Epiphytic Moss Research Articles

Uptake of Minerals, Particularly Metals, by Epiphytic Hypnum Cupressiforme

Samples of bulk precipitation, epiphytic moss (Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw.) and phorophyte bark were analysed for contents of Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, S, V and Zn. These analyses were the basis for a compartment study of the mineral cycling in an epiphytic ecosystem. The conductivity, pH, buffer capacity and concentrations of Ca, K, Mg and Na of Fraxinus excelsior L. and Fagus silvatica L. bark were determined in the traditional way on bark powder suspensions and also in solutions in equilibrium with discs of bark surface. The relation between bark properties and input-output of chemical elements to the epiphytic bryophytes was discussed. The differences in the epiphytic vegetation on Fraxinus and Fagus were assumed not to have been determined by the observed differences between Fraxinus and Fagus in properties of the bark powder suspensions, as these were not reflected in the solutions in equilibrium with the bark surface. Comparisons with other Scandinavian investigations on heavy metal contents in epigeic moss were made, and it was concluded that the metal contents of epiphytic moss originate mainly from the atmosphere.

Preliminary list of mosses collected from tree branches in Mexico

List of species of epiphytic mosses

Fluoride injury symptoms in epiphytic lichens and mosses

This study was conducted in Arvida, Quebec, where volatile fluorides and HF are released into the atmosphere from an aluminum factory. Lichen and moss-bearing bark discs, cut out from trees in an unpolluted area, were fixed in groups of six in rectangular wooden boards. All discs were photographed in color as well as in black and white. Fifteen sites, in addition to a control site, were selected in different directions from the factory. At each site two boards were fixed with nails in a vertical position at a height of 8–10 m on a tree. One board was removed after 4 months exposure and the other after 12 months. The lichens and mosses exposed in control and polluted areas were compared with respect to their color, external morphology, plasmolysis in algal cells, loss of green color, the nature of reactions towards neutral red and 2,3,5-triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC), absorption spectra of chlorophyll, and fluoride concentration. Results indicate that F-pollution affects moisture balance, causes chlorophyll damage, and produces other symptoms of injury which could lead to ultimate death of these organisms.

Photosynthesis and Respiration of Three Mosses at Winter Low Temperatures

The intensities of photosynthesis and respiration of three montane mosses were determined at winter low temperatures. The experiments were carried out under outdoor light and at air temperature, the exposure lasting 4-5 hours. The lowest temperature for CO, assimilation in Brachythecium geheebii and Camptothecium philippeanum was -90C; for Isothecium viviparum it was about -80C. In the dark respiration also occurred at -14?C. The minimum temperatures for CO, assimilation by the tested mosses in winter are somewhat lower than those for evergreen trees and nearer to the minimum temperatures for lichens. The gas exchange for the mosses at winter low temperatures is rather little known. The investigations are more advanced for lichens, which live under nearly similar conditions as the mosses. Stilfelt (1937) found that mosses can assimilate CO2 at -1C. Romose (1940) found no important changes in the photosynthetic annual course for Homalothecium. For some forest epiphytic moss associations, Miyata and Hosokawa (1961) ascertained, the highest photosynthetic rate is in August and the lowest at the end of April. Rastorfer and Higinbotham (1968) found that gametophytes of Bryum sandbergii still have the capacity to respire and to photosynthesize at -5?C. Atanasiu (1969b) found that in some montane mosses photosynthesis and respiration are somewhat increased in autumn but diminished in winter and reach the lowest level in February; they again increase towards spring. I present here my investigations on CO2 assimilation and respiration of three montane mosses at winter low temperatures. MATERIALS AND METHODS Gametophytes of Brachythecium geheebii Mild. and Camptothecium philippeanum (Spruce:) Bry. eur. were collected in the last month of autumn in Romania at Poiana Stinii, and Isothecium viviparum (Neck.) Lind. at Valea Pelesului at the same time. Poiana Stinii is situated at 1,450 m in the mid-montane belt in a mixed forest of spruce, fir, and beech. The Valea Pelesului, along the brook of Peles, is at 700-1,370 m in the lower montane belt; it has beech forests. The plants were kept on trays of sand and were exposed to the northeast on the terrace of the Plant Physiology Laboratory in Bucharest. The terrace is on the same floor as the laboratory. The mosses were thus kept outdoors during the winter of 1968-69 under natural conditions of temperature and light. During November and the first days of December, the plants were watered almost every day; the watering was stopped as soon as night frost and freezing 1 University of Bucharest, Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Aleea Portocalilor 1, Bucharest 15, Romania. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.157 on Tue, 17 May 2016 04:54:16 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 24 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 74 Ltght /ntensty (/ui) IOOo[ siloooo 20001 /7 /'. 00 JO 05 fO2

Relation between industrialization and the distribution and growth of epiphytic lichens and mosses in Montreal

Epiphytic mosses and lichens are very sensitive to air pollution. Their gradual disappearance from large cities and from the vicinity of industrialized complexes is due, mostly, to phytotoxicants. A simple method to map the long-range effect of air pollution on corticolous epiphytes is described. An I.A.P. or "index of atmospheric pollution" based on the number of species present, their coverage and frequency, and their specific tolerance to pollutants can be expressed quantitatively.

APPRAISAL OF SOME MOSSES FOR BIOMONITORING AIR BORNE HEAVY METALS IN KATHMANDU VALLEY

Epiphytic mosses were sampled from 35 sites in Kathmandu valley for assessing air borne heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) through passive monitoring technique. These sampling sites were broadly divided into 3 categories viz., inside, along and outside the ring road. The ring road encircles core part of two cities, Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Among all the studied epiphytic mosses, three species like Brachythecium plumosum (Hedw.) B.S.G; Fabronia matsumurae Besch. and Erythrodontium julaceum (Schwaegr.) Par. were very common and mostly showed high bioaccumulation of these metals. Bioaccumulation ability in these three mosses was further evaluated statistically using paired t- test. Result of paired t-test indicated that Erythrodontium julaceum significantly (P=0.05) have high bioaccumulating capacity of the heavy metals like Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb and Zn than other moss species. Therefore, the epiphytic moss species Erythrodontium julaceum has been recommended as one of the suitable moss species to be considered for future biomonitoring programme. Contamination factor indicated severe contamination of Cd, Cr, and Pb at most sampling sites inside and along the ring road areas. Similarly, it also showed severe contamination of Zn at some areas outside the ring road.
 
 Key words: Heavy metals, Mosses, monitoring, contamination factors, Kathmandu.
 
 Ecoprint Vol.11(1) 2004.

The Resistance to Desiccation of Ten Species of Tropical Mosses

Ten species of tropical mosses were exposed to a range of humidities from 76% to 10% for four hours and then allowed 24 hours to recover. These mosses fell into two groups; those with high resistance to desiccation and those with low resistance. Those of the first group may be found in ecological niches of low humidity in the tropical forest. Certain cryptogamic plants have considerable resistance to desiccation, and their survival depends both on the physiological state of the plant as well as the conditions during drying (Fogg, 1969). Fritsch and Haines (1923) noted that there was great variation between the cells of Pleurococcus, Prasiola, and Zygogonium in permeability to stains and resistance to plasmolysis and desiccation. Cells which successfully survived desiccation had a diminished tendency to plasmolyse in hypertonic solutions, a more rigid and viscous protoplasm, and more abundant granules. For the survival of terrestrial algae the importance of zygospores and other resting spores has been greatly exaggerated (Strom, 1924). Certain algae appear to be able to survive prolonged exposure as modified vegetative cells with thickened walls but in others there is no detectable change in the vegetative cells under such conditions (Evans, 1958). Algal cells which survive may have one or more of the following: i) accumulation of fat in the cells, ii) thickening of the cell wall, and iii) accumulation of mucilage (Evans, 1959). The viscosity of the protoplasm in Bryum and Mnium during desiccation was investigated by Northen (1943), who used a centrifuge method to show that during drying the structural viscosity decreased, returning to normal after a recovery period. The osmotic values of cells of mosses living under different environmental conditions are higher in more extreme habitats such as rock surfaces, sunny places, and bark of trees (Ochi, 1952a). Such xerophilous mosses do not readily reduce their water level below the quantity of their own minimum hydrability when they are air-dried but are capable of imbibing water vapor in air even if it is not saturated with water (Ochi, 1952b). There is, in general, an increase in osmotic values of the same species parallel to the increase in the upper limits of their vertical range on trees. Epiphytic mosses die almost immediately when exposed to relative humidity of 0%. At higher humidities they exhibit three degrees of desiccation resistance according to their position on the tree trunk (Hosokawa & Kubota, 1957). The survival value of the vegetative plant in mosses may be exceedingly important since, unlike those of terrestrial algae, the spores of mosses have a very short survival period (Bernstein, 1928). The respiration of algae and mosses is normally dependent on their associated water (Fraymouth, 1928). In Hypnum cupressiforme the respiration 1 Department of Biology, Nanyang University, Jurong Road, Singapore 22, Malaysia. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.15 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 06:46:35 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1970] JOHNSON & KOKILA: DESICCATION OF TROPICAL MOSSES 683 of the hydrated moss is 250% of the dry moss. There is an increase in respiration as hydration proceeds until excessive soaking impairs the rate of respiration. Algae, such as Trebouxia, may reach a maximum respiration of 30% of their water content. In the marine alga Scytothamnus australis respiration is depressed by rapid drying before submersion. While photosynthesis occurs in a moist chamber kept at 100% humidity, at a lower humidity no photosynthesis is observed even under adequate lighting conditions (Brown & Johnson, 1964). Parallel metabolic activity in bryophytes

