Ecological and physiological peculiarities of bryophytes on a post-technogenic salinized territory

Taxonomic, biomorphological and ecological structures of bryophytes, their reproductive strategy and the main mechanisms of tolerance in the conditions of salinization were investigated. Bryophytes are the pioneers that have colonized the territory of a tailing storage that holds liquid waste from potassium-magnesium concentrate production of the Mining and Chemical Enterprise "Polymineral". Due to excess salts, the soil solution in the shore area of the tailing pond acquires high osmotic pressure. Three experimental plots which differed significantly in the level of the substrate salinity were laid at the distance of 3, 6 and 9 m from the reservoir for experimental studies. Water extracts of the substrates from the test sites showed the highest concentrations for sulfates – 10.4–64.6 mg Eq/100 g of soil and chlorides – 7.6–43.3 mg Eq/100 g of soil. It was established that the investigated areas of the tailing storage territory differed in the biochemical activity of the substrate, which was evaluated by its redox potential. On the areas of the uncovered substrate it was the lowest – 230 mV, which indicates anaerobiosis in conditions of very high salinization and moisture. Higher ROP values were determined at the sites of bryophyte cover distribution – 295–330 mV. The aim of the study was to determine the features of taxonomic, biomorphological and ecological structures of bryophytes, their reproductive strategy and to establish the main mechanisms of adaptation to the conditions of salinization on the tailing storage territory. 24 species and 3 varieties of bryophytes, belonging to 12 families and 16 genera were found on the shore of the tailing storage pond. The results of biomorphological and ecological analysis of bryophytes indicate the uneven conditions of the habitats and their considerable ecological plasticity. Among the bryophytes, mesophytes, xeromesophytes and meso-eutrophs, eutrophs with a life-form of low dense and loose turf dominated. In salinization conditions, dioicous acrocarpous mosses prevailed, the fertile turf of which, depending on the influence of abiotic factors, differed significantly in the number of sexual shoots, their ratio and productivity. Bulbils were found only on the tips of Bryum argenteum shoots. Along with Salicornia europaea L., a euhalophyte, the leading role in the initial stage of overgrowth of the tailing storage area most often belonged to Didymodon rigidulus, Bryum argenteum, Funaria hygrometrica and Barbula unguiculata. The process of formation of bryophyte cover occurred along a gradient of decrease in salt concentration at the experimental sites. Adaptation of bryophytes to substrate salinity is due to a change in metabolic processes, which is manifested in an increase of the total content of carbohydrates and an increase of the cation exchange capacity of moss cell walls, which is the primary barrier that reduces the toxic effect of ions under salt stress

Role of the bryophytes in substrate revitalization on a post-technogenic salinized territory

This work aims to investigate the role of the bryophyte cover in substrate revitalization on a post-technogenic salinized territory. The influence of the moss cover on the organic carbon content, actual acidity, redox potential, and the content of the main ecological and trophic groups of microorganisms in the substrate of the tailings storage of the Stebnyk Mining and Chemical Enterprise "Polymineral" was investigated. Bryophytes significantly affect the tailings storage saline substrates. They colonize areas with a very strong and strong degree of salinity, which are unsuitable for other plants. It was indicated that pioneer moss species promote the accumulation of organic matter in saline substrates of the tailings storage. Under moss turfs, the amount of organic carbon increased 2.2–5.0 times, compared with its content in the uncovered substrate. The high variability of the organic matter content is determined by the species characteristics of mosses, primarily their life form. The dense-turf species Didymodon rigidulus and Pthychostomum pseudotriquetrum var. bimum accumulated the most organic matter. The thickness of the litter under the moss turf of these species was much greater than in Barbula unguiculata and Funaria hygrometrica, which form loose turf. We assessed the specificity of the accumulation of organic carbon in the turfs of the studied mosses. It founded that most organic matter accumulated in the dead parts of the moss turf. In the green parts of the shoots of these moss species the amount of organic carbon was 3–4 times less, which indicates a relationship between litter capacity and content of carbon in the substrate under moss turfs. We investigated the influence of mosses on the actual acidity of the tailings storage substrate. Moss turfs promote the increase of acidity of the aqueous solution of the tailings substrate by 0.2–0.5 units. The tailings storage substrates are characterized by a reduction regime. The redox potential of the substrate under moss cover significantly depended on the species characteristics of mosses. Under the moss cover, the redox potential increased by 1.2–1.4 times, compared with the index for the substrate without moss cover. We studied the influence of moss cover on microbial biomass and the quantity of some ecological-trophic groups of microorganisms in the substrates of the tailings storage. The amount of microbial biomass under moss turfs increased depending on the degree of the substrate salinization and the species characteristics of the mosses. In areas with a very high degree of salinization under the moss turfs of Didymodon rigidulus and Funaria hygrometrica, the microbial biomass index increased almost two times, compared with the uncovered substrate. We found a significant increase in the quantity of the main ecological and trophic groups of microorganisms (saprophytes, cellulose-destroying bacteria, oligonitrophils and nitrogen fixers) in the substrate under the moss cover. Thus, pioneer moss species have a complex effect on the saline substrate of tailings storage. They accumulate organic matter, increase the acidity of the upper layer, improve the redox regime of the substrate and promote the development of soil microbiota

