a major component of boreal, montane and arctic ecosystems (Ayres et al 2006). In the Himalayas, they are found up to an elevation of 5000 m above sea level (Nath et al 2005, Singh & Srivastava 2013) They play a vital role in regulating ecosystems as they act as a buffer system for other plants. Due to their unique ecology and physiology, mosses influence water, energy, and element cycles differently from the vascular plants (Turetsky 2003). Mosses act as very efficient filters and absorb nutrients all over their surface from rainfall, throughfall, dust, and litter decomposing on their surface (Rieley et al 1979, Tamm 1953)
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