Bryophyte

Bryophytes are usually taken as good bioindicators. However, they represent a large group of terrestrial plants and they express an enormous range of peculiarities within the plant kingdom. With the aim to search for a common pattern of zinc binding, we established axenical in vitro cultures of a dozen bryophyte species that include hornworts, thallose, and leafy liverworts, as well as acrocarp and pleurocarp mosses. The species were grown free of contaminants for many years prior to the application of different treatments, i.e. offering Zn(II) from solid and liquid media and in combination with different anions. The localization and binding of zinc was detected by confocal microscopy using the zinc-specific dye FluoZin™-3. In one of the species, Hypnum cupressiforme (which is widely used for atmospheric heavy metal deposition studies in biomonitoring), semi-quantitative analyses of zinc were performed by energy dispersive X-ray microspectrometry (EDX) in a scanning electron microsc...

Abstract Surrogates offer quick and cost-efficient solutions to assess and monitor biodiversity. In this study we have tested higher taxa surrogates, particularly genera richness and composition as surrogates for bryophyte species richness and composition, in two different habitats (exposed rock outcrops and watercourses), across two spatial scales (local and micro scale), in central and northern Portugal. Furthermore, we have also tested the influence of environmental variables on the richness and composition of species and genera. Our results showed significant and positive relationships between species and genera richness and composition for the habitats and scales studied. Also, concerning the analyzed scales analyzed, correlations between species and genera richness, as well as species and genera composition, were found to be positive and significant. Moreover, the environmental variables tested influenced species and genera richness and composition in the same way. In conclusion, the higher taxa approach could be an effective method for a rapid assessment and monitoring of bryophytes in the studied area, for the habitats and scales considered.