Composition and distribution characteristics of karst epilithic moss communities

Abstract Background Bryophytes have an important ecological function in maintaining ecological diversity, material transformation, and energy cycles in ecosystems. In this study, bryophytes in a typical karst area were the research objects. The coverage and abundance of rocky bryophytes in established plots were recorded. The composition and distribution characteristics of the karst epilithic mosses were analyzed by importance values, a dissimilarity index and ggplot2 in R. Results The karst epilithic moss communities included 207 species in 93 genera and 37 families, including 185 species in 27 families and 80 genera of mosses and 22 species in 10 families and 13 genera of liverworts. The dominant families were Pottiaceae, Brachytheciaceