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Anläßlich der Untersuchung der Vegetation westafrikanischer Inselberge in der Republik Elfenbeinküste, in Senegal und in Guinea wurden auch Moose gesammelt. Ihre Bestimmung ergab 43 Neunachweise für diese Länder, die zu den floristisch am wenigsten bekannten tropischen Länder gehören. Es handelt sich überwiegend um Arten mit sehr weiten Arealen. Es wird angenommen, daß Inselbergstandorte aufgrund ihrer besonderen ökologischen Bedingungen eine Standortskonstanz über lange Zeit und auch in wechselnden Klimaperioden geboten haben. An solchen Refugien konnten trockenadaptierte Sippen in feuchteren Klimaperioden überdauern und sich in trockeneren Klimaperioden wieder auf Savannen ausdehnen. Die Neukombination Archidium globiferum (Brid.) Frahm (Pleuridium globiferum Brid.) wird für Archidium ohioense Schimp. ex C. Müll., eingeführt.
During the BRYOTROP-Expedition to Zaire and Rwanda bryophytes were collected from a rainforest habitat at 800 m a.s.l. and from bamboo forest and tree-heath environments between 2200 and 3200 m. The microclimates influencing the mosses are different at the altitudinally separated locations. Conditions are rather constant with 24 °C, 100 % rel. hum. and PAR below 100 μmol photons m-2 sec-1 at the lowland station, rather versatile in the mountains with six times higher daily sums of PAR, temperatures between 10 and 25 °C and relative humidities between 60 and 1oo %. In the bamboo forest epiphytic mosses dry out during the day to less than 70 % of their water content, but regain saturation from the vapor-saturated air during night. Bryophyte photosynthesis and respiration were studied by Warburg manometry with moisture saturated samples. Temperature curves of gas exchange peaked between 22 and 30 °C. Optima of the lowland species were somewhat higher than those from samples collected at the mountain sites. Habitat separation of characteristics of photosynthesis was more pronounced with respect to light responses. Saturation gas exchange rates were reached by all species still below 400 μmol photons m-2 sec-1. But the slopes of the curves in the low-light range were distinctly steeper, and the light compensation points smaller in the lowland than in the highland species (compensation points of the former: 3 - 12 μmol photons m-2 sec-1, of the latter: 8 - 20 μmol photons m-2 sec-1). It is emphasized that bryophytes in the rainforest understory experience extremely high ambient C02 concentrations near the floor. This, their low light requirements for photosynthesis, and the permanently optimal temperature and humidity conditions for maximal carbon gain enable them to live successfully, but with less biomass development in this dark and damp environment. By contrast, bryophytes from the bamboo forest and tree-heath environments can utilize light conditions combined with variable temperatures and humidities similarly as species from extratropical vegetation types.
The altitudinal zonation of the tropical rain forest at Mt. Kahuzi has been studies using bryophytes. The study is based on floristic parameters such as the number of species per hectarplot in different altitudes and the calculation of floristic discontinuities extracted from an evaluation of altitudinal ranges.
Along a transect from 900 m to 3300 m elevation, various ecological parapeters concerning epiphytic bryophytes have been studied. The most characteristic life form between 900 m and 2300 m elevation is the dendroid, which is interpreted as an adaptation to better gas exchange under the unfavourable conditions of the rain forest.