Bryophytes on the devastated territories of sulphur deposits and their role in restoration of dump substrate

Bryophytes possess a wide ecological diapason allowing them to populate substrates of technogenic origins which are scarcely suitable or completely unsuitable for viability of vascular plants. 49 bryophyte species, which belong to 2 divisions, 3 classes, 8 orders, 17 families, and 33 genera have been found on the dump territory of sulphur extraction of the mining-chemical enterprise “Sirka” (Yavoriv district, Lviv region). Seven transects, three on the north slope (base, slope, top), three on the south slope and one on the plateau were laid for sample selections. 20 investigated 0.5 × 0.5 m plots located 2 m apart were analyzed within each 10 × 10 m transect. Specific composition, life forms, projective cover, biomass of bryophytes, numbers of male, female and sterile plants, moisture content in the turfs, pH and physiological investigation of mosses were determined on each plot. The quantitative analysis of the biomorphological structure allowed us to establish the dependence of the spread of life forms on exposition and slope height; essential variability of the projective cover and moss biomass. Bryophyte cover plays an essential part in optimization of the moisture regime and surface layer temperature of technogenic substrates, improving the conditions of growth localities. We established that on the dump the dominant moss species are dioecious with a high level of reproductive effort (sexual and sexless), with short ontogenesis and age of first reproduction, which provides the chance to produce the maximum number of progeny in the minimum period and to form a complete moss cover. The analysis of seasonal moss photosynthesis dynamics has demonstrated the adaptability of moss photosynthetic apparatus to contrasting climatic conditions and the ability to support the intensity of photosynthetic processes on a rather stable level during the vegetative period. Our research showed that bryophytes play an important role in productivity of plant cover on the post-technogenic territories of sulphur extraction. It was found that bryophytes play a role in accumulation of organic carbon and biogenic elements in the substrate of the sulphur extraction dump . Carrying out research of specific composition dynamics and species activity is the precondition for revealing the essence of the dynamic processes taking place in the structure of the bryophyte communities on devastated territories and the influence of these processes on the formation of vegetation on dump complexes

Influence of mosses on microclimatic conditions of edaphotop of rock dumps and their adaptive responses

Influence of the bryophyte cover on water and temperature regimes of technogenic substrates of the rock dumps was investigated. It was established that moisture content in the substrate under the moss turf increased and the temperature mostly decreased compared with the technogenic soil without moss cover in summer. Water regime of substrate on the studied areas depended on position on the dump and higher degree of overgrowing by vascular plants. It is noted that under the impact of the negative factors of transformed environment (of high temperature and high light intensity, moisture deficiency) phenolic compounds, free proline and soluble sugars content in moss gametophyte increased. In the changing conditions of existence protection mechanisms of mosses implemented primarily through active synthesis of free proline and phenols. The number of carbohydrates in plant tissue changed with little difference: probably, their action was offset by other biologically active connections (for example, free proline). Iminoacid content in plants Ceratodon purpureus depended both on the water and temperature regime in substrate and other abiotic stress factors of environment. The content of phenolic compounds was the largest on the terrace of dump Central Enrichment Factory under high temperature of technozem and significant influence of the sunlight

Influence of moss Campylopus introflexus (Hedw.) Brid. on restoration of technogenic substrates of mine dumps

The peculiarities of distribution and viability of moss Campylopus introflexus (Hedw.) Brid. have been established depending on the microclimatic conditions on the dump of „Nadiia” mine in Chervonohrad mining area (L’viv region). Сhanges of content macro- and microelements, organic carbon, pH were investigated in substrate under moss cover and in uncovered substrate without plants of these rock dumps. Participation of moss cover C. introflexus on the restoration of technogenic substrates of mine dumps was stated as a result of improvement of their edafotop properties

Recent literature of bryophytes in Ukraine (2011–2015)

BOIKO, M. F., VIRCHENKO, V. M., LOBACHEVSKA O.V. (2017). Recent literature of bryophytes in Ukraine (2011–2015) / M. F. BOIKO, V. M. VIRCHENKO, O. V. LOBACHEVSKA // Chornomors’k. bot. z., 13 (3) : 345–361. doi :10.14255/2308-9628/17.133/9

The 85th anniversary of Kupava O. Ulychna

Іn the article, dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the ukrainian botanist-brуologist Kupava O. Ulychna, biographic materials, the main directions of scientific research activity of the scientist are given and the scientific publications are listed

