Buxbaumia viridis leaflet - Plantlife

Indicator species and other bryophytes on dead woodBuxbaumia viridis tends to occur with very ordinary species and usually amongstcommon mosses and liverworts that, though they grow well on logs, are notparticularly associated with dead wood. Table 1 shows a list of associatescompiled in 2001 and it is probable that, even with the substantial increase in theknown stands, that this list would not change greatly if current sites weresampled. Of these species, it is the more moisture-demanding liverworts that arethe best indicators and, although Buxbaumia viridis rarely if ever grows in thedense mats of Nowellia curvifolia and Riccardia palmata, these two species aregood indicators of the ‘right’ conditions.Table 1. Associates of Buxbaumia viridis on five stands on three sites.Species 1 2 3 4 5 FDicranum scoparium A F F O 4Lophocolea bidentata F F F 3Mnium hornum F O F O 3Dicranum fuscescens O O 2Hylocomium splendens O A 2Lepidozia reptans F F 2Lophozia ventricosa O F 2Oxalis acetosella F F 2Pohlia nutans O O 2Riccardia palmata O F 2Cladonia sp O O 1Deschampsia flexuosa R 1EurhynchiumF 1praelongumNowellia curvifolia F 1Pinus seedling R 1Rhytidiadelphus loreus O 1Tetraphis pellucida O 1Tritomaria exsectiformis R 1Sites: 1 = Lochan an Eilein I, 2 = Loch an Eilein ii, 3 = Kindrogan,4 = Moniack I, and 5 = Moniack iiFinal column F = frequencyA = abundant; F = frequent; O = occasional; R = rareDead wood is a good substrate for bryophytes and a large number of species canbe associated with it over the period of decay. For the initial period after the treefalls, the bryophytes that were growing on it while it was upright persist but thetrue epiphytic mosses like species of Ulota or Orthotrichum will soon disappear.Other common species on trees like Dicranum scoparium and Isotheciummyosuroides var.myosuroides may well spread along the log until the bark startsto fall away. On the decorticated sections more specialist liverwort species like