Effects of soil factors on pioneer bryophyte species composition
(2023) BIOM02 20231Degree Projects in Biology
- Abstract
- Bryophytes play a significant role in various ecological processes, including soil succession and colonization after disturbances. Although they are commonly believed to take up nutrients from soil solutions rather than the soil itself, the influence of soil on their growth and distribution is evident from previous studies. In order to examine the impact of soil conditions on bryophyte species composition and abundance, samples of soil and vegetation were collected from industrially disturbed sitesin Skåne. pH and phosphate concentrations were measured and compared with the identified bryophyte species and their coverage. Both pH and phosphate were found to be important factors influencing bryophyte diversity. Most species were associated... (More)
- Bryophytes play a significant role in various ecological processes, including soil succession and colonization after disturbances. Although they are commonly believed to take up nutrients from soil solutions rather than the soil itself, the influence of soil on their growth and distribution is evident from previous studies. In order to examine the impact of soil conditions on bryophyte species composition and abundance, samples of soil and vegetation were collected from industrially disturbed sitesin Skåne. pH and phosphate concentrations were measured and compared with the identified bryophyte species and their coverage. Both pH and phosphate were found to be important factors influencing bryophyte diversity. Most species were associated with high pH and low phosphate conditions. Moreover, total species richness exhibited a decline with rising phosphate levels. Certain species were restricted to very specific conditions. The results indicate the potential benefits of maintaining neutral to high pH and low phosphate levels to aid bryophyte conservation efforts. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Moss Matters: The First Step in Reclaiming Disturbed Soils
Although frequently escaping the spotlight, bryophytes, consisting of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are the second largest group of land plants with a vital role in various ecological processes, such as soil formation, carbon storage and nutrient cycling. As smaller plants, they efficiently take advantage of nutrient-poor soils and recolonize soils following disturbance, thus improving the habitat, and paving the way for the eventual arrival of vascular plants.
The main characteristics setting bryophytes apart from vascular plants is how they acquire nutrients. Lacking a traditional root system, they absorb water and minerals across their entire surface, allowing them... (More) - Moss Matters: The First Step in Reclaiming Disturbed Soils
Although frequently escaping the spotlight, bryophytes, consisting of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are the second largest group of land plants with a vital role in various ecological processes, such as soil formation, carbon storage and nutrient cycling. As smaller plants, they efficiently take advantage of nutrient-poor soils and recolonize soils following disturbance, thus improving the habitat, and paving the way for the eventual arrival of vascular plants.
The main characteristics setting bryophytes apart from vascular plants is how they acquire nutrients. Lacking a traditional root system, they absorb water and minerals across their entire surface, allowing them to grow on various substrates beyond just soil. Despite this strategy, evidence suggests that soil chemistry has a substantial effect on their abundance and diversity. To investigate the relationship between the soil and bryophytes, a study was conducted on industrially disturbed sites of Skåne, a region in southern Sweden. By analyzing the pH and phosphate levels of the soil, as well as identifying the species composition of the populations, the research aimed to gain a deeper insight into how these soil conditions shape bryophyte vegetation.
The findings have shed some light on the intricate interactions between soil and bryophytes. The majority of the species showed a clear preference for high pH and low phosphate. This affinity for phosphate-poor environments is likely an adaptive strategy. Given that most vascular plants struggle to establish under such circumstances, this provides bryophytes with a competitive advantage. Moreover, a collaborative effect was observed – when certain species deviated from their usual pH preferences (e.g. a species with a documented preference for alkaline soil was found on acidic soil), they compensated by favoring higher phosphate concentrations. Additionally, several species were confined to very specific conditions. For example, Funaria hygrometrica, a moss commonly found in habitats recovering from recent fires, was only found in alkaline plots with low concentrations of phosphate.
Understanding how the environment shapes bryophyte populations is vital to designing effective conservation strategies. Maintaining a soil pH within the neutral to alkaline range has the potential to generate greater species richness. Nutrient balance in soil plays an important role in bryophyte establishment, so refraining from excessive fertilization and nutrient enrichment would be a beneficial strategy for conservation. Furthermore, low-intensity disturbances could provide opportunities for establishment by creating suitable conditions with minimal competition.
However, it's important to acknowledge that this study’s findings are confined to the impact of only two environmental factors. Bryophyte dynamics are complex and influenced by a multitude of factors. Thus, more studies are needed for a greater understanding of bryophyte ecology, which is the key to developing better management practices.
Master’s Degree Project in Biology 30 credits 2023
Department of Biology, Lund University
Advisor: Torbjörn Tyler
Department of Biology, Lund University (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9140003
- author
- Mijić, Dora
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BIOM02 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9140003
- date added to LUP
- 2023-10-13 16:03:29
- date last changed
- 2023-10-13 16:03:29
@misc{9140003,
abstract = {{Bryophytes play a significant role in various ecological processes, including soil succession and colonization after disturbances. Although they are commonly believed to take up nutrients from soil solutions rather than the soil itself, the influence of soil on their growth and distribution is evident from previous studies. In order to examine the impact of soil conditions on bryophyte species composition and abundance, samples of soil and vegetation were collected from industrially disturbed sitesin Skåne. pH and phosphate concentrations were measured and compared with the identified bryophyte species and their coverage. Both pH and phosphate were found to be important factors influencing bryophyte diversity. Most species were associated with high pH and low phosphate conditions. Moreover, total species richness exhibited a decline with rising phosphate levels. Certain species were restricted to very specific conditions. The results indicate the potential benefits of maintaining neutral to high pH and low phosphate levels to aid bryophyte conservation efforts.}},
author = {{Mijić, Dora}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Effects of soil factors on pioneer bryophyte species composition}},
year = {{2023}},
}