Total content of nitrogen and heavy metals in the mosses gametophyte and in upper layer of technogenic substrates of the mine dumps

The influence of bryocommunities on the chemical composition of technogenic dumps substrates was studied. It was established that on the investigated dumps, the total nitrogen content under the mosses exceedes its content in the substrate without plants. The microclimatic conditions on the dumps area affected the accumulation of nitrogen: in the conditions of great intensity of the solar radiation and moisture deficiency the content of nutrients decreased. Moss cover settling on the anthropogenic transformed territories influences on succession processes and contri­butes their renaturalization: positively influences on the enrichment of the surface layer of nutrients, in particular nitrogen and accumulating heavy metals removed them from their biogeochemical cycle, thus, reduced the toxicity of the substrate. Accumulation of pollutants in mosses corroborates their role as informative indicators of the environment pollution

Bryophytes as indicators of recovery posttechnogenic landscapes of sulfur extraction.

РАБИК І. В., ЛОБАЧЕВСЬКА О. В., ЩЕРБАЧЕНКО О. І., ДАНИЛКІВ І. С. (2017). Мохоподібні як індикатори відновлення посттехногенних ландшафтів видобутку сірки. Чорноморськ. бот. ж., 13 (4) : 468–480. doi : 10.14255/2308-9628/17.134/5На території нерекультивованого відвалу сірчаного видобутку виявлено 45 видів бріофітів, рекультивованого – 32 види. На основі результатів біоморфологічного аналізу мохоподібних встановлено, що на нерекультивованому відвалі серед біоморф переважають плетива та дернинки, тоді як на рекультивованих ділянках більшість мохів утворюють життєву форму дернинка. Серед екологічних груп нерекультивованого відвалу переважно трапляються мезотрофні мезофіти і ксеромезофіти, на рекультивованій території до найчисельніших груп належать мезотрофні ксеромезофіти і мезоевтрофні гігромезофіти. Моховий покрив рекультивованого відвалу здебільшого представлений епігейними мохами зі стратегією поселенці та багаторічні стаєри конкурентні, тоді як на нерекультивованому відвалі ростуть мохоподібні з різними життєвими стратегіями. Результати аналізу життєвих стратегій мохоподібних, видового різноманіття, груп видів з різною активністю, способами розмноження і показниками біомаси дають можливість стверджувати, що проведена рекультивація сприяла значній стабілізації мікрокліматичних та едафічних умов, а на нерекультивованій території переважання серед видів різних субстратних груп епігейних мохів вказує на низьку зімкнутість трав’яного ярусу та різноманіття умов місцезростань. Отримані результати свідчать про важливу роль мохоподібних для індикації стану рослинного покриву на девастованих територіях та контролю їх відновлення. На территории нерекультивованного отвала добычи серы выявлено 45 видов бриофитов, рекультивированного – 32 вида. На основании результатов биоморфологического анализа мохообразных установлено, что на нерекультивованном отвале среди биоморф преобладают плетения и дерновинки, тогда как на рекультивированных участках большинство мохообразных образуют жизненную форму дерновинки. Среди экологических групп нерекультивованного отвала преобладают мезотрофные мезофиты и ксеромезофиты, на рекультивированной территории к наиболее многочисленным группам принадлежат мезотрофные ксеромезофиты и мезоэвтрофные гигромезофиты. Моховой покров рекультивированного отвала представлен в основном эпигейными мхами со стратегией поселенцы и многолетние стайеры конкурентные, тогда как на нерекультивованном отвале растут мохообразные с различными жизненными стратегиями. Результаты анализа жизненных стратегий мохообразных, видового разнообразия, групп видов с разной активностью, способами размножения и биомассой дают возможность утверждать, что осуществленная рекультивация способствовала значительной стабилизации микроклиматических и эдафических условий, а на нерекультивированной территории преобладание эпигейных мхов среди видов различных субстратных групп указывает на низкую сомкнутость травяного яруса и разнообразие условий местообитаний. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют о важной роли мохообразных для индикации состояния растительного покрова на девастированных территориях и контроля их восстановления. 45 bryophytes species on not recultivated areas of sulfur mining dump, and 32 species on recultivated areas were found. Biomorphological analysis of mosses was provided. Wefts and turfs are dominates mosses biomorfs on not recultivated areas. Turf is widespread biomorfs on recultivated areas. Most species of mosses from not recultivated areas are mesotrophic mesophytes and xeromesophytes which grows on wide substrate specter. However, terricolous mesotrophic xeromesophytes and mesoeutrophical gigromesophytes mosses are present in recultivated areas. According to our research, recultivation can significantly stabilize the micro-climatic and edaphic conditions. The results are suggest an important role of bryophytes as indication of vegetation condition on devastated areas and monitoring of their restoratio