Search

The intensification of industrial production leads to an increase in the technogenic impact on the environment. Minerals containing iron are sensitive to many environmental processes and analysis of the composition of magnetic particles is relevant in the study of environmental pollution. This study focused on urban soils of near-trunk circles and epiphytic mosses on Populus nigra L. in the territory of Motovilikhinsky district of Perm, where a metallurgical plant is located. In this work, using electron probe microanalysis and scanning electron microscopy, we analyzed the magnetic susceptibility (MS), morphology, and chemical composition of magnetic particles isolated from urban soils and epiphytic mosses. The content of heavy metals in the studied soils exceeds the clarkes of chemical elements (CCE) in the upper continental crust: Cr - 286 times, Mn - 15 times, Fe - 11 times, Ti - 4 times, Mg - 4 times. The study of the chemical composition of epiphytes made it possible to assess the contribution of aerial sources to soil pollution. The concentrations of metals in the magnetic particles of epiphytes also exceed the Clarke values: Cr - 3257 times, Fe - 8 times, Ti - 7 times, Mg - 4 times. The similarity of the morphology and chemical composition of the magnetic particles of soils and epiphytes indicate common sources of pollution. A comprehensive assessment of the state of the territory may include magneto-geochemical monitoring of the soil cover and monitoring of the magnetic state of epiphytes on Populus nigra L.

Background: For some bryophytes, asexual reproduction may be the primary means of population survival, which can be affected by rainfall and moss colony features. Questions and / or Hypotheses: We investigated i) how gemma output differed in two tropical epiphytic mosses with mainly asexual and sexual-asexual reproduction; ii) how is the pattern of gemmae production through an annual interval; and iii) whether gemma production in both species is correlated with rainfall and colony features (shoot density, number of gemmiferous shoots, and sexual structures) per shoot and area (cm2). Studied species / data description /Mathematical model: Calymperes afzelii Sw. and Syrrhopodon incompletus Schwägr. Study site and dates: The sampling was conducted every two months for a year at Agua Blanca State Park in Tabasco, Mexico. Methods: Squares were used to record the gemma production per shoot and cm2, the number of gemmiferous shoots, and shoots with sexual structures. Daily mean precipitation was obtained from a meteorological station. We analysed the effect of rainfall and colony features on gemmae production at the shoot and cm2 levels using generalized linear models. Results: C. afzelii produced gemmae more constantly than S. incompletus. Gemma production is higher during months of high rainfall. The rainfall and number of gemmiferous shoots are suitable predictors of gemma production. Conclusions: Our results exemplify how rainfall and gemmiferous shoots influence the production of asexual propagules in two mosses with different reproductive strategies in the same tropical environment. This information is essential to understand the population dynamics of tropical mosses.

Road-based transport emissions are a major source of atmospheric metal pollution. However, there have been few studies on emissions from road traffic in mountainous areas. In this study, epiphytic mosses from trees at different elevations of a highway, a typical road with extraordinary elevation change in a mountainous area of karst in Guizhou, China, were analyzed for metal content as well as the spatial distribution pattern of metals. Mosses were sampled from three sections of highway at different elevations, from 1292-1357, 1394-1441, to 1481-1548 m. Principal component analysis and heat-map clustering were used to identify the principal factors affecting metal deposition. The results show that the metals of mosses from different elevations were divided into four factors. Group 1 which included Ni, Fe, Mg, Ba, and Al was attributed to a dominantly geogenic source. Group 2 included Zn, Cu, Mn, and Cr, from vehicle-related materials including tires and brakes. Group 3, Cd, can be attributed to high Cd background levels from local origins and traffic emissions, particularly tire wear. Group 4, Pb, is associated with brake wear and historical deposition. The epiphytic moss widely distributed in the study area, Ectropothecium aneitense Broth. & Watts, was used to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of the metals. Metal content gradually decreased with increase in elevation. Levels of Ni, Fe, Mn, Ba, and Cd were all significantly correlated with elevation (p < 0.05), simultaneously affected by terrain and vertically stratified. We highlighted the vertical distribution characteristics of metal in epiphytic mosses in this study, which could improve moss application for ecological monitoring due to road-based transport emissions with elevation changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ulota drummondii (Hook. & Grev.) Brid. is a Suboceanic Boreal-montane epiphytic moss whose disjunct distribution includes both coasts of North America, East Asia, as well as northern and central Europe, being an extraordinarily rare moss in its southernmost known localities in Europe. It was reported some years ago from northern Spain, but the revision of the specimens on which the record was based demonstrate to be misidentified. Therefore, this species was not included in the treatment of the genus Ulota in the Flora Briofítica Ibérica. Recently, the species was collected 140 km away of the previous erroneous record, and this led to a search for other specimens from the main Iberian herbaria. Here, we present a description of this moss based on the Spanish material in order to complete certain shortcomings or inaccuracies found in previous descriptions. Additionally, the species is illustrated with pictures from both stereo and light microscopes. A key for the discrimination of the Ulota s.l. species (including genus Plenogemma Plášek, Sawicki & Ochyra) recognised in Europe and surrounding territories is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the city of Chernihiv, nematodes of epiphytic mosses were studied for the fi rst time. 40 nematode species belonging to 30 genera, 20 families and 8 orders were revealed. Most of the identifi ed species belonged to the order Rhabditida: 12 species or 30 % of total number. Nematodes of the order Plectida were the most abundant in the studied communities, they composed 61.21 % of total specimens collected. Nine species: Plectus parietinus (Bastian, 1865) Paramonov, 1964, Mesodorylaimus bastiani (Bütschli, 1873), Geomonhystera villosa Butschli, 1837, Tylocephalus auriculatus (Bütschli, 1873) Anderson, 1966, Aphelenchoides composticola Franklin, 1957, Panagrolaimus rigidus (Schneider, 1866) Th orne, 1937, Eudorylaimus circulifera Loof 1961, Plectus parvus (Bastian, 1865) Paramonov, 1964, Laimaphelenchus penardi (Steiner, 1914) Filipjev et Sch. Stek., 1941 constituted the core of nematode communities in epiphytic mosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water bears (Tardigrada) from Colombia are rather poorly known; thus, the aim of this research was to study the composition of tardigrade fauna inhabiting epiphytic and rock mosses in a high Andean forest in Guatavita. A 25-m² plot was delimited and 6 randomly chosen trees with epiphytic mosses were sampled. Twelve samples of epiphytic mosses and 6 of rock mosses were collected and examined. A total of 277 specimens and 6 eggs of 8 tardigrade taxa were found in these samples. All taxa are new records for Guatavita and 5--Hypsibius dujardini (Doyère, 1840); Milnesium katarzynae Kaczmarek et al., 2004; Milnesium krzysztofi Kaczmarek & Michalczyk, 2007; Milnesium granulatum Ramazzotti 1962; and Paramacrobiotus danielae (Pilato et al., 2001)--are also new for Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

List of species of epiphytic mosses