Bryophyte flora of the Chagos Archipelago

Abstract

The 1996 Chagos Expedition provided an opportunity to study the archipelago's bryophyte flora: 25 of the 55 islands were ecologically investigated, some in more detail than others, and lists and representative collections of mosses, hepatics and other cryptogamic plants were assembled for many of them. Although the islands have a low biodiversity for most of these groups, as would be expected in terms of their relatively young age, remoteness and small terrestrial surface areas, those organisms that are present are often found in abundance and play significant ecological roles. Where the status of taxa on islands has been determined, there appears to be a good correlation between bryophyte biodiversity and island size. Epiphytic bryophytes were not host specific and no epiphyllous species was observed. Biogeographic details are provided, where possible, for the 19 taxa recorded, of which four are new to the Indian Ocean and seven are new to the Chagos Archipelago. A new taxon, Cololejeunea planissima var. chagosensis Pó cs var. nov. is described, and notes and illustrations of a probably new Lejeunea species are provided.

Reefs and islands of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean: why it is the world's largest no‐take marine protected area

“…Regarding algae, mosses, liverworts, cyanobacteria, fungi, and lichens, diversity is relatively low in Chagos, although these provide high cover and are ecologically important (Seaward, ; Seaward and Aptroot, ; Watling and Seaward, ; Seaward et al ., ). Cyanobacteria extensively clothe limestone, thin sandy soils and tree trunks, and fix nitrogen directly in the otherwise poor soils.…”

“…A new liverwort, Cololejeunea planissima var. chagosensis , known only from Chagos (Seaward et al ., ), is likely to occur elsewhere, but there is always the possibility that it has disappeared (or will disappear) from its original site(s).…”

Coral Reefs of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories

“…Although the diversity of algae, mosses, liverworts, cyanobacteria, fungi and lichens is relatively low on Chagos, these provide high cover and are ecologically important (Seaward 1999 ;Seaward and Aptroot 2000 ;Watling and Seaward 2004 ;Seaward et al 2006 ) . The cyanobacteria extensively clothe eroded corals, thin sandy soils and tree trunks, and fi x nitrogen directly and thereby make this vitally important element, which is absent from the poorly developed soils, available to the other plants.…”

Notes on the Bryophytes of Madagascar 6. Epiphyllous liverworts from Zahamena National Park

“…. angulifolia is a rare Lemurian endemic, known only from Rodriguez Island and from the Chagos Archipelago(Seaward et al 2006, Müller and Pócs 2002, Pócs 2011. The isotype has acuminate apex and the same lunular underleaf.…”