Diversity of bryophytes in show caves in Slovenia and relation to light intensities

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Publication Date

December 2010

Abstract

In subterranean environments phototrophic organisms can grow only in the proximity of light sources. In a study from eight Slovenian show caves: Črna jama, Kostanjeviška jama, Krška jama, Pekel pri Zalogu, Pivka jama, Postojnska jama, Škocjanske jame, Županova jama and two mines, Idrija mer­cury mine and Mežica lead and zinc mine, 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 with16 identified taxa where lamps are on con­tinuously. Bryophytes were collected at wide range of photo­synthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) from 0.2 to 530.0 μmol photons/m2/s. Eucladium verticillatum had the highest span of PPFDs, ranging from 1.4 to 530.0 μmol photons/m2/s. Bryo­phytes compensate for low PPFD withlonger exposure to light irradiance. Cratoneuron filicinum identified in Mežica mine de­veloped sporophytes at 2.1 and 2.4 μmol photons/m2/s, in Post­ojnska jama Brachythecium salebrosum developed sporophytes at 4.7 μmol photons/m2/s. Recolonization of lampenflora in show caves where bleachis applied to prevent its growthis still successful at sites that are exposed to long periods of irradiance and highPPFDs.

Keywords

Monti Lessini, Vietnam, Gypsum, Speleoth

Document Type

Article

Notes

Acta Carsologica, Vol. 39, no. 3 (2010-12-01).

Identifier

SFS0073617_00001

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