Epiphytic bryophytes of the State Dendrological Park “Olexandria” of the NAS of Ukraine

Abstract

Investigations of the species diversity of epiphytic bryophytes of the State Dendrological Park “Olexandria” (the historical part and the “Budynok Lisnyka” plot) were conducted in 2017–2019 and revealed 40 species representing 22 genera, 17 families, seven orders, two classes, and two divisions. This corresponds to 46.51 % of the total number of detected bryophytes in the park. The leading families in the bryoflora of the park are Orthotrichaceae (9 species), Brachytheciaceae (6), Amblystegiaceae (3), Anomodontaceae (3), Dicranaceae (3), Hypnaceae (3), and Pottiaceae (2). The leading genera are Orthotrichum (9 species), Anomodon (3), and Dicranum (3).Among the identified taxa, five species (Dicranum tauricum, Orthotrichum lyellii, Porella platyphylla, Sciuro-hypnum reflexum, and Syntrichia virescens) are regionally rare within the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. Most of the recorded epiphytic mosses were found on the bark of Acer platanoides (28 species), Fraxinus excelsior (27), Quercus robur (26), Acer campestre (23), and Tilia cordata (22). The least epiphytic mosses were found on the bark of conifers (Pinus sylvestris, P. strobus, Picea abies, Larix decidua, etc.).The surveyed trees in the State Dendrological Park “Olexandria” were also found such epigeal mosses as Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Ceratodon purpureus, Dicranella heteromalla, and Pohlia nutans, as well as epixilic moss Dicranum flagellare, etc.The “Budynok Lisnyka” plot hosts three species that do not occur in the park’s historical part. In particular, Lophocolea heterophylla and Sciuro-hypnum curtum were found there on Quercus robur trunks and Sciuro-hypnum reflexum on Quercus rubra bark. At the same time, the historical part of the park is characterized by the number of expansive bryophytes.