Bryophyte species diversity in seven typical forests of the West Tianmu Mountain in Zhejiang, China
浙江西天目山主要森林类型的苔藓多样性比较

Aims Bryophytes are an important component of forest vegetation. Their species diversity is vital to protecting plant resources and ecosystem diversity. Our objective was to explore the diversity and distribution of bryophytes and the relationship between bryophyte diversity and environment factors in seven dominant forest vegetation types (deciduous broad-leaved shrubs, DBS; deciduous broad-leaved forest, DBF; evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest, EDF; evergreen broad-leaved forest, EBF; coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest, CBF; coniferous forest, CF; bamboo forest, BF) of West Tianmu Mountain, Zhejiang Province, China. Methods Thirty-two sites (10 m × 10 m) were established in the seven forest vegetation types. Sixteen plots were selected by systematic sampling in each sampling site. Coverage of floor bryophytes and abundance of epiphytic bryophytes of each site were recorded. Species richness, importance value, diversity index and S rensen’s similarity index were examined at the different vegetation types. Important findings Based on collection and identification of a total of 969 specimens, we recorded 142 bryophytes belonging to 82 genera and 41 families, among which were 33 liverworts belonging to 18 genera of 33 families and 109 mosses belonging to 66 genera of 28 families. Hypanceae, Brachytheciaceae and Thuidiaceae were three dominant families. The species richness and diversity of bryophytes in two kinds of mixed forest types (EDF and CBF) were higher than the five pure forest types (DBS, DBF, EBF, CF and BF). EDF had the highest species diversity and CBF had the highest species richness. BF was lowest in both diversity and richness. There was high similarity between environment factors such as neighboring altitudinal forest types, with the highest value between EBF and CF, and the lowest value between DBS and BF. The number of microhabitats showed significant positive correlation with floor bryophyte diversity.