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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Systematics, Taxonomy, Nomenclature and Classification".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 30351

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Dr. Vítězslav Plášek

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Department of Biology & Ecology, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
Interests: taxonomy and ecology of bryophytes; phytogeography of epiphytic bryophytes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bryophytes are the second largest group of land plants after angiosperms. Currently, due to the rapid development of molecular methods, major changes in bryophyte systems are taking place.

Due to climatic change, the areal distribution and size of the moss population are changing, many species are becoming rare and others benefit from these changes and their sites are significantly expanding. The observation of these changes in distribution and assessing their causes is very fascinating. This information is also reflected in the updating of the Red Lists and affects management in protected areas.

Bryophytes are used also as indicator species, erosion control, bioindicators of heavy metals in air pollution, aquatic bioindicators, radioactivity indicators, and others. Environmental quality is increasingly accentuated in all areas of biology. The role of bryophytes as biondicators is therefore considerable.

Despite the amazing amount of rapidly accumulating information, there are still open questions and challenges in this fascinating field.

Dr. Vítězslav Plášek
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Bryophytes
mosses
taxonomy
distribution
threatened species
bioindication

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3877 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of an Image Analysis Pipeline to Estimate Sphagnum Colony Density in the Field

by Willem Q. M. van de Koot, Larissa J. J. van Vliet, Weilun Chen, John H. Doonan and Candida Nibau

Plants 2021, 10(5), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050840 - 22 Apr 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2480

Abstract

Sphagnum peatmosses play an important part in water table management of many peatland ecosystems. Keeping the ecosystem saturated, they slow the breakdown of organic matter and release of greenhouse gases, facilitating peatland’s function as a carbon sink rather than a carbon source. Although peatland monitoring and restoration programs have increased recently, there are few tools to quantify traits that Sphagnum species display in their ecosystems. Colony density is often described as an important determinant in the establishment and performance in Sphagnum but detailed evidence for this is limited. In this study, we describe an image analysis pipeline that accurately annotates Sphagnum capitula and estimates plant density using open access computer vision packages. The pipeline was validated using images of different Sphagnum species growing in different habitats, taken on different days and with different smartphones. The developed pipeline achieves high accuracy scores, and we demonstrate its utility by estimating colony densities in the field and detecting intra and inter-specific colony densities and their relationship with habitat. This tool will enable ecologists and conservationists to rapidly acquire accurate estimates of Sphagnum density in the field without the need of specialised equipment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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36 pages, 6059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Synopsis of Orthotrichum s. lato (Bryophyta, Orthotrichaceae) in China, with Distribution Maps and a Key to Determination

by Vítězslav Plášek, Zuzana Komínková, Ryszard Ochyra, Lucie Fialová, Shuiliang Guo and Mamtimin Sulayman

Plants 2021, 10(3), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030499 - 8 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3739

Abstract

A total of 46 species and two varieties of the traditionally interpreted genus Orthotrichum are currently known to occur in China. They represent five genera, including Orthotrichum (29 species), Lewinskya (14 species and two varieties), and Nyholmiella and Leratia that are represented by a single species each. The fifth genus Florschuetziella, also consisting of only one species, F. scaberrima, is an entirely neglected representative of the China’s moss flora. A list of all accepted taxa is presented and for each taxon all literature records and herbarium specimens are enumerated for provinces in which they have been recorded, and their distribution is mapped. A key to determination of Chinese orthotrichalean mosses is presented. A chronological list of 63 species and varieties and two designations, O. catagonioides and O. microsporum which have never been validly published, reported from China in the years 1892–2020 is presented. Four species, Orthotrichum brasii, O. hooglandii, O. elegans and O. gymnostomum are excluded from the bryoflora of China and Lewinskya affinis var. bohemica and Orthotrichum schimperi are recorded for the first time from this country. Phytogeography of the Chinese taxa of the orthotrichalean mosses is considered and they are grouped into eight phytogeographical elements and five sub-elements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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16 pages, 1953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developmental Stage Determines the Accumulation Pattern of UV-Absorbing Compounds in the Model Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha subsp. ruderalis under Controlled Conditions

by Gonzalo Soriano, María-Ángeles Del-Castillo-Alonso, Laura Monforte, Rafael Tomás-Las-Heras, Javier Martínez-Abaigar and Encarnación Núñez-Olivera

Plants 2021, 10(3), 473; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030473 - 3 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2284

Abstract

The liverwort Marchantia polymorpha subsp. ruderalis is an emerging model plant, and some data are available on its responses to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, it is unknown if the developmental stage of the thalli modulates the effects of UV radiation on the contents of potentially protecting phenolic compounds. To fill this gap, liverwort samples were exposed or non-exposed to UV radiation for 38 days under controlled conditions, using three developmental stages: gemmae (G), one-month thalli (T1), and two-month thalli (T2). Then, the bulk level of methanol-soluble UV-absorbing compounds and the contents of six flavones (apigenin and luteolin derivatives) were measured. The UV responsiveness decreased with thallus age: G and T1 plants were the most UV-responsive and showed a strong increase in all the variables, with G plants more responsive than T1 plants. In UV-exposed T2 plants, only apigenin derivatives increased and more modestly, probably due to a lower acclimation capacity. Nevertheless, the thalli became progressively tougher due to a decreasing water content, representing a possible structural protection against UV. In UV-exposed plants, the temporal patterns of the accumulation of phenolic compounds were compound-specific. Most compounds decreased with thallus age, but di-glucuronide derivatives showed a bell-shaped pattern, with T1 plants showing the highest contents. A Principal Components Analysis (PCA) ordination of the different samples summarized the results found. The patterns described above should be taken into account to select thalli of an adequate developmental stage for experiments investigating the induction of phenolic compounds by UV radiation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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14 pages, 2561 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Could Bryophagous Beetles (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae) Help Us Understand Bryophyte Taxonomy? Preferences within the Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. Species Complex

by Petr Pyszko, Michaela Drgová, Stanislav Ožana, Ondřej Dorňák, David Rožek, Daniel Lee Číp, Vítězslav Plášek and Pavel Drozd

Plants 2021, 10(3), 469; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030469 - 2 Mar 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2780

Abstract

Intrataxonomic differences in terms of angiosperm suitability for herbivorous insects stem from variables such as plant structure, palatability, and chemistry. It has not yet been elucidated whether these differences also occur in terms of the bryophyte’s suitability to bryophages. Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. is a morphologically variable moss species frequently inhabited or fed by insects. In this investigation, we offered five morphotypes of H. cupressiforme to two bryophagous species of Byrrhidae (Coleoptera) to reveal whether the intrataxonomic variability affects beetles’ preferences. The morphotypes were offered with preserved and removed spatial structures. There were no significant differences in morphotype preferences when spatial structures were preserved, although during the daytime, the beetles moved from the flat morphotype to the usual and turgid morphotypes. The beetles preferred the turgid morphotype when the spatial structures were removed. The results suggest that the spatial structure variations in the H. cupressiforme complex are accompanied by different chemical, physiological, or microscopic morphological profiles that are recognized by the bryophagous insects. Phylogenetic and epigenetic analyses can reveal multiple differences within the H. cupressiforme complex. Their interconnection with information about the preferences of bryophagous insects can help us to elucidate which of these differences are ecologically relevant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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14 pages, 4464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Habitat of the Neglected Independent Protonemal Stage of Buxbaumia viridis

by Ameline Guillet, Vincent Hugonnot and Florine Pépin

Plants 2021, 10(1), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010083 - 2 Jan 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3146

Abstract

Buxbaumia viridis is a well-known species of decaying deadwood, which is protected in Europe. All previous studies dealing with the ecology of B. viridis rely on the sporophyte generation because the gametophyte generation is allegedly undetectable. Recent advances have shown that the protonemal stage, including gemmae, is recognizable in the field, thereby considerably modifying our perception of the species’ range and habitat. In France, we demonstrate the existence of independent protonemal populations, with the implication that the range of B. viridis is widely underestimated. Sporophytes and sterile protonema do not share the same ecological requirements. The sporophyte stage was found in montane zones, almost exclusively in coniferous forests, and on well-decayed wood. The sterile protonemal stage extends to lower elevations, in broad-leaved forests, and on wood in a less advanced state of decay. Our results suggest that the humidity could be one of the most relevant explanatory variables for the occurrence of sporophytes. Opening of the canopy seems to promote sporophyte development. Previous anomalous observations of B. viridis growing on humus or bark might be explained by the presence of a protonemal population that is able to produce sporophytes under rarely occurring but favorable climatic events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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9 pages, 387 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Variables Outstrip Deadwood Amount: Desiccation as the Main Trigger for Buxbaumia viridis Occurrence

by Michaela Kropik, Harald G. Zechmeister and Dietmar Moser

Plants 2021, 10(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010061 - 30 Dec 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1698

Abstract

Deadwood is a biodiversity hotspot and habitat for numerous highly endangered species. Buxbaumia viridis has been assessed as a flagship species for deadwood-rich forests and is subject to monitoring under the Habitats Directive, yet we lack a solid understanding of the factors controlling its distribution. The study aimed to specify the climate and habitat preferences of Buxbaumia viridis and identify the best predictor variables. We collected presence-absence data of the species at 201 sites between 2016 and 2020. Study sites cover three biogeographic regions (Pannonian, Continental, and Alpine). They also represent a deadwood gradient ranging from managed forests to natural forest reserves and virgin forests. Our results suggest that desiccation and deadwood amount are the best predictor variables. The amount of deadwood at the colonized sites ranged from 1 m³/ha to 288 m³/ha, with a median of 70 m³/ha. The maximum desiccation, i.e., consecutive days without rain and at least 20 °C was 9.6 days at colonized sites. The results of logistic regression models suggest that desiccation limits Buxbaumia viridis occurrence on deadwood in the drier continental parts of eastern Austria. Derived details on climate and habitat requirements of Buxbaumia viridis can specify management and conservation. They clearly show how strongly the species is dependent on climate, which can counteract deadwood measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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13 pages, 12054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inhibition or Facilitation? Contrasted Inter-Specific Interactions in Sphagnum under Laboratory and Field Conditions

by Chao Liu, Zhao-Jun Bu, Azim Mallik, Yong-Da Chen, Xue-Feng Hu and Fan Lu

Plants 2020, 9(11), 1554; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111554 - 12 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2146

Abstract

In a natural environment, plants usually interact with their neighbors predominantly through resource competition, allelopathy, and facilitation. The occurrence of the positive effect of allelopathy between peat mosses (Sphagnum L.) is rare, but it has been observed in a field experiment. It is unclear whether the stability of the water table level in peat induces positive vs. negative effects of allelopathy and how that is related to phenolic allelochemical production in Sphagnum. Based on field experiment data, we established a laboratory experiment with three neighborhood treatments to measure inter-specific interactions between Sphagnum angustifolium (Russ.) C. Jens and Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. We found that the two species were strongly suppressed by the allelopathic effects of each other. S. magellanicum allelopathically facilitated S. angustifolium in the field but inhibited it in the laboratory, and relative allelopathy intensity appeared to be positively related to the content of released phenolics. We conclude that the interaction type and intensity between plants are dependent on environmental conditions. The concentration of phenolics alone may not explain the type and relative intensity of allelopathy. Carefully designed combined field and laboratory experiments are necessary to reveal the mechanism of species interactions in natural communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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26 pages, 3266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blepharostoma trichophyllum S.L. (Marchantiophyta): The Complex of Sibling Species and Hybrids

by Vadim A. Bakalin, Anna A. Vilnet, Seung Se Choi and Van Sinh Nguyen

Plants 2020, 9(11), 1423; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111423 - 23 Oct 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3512

Abstract

Blepharostoma trichophyllum was found to be a species collectiva formed by several strongly genetically different species. The taxonomic diversity in the group is the possible result of radiation in early stages; then, these taxa likely survived for a long time in similar environmental conditions, which resulted in stasis. Presently, the existing taxa are similar one to another and may be morphologically distinguished with difficulties. The most taxonomically valuable morphological characteristics include oil bodies and cells in the leaf segment features. The most diverse genotypes (the vast majority of which are treated here as distinct species) were found in amphi-Pacific Asia, which may reflect the evolutionary history of the genus or may be the consequence of more profound sampling in the macro-region in comparison with other parts of the Holarctic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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10 pages, 381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Fate of Bryophyte Sporophytes—Phenology and Vectors of Buxbaumia viridis in the Kalkalpen National Park, Austria

by Michaela Kropik, Harald G. Zechmeister and Christian Fuxjäger

Plants 2020, 9(10), 1320; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9101320 - 6 Oct 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2541

Abstract

Knowledge about the epixylic moss Buxbaumia viridis has increased significantly due to the monitoring obligation under the Habitats Directive. However, there are still open questions about its dispersal, as the wind plays a limited role in forest ecosystems, and vectors have been suspected but not yet studied systematically for this species. Here, we present data on potential vectors of Buxbaumia viridis collected for the first time with the help of cameras, completed by monitoring the fate of sporophytes during their life cycle in the Limestone Alps National Park in Austria over a period of two years. Young, green sporophytes appeared mainly in autumn, with the highest number in October. Most of them survived winter and spring but did not exceed the age of 14 months. The sharpest decline in capsules occurred in summer when mature, and the lowest number of sporophytes appeared at the end of August. Most likely, mice seem to be responsible for this loss, as the photos from the wildlife cameras suggest, and should be considered both as predators and vectors. Birds should be considered as vectors, too. In summary, most of the reproductive biomass is sacrificed in favor of more effective dispersal, including over longer distances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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33 pages, 9265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Overview of Schistochilopsis (Hepaticae) in Pacific Asia with the Description Protochilopsis gen. nov.

by Vadim A. Bakalin, Vladimir E. Fedosov, Yulia D. Maltseva, Irina A. Milyutina, Ksenia G. Klimova, Hung Manh Nguyen and Aleksey V. Troitsky

Plants 2020, 9(7), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9070850 - 6 Jul 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3119

Abstract

The taxonomic diversity center of Schistochilopsis is in East Asia, where the genus also shows the highest genetic diversity and morphological plasticity. The integrative survey of Schistochilopsis in East Asia was the main goal of the present account. Plant materials were obtained from recent collections made by authors in various parts of amphi-Pacific Asia; several types of specimens were also studied. The study includes phylogenetic reconstructions from nuclear ITS1,2, chloroplast trnL and trnG sequences, and anatomo-morphological, biogeographical, and taxonomical analyses. As a result, it was concluded that S. obscura should be transferred to Lophozia s. str. and S. grandiretis to the newly described genus Protochilopsis. Lophozia boliviensis was found to be part of the Andean–Sino-Himalayan taxon belonging to Schistochilopsis. The species status of S. hyperarctica and S. opacifolia was not confirmed. Substantial genetic variation is observed within S. incisa with possible cryptic sympatric distributed entities. The taxonomical section of the paper provides a discussion on the status, distinctive morphological traits, distribution, and ecology supplemented with the morphological description for poorly understood taxa. In the vast majority of cases, the illustrations and photographs made from the types and living material are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge in Bryology)

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