Species Interactions and Substrate Specificity among Log‐Inhabiting Bryophyte Species

Abstract

Fallen logs in temperate deciduous forests are a transient substrate on which a dozen or more bryophyte species can co—occur. This study aimed to assess whether establishment capabilities and species interactions determine the habitat specificity of these species. I performed a modified Dewit replacement series experiment on three moss species (Anomodon rostratus, typical on bark of hardwood logs; Leucobryum albidum, characteristic of Pinus Logs; and Platgyrium repens, a generalist species) in order to evaluate their competitive interactions. The species were grown from leaf fragments sown on four substrates: Pinus bark and wood, and Quercus bark and wood. Substrate had a significant effect on establishment for all three species. However, only on Pinus bark was the frequency dependent on the species sown. Randomization test analogs of analysis of variance indicated that the biomass of Anomodon and Platygyrium grown in monoculture different significantly across substrates, while that of Leucobryum did not. There was considerable variability in performance within bryophyte species and there was no evidence for significant interactions between pairs of species.