Publication details
Diversity of bryophytes in show caves in Slovenia and relation to light intensities
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2010 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Acta carsologica |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Botany |
| Keywords | caves; bryophytes; lampenflora; PPFD; Slovenia |
| Description | In subterranean environments phototrophic organisms can grow only in the proximity of light sources. In a study from eight Slovenian show caves and two mines, equipped for tourist visits, 37 taxa of Bryophyta and Pteridophyta were identified. The most frequent organisms were mosses Amblystegium serpens, Brachythecium sp., Eucladium verticillatum and Fissidens taxifolius. The highest diversity of bryophytes was recorded in Mežica mine. Bryophytes were collected at wide range of photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) from 0.2 to 530.0 micro-mol photons/m2/s. Eucladium verticillatum had the highest span of PPFDs. Bryophytes compensate for low PPFD with longer exposure to light irradiance. Recolonization of lampenflora in show caves where bleach is applied to prevent its growth is still successful at sites that are exposed to long periods of irradiance and high PPFDs. |