Congruent responses of epiphytic bryophyte communities to air pollution on two species of trees differing in bark chemistry

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14310%2F25%3A00144620" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14310/25:00144620 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60076658:12310/25:43909992 RIV/61988987:17310/25:A2603CPL RIV/61989592:15410/25:73632604

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.23855/preslia.2025.157" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.23855/preslia.2025.157</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.23855/preslia.2025.157" target="_blank" >10.23855/preslia.2025.157</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Congruent responses of epiphytic bryophyte communities to air pollution on two species of trees differing in bark chemistry

Original language description

Epiphytic bryophytes are susceptible to air pollution. The disappearance of sensitive species from highly polluted areas and their recovery after a decrease in pollution were recorded in the second half of the 20th century in Europe. However, the effect of current air pollution on the composition of epiphytic communities and the associated role of host-tree bark chemistry have not been sufficiently studied. Here, the effects of acidifying air pollution on the structure of epiphytic bryophyte communities hosted by tree species with different bark pH are assessed. Due to the higher acid-buffering capacity of basic substrates, a smaller difference between communities on host trees with high bark pH in areas with different pollution loads was expected. Epiphytic bryophytes were studied at 50 sites with similar climate but contrasting levels of SO2 and NOx air pollution in central Europe. As a proxy for the current pollution load at each site, in addition to SO2 and NOx atmospheric concentrations, tissue N concentration was measured in Hypnum cupressiforme. Abundances of species of bryophytes were recorded on trunks of oaks (Quercus robur and Q. petraea, low bark pH expected) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior, high pH expected). Ninety species of bryophytes were recorded. Acidifying air pollution still influences the structure of epiphytic bryophyte communities in Europe, despite the lower levels of pollutants than previously. Atmospheric concentration of SO2 was found to be a significant environmental variable affecting structure of epiphytic bryophyte communities. Ash with high bark pH hosted more diverse communities, including sensitive species, but were just as affected by SO2 pollution as oaks. Species richness, occurrence of epiphytic specialists, and diversity of epiphytic bryophyte communities decrease with increasing SO2 pollution, both on oak and ash. However, it is likely that acidifying air pollution is not the sole driver of the structure of current epiphytic communities in central Europe.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10611 - Plant sciences, botany

Project

Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

PRESLIA

ISSN

0032-7786

e-ISSN

2570-950X

Volume of the periodical

97

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

CZ - CZECH REPUBLIC

Number of pages

17

Pages from-to

157-173

UT code for WoS article

001435526200004

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85219093233