Preliminary observations on the mineral nutrition of epiphytic mosses

Preliminary observations on the mineral nutrition of epiphytic mosses

Preliminary Field Studies on the Fern Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico (Concluded)

The city of Villa Alta is located at 4000 feet elevation. The trail from the summit was quite wide and it took little more than an hour to hike down to the village. The next day, Monday, was market day in Villa Alta. This enabled us to obtain extra boys to carry the additional presses brought in by plane from Oaxaca. Mr. Hallberg secured three boys without difficulty, and late in the afternoon we were off on the trail again. This time it was to get across the valley (down 1500 feet and up 2000 feet) on very steep trails to the next and last village of Yetzecovi for the night. This tiny village of 130 people has official jurisdiction over Mr. Hallberg's coffee ranch. By making this start on the trail to the ranch, we were able the next day to make a more leisurely hike to the ranch, collecting ferns along the way. The trail from Yetzecovi to the ranch rose steadily but not too steeply (compared to the other side) for three hours to the highest point of the ridge at 7200 feet. In abandoned fields near Yetzecovi we passed through a forest of Bracken fern, Pteridium, the fronds reaching 10 to 12 feet in height. Pine and oak were still the principal trees on this side of the mountain. The average rainfall was conspicuously heavier here than earlier on the trip, as indicated by the many epiphytes. For example, filmy ferns (Hymenophyllum myriocarpum) made their first appearance. Also species of Gleichenia became common in open areas on the upper parts of the slopes (G. palmata, G. pectinata, G. bancroftii, and G. underwoodiana). When we reached the peak, it was like stepping into another world. There was a nearly constant cover of clouds and the vegetation showed their effect. The epiphytic mosses and ferns were so dense as to cover completely all trunks and branches. Here the true rainforest began. (Weather instruments kept by Mr. Hall117

Epiphytic Moss Communities in Deciduous Woods on the Island of Oland, Sweden.

Epiphytic Moss Communities in Deciduous Woods on the Island of Oland, Sweden.

Studies on the epiphytic moss flora of Japan. 5. The bryophytic community on Cinnamomum japonicum in a hardwood forest on the mountain slope facing the west, at Wari'iwa in southern Kyūshū.

Studies on the epiphytic moss flora of Japan. 5. The bryophytic community on <i>Cinnamomum japonicum</i> in a hardwood forest on the mountain slope facing the west, at Wari&apos;iwa in southern Kyūshū.

Studies of the epiphytic moss flora of Japan. I. The moss community on Meliosma rigida along mountain stream.

Studies of the epiphytic moss flora of Japan. I. The moss community on <i>Meliosma rigida</i> along mountain stream.

Some Observations on the Epiphytic Moss Flora of Trees in Argyll

THE, purpose of this investigation, carried out in July 1934, was the comparative study of the moss flora on different species of trees growing under different environmental conditions. The locality chosen, Achnacloich in Argyll, is very favourable for the study of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens on account of the oceanic conditions, cool winds and heavy rainfall, which persist through most of the year, as the prevailing moisture-carrying west winds come in from the Atlantic. The district round Achnacloich is very well wooded, extensive plantations being in existence on the Achnacloich estate, as well as much wood which appears natural. The state forest (Fearnoch Forest) is slightly to the south-east of Achnacloich. The great amount of free water in the neighbourhood, in the form of lochs, rivers and burns of all sizes, and the dense wood, allied to and correlated with the heavy rainfall make a remarkably suitable habitat for mosses on the trees. The moss covering is in some cases quite extraordinary, and on some of the oaks moss and lichen together cover the entire bark, from quite small twigs down to the base of the trunk. The results of the investigation given below are for mosses only. Specimens of lichens and leafy liverworts were taken at the same time, and statistics as to their occurrence and frequency obtained in similar detail to those for mosses, but these results have not yet been worked out. Trees of different species were chosen, and an attempt was made to study them in different habitats. Detailed observations were made for each individual tree studied, including the average height and diameter, the altitude (as shown