What are the main drivers affecting the pattern of bryophyte life history traits at two contrasting spoil heaps?

Spatial Distribution and Substrate Preferences of Bryophyte Species in Mangrove Ecosystems of the East Coast of Marajó Island, Brazil

“…It is likely that the predominance of acrocarpous mosses – represented by C. erosum and C. palisotii – is associated to the fact that this life form type is common in anthropic environments (Bastos & Bôas-Bastos 2008; Širka et al 2019) and exhibits peculiar physiological characteristics that provide the species with specialized mechanisms of desiccation tolerance (Govindapyari et al 2012; Wagner et al 2014). For example, in the life form tuft, hyaline cells accumulate water to prevent desiccation and protect photosynthetic cells from high luminous intensity (Vitt 1979; Frahm et al 2003; Kürschner 2004), and the costae have the function of promoting the rapid absorption and transport of water, in addition to providing structural support to the leaves during desiccation (Frahm 1985).…”

“…Bryophytes have developed various morphological and physiological mechanisms that allow them to survive under different conditions within the limits of their environmental tolerances (Širka et al 2019). These limits are reflected on the composition of species.…”

The Conservation Physiology of Bryophytes

“…The response to heavy metals, tolerance and resistance seems to be species- or even genotype-specific (e.g., [ 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ]). However, sometimes, some rare and threatened species can be unexpectedly found in toxically loaded habitats (e.g., Helodium blandowii (F. Weber & D. Mohr) Warnst [ 61 , 62 ]), indicating obscure knowledge on the functional traits of rare and threatened species and raising the significance of the further development of the conservation physiology of bryophytes.…”

Composition and structure of the bryophyte community of Park Savanna in Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil

“…The predominance of acrocarpous moss families is common in open, sunny, dry, xeric or anthropic habitats (Bastos & Bôas-Bastos 2008, Širka et al 2019) because these taxa are more resistant to dehydration (Govindapyari et al 2012). For example, turf life form, leaves imbricate and slightly folded, smaller leaves, lengthy costa, leaves with papilla, leaves with hairpoint and hyalocysts/hyaline cells, confers desiccation resistance the acrocarpous mosses and are the result of xerophytic adaptations (Watson 1914, Frahm 2003, Kürschner 2004, Kürschner & Parolly 2005, Henriques et al 2017.…”