Seasonal growth and dynamics of epixylic bryophytes in Bohemian old-growth forest

Abstract

Seasonal patterns in growth and dynamics of 13 epixylic bryophyte species (six liverworts and seven mosses) were studied within permanent plots in the Ž ofínský prales old-growth forest in south-eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic. Transparencies were used to record positions and cover of bryophyte colonies within each plot twice a year (in spring and autumn) for periods of 1-4 years. Percentage growth of species populations and growth dynamics of their colonies were analysed in order to identify seasonality in their growth. Establishment of bryophyte colonies and their expansion, as well as pair-wise overgrowth of adjacent colonies of different species were compared in order to identify competitive interactions between bryophyte species. Bryophytes grew faster during the winter season (October-April) than during summer, and the various species did not differ in their percentage growth. The growth dynamics of bryophyte colonies was highly seasonal and the species differed in their dynamics pattern. The expansion and retreat (local extinction) of bryophyte species were greatest in winter, and the stability of colonies was, therefore, higher in summer. Interspecific competition among the species studied appears to be low.

Communities of wood‐inhabiting bryophytes and fungi on dead beech logs in Europe – reflecting substrate quality or shaped by climate and forest conditions?

“…However, a direct or indirect effect of climatic drivers cannot be ruled out, and the strong relationship between the first ordination axis and snow cover and elevation is intriguing. In a study from the Czech Republic, Jansová () found that growth and local extinction dynamics of bryophyte communities on beech logs were more intensive in the winter than in the summer. This suggests that the length of the snow free period in winter may be an important factor structuring epixylic communities, just as it has been shown for ground‐living bryophytes in alpine snow‐beds (e.g.…”

The relationship between epixylic bryophyte communities and microclimate

“…In the temperate forest zone, microclimate changes significantly during the season and so do the dynamics of bryophyte growth. Generally, authors agree that the most important period for annual growth is autumn (Tamm, 1953; Pitkin, 1975), though others report the highest growth rates in late winter and early spring (Jansová, 2006; Rincon and Grime, 2009). In the temperate zone — and especially in mountainous regions — both these periods are characterized by very stable low temperatures and the high atmospheric humidity associated with frequent precipitation, which is crucial for poikilohydric bryophytes.…”