SEASONAL VARIATION IN BRYOPHYTES COVER IN THE CALCAREOUS MIRE BELIANSKE LUKY, SLOVAKIA

Abstract

While making investigations of glacial relic bryophytes in Belianske lúky mire, we recorded seasonal change in cover of selected bryophytes. It was decided to perform repeated monitoring between 2008-2010, in three replicates each year. In particular, the main observation was the decreasing cover of Campylium stellatum and Drepanocladus cossonii in the course of the year. In order to explain the seasonal change, we have sampled physico-chemical features of the examined sites: pH, redox potential (ORP), conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand (COD), CaCO3, NO3 - , SO4 2-, NH4 + and Cl- . Results show that within investigated sites the distribution of Campylium stellatum and Drepanocladus cossonii was mostly limited by decreasing concentration of NH4 + and increasing concentration of NO3 - in the course of the year. The phylogenetic diversity of the bacterial community in the water sample from Belianske luky meadows was investigated using a PCR of the 16S rRNA gene. After screening by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) method, we made in silico analysis, confirming the presence of nitrifying bacteria.The seasonal variation in bryophytes cover is induced by the synergic influence of decomposition of organic substances in soils, by nitrifying bacteria activity and by unstable the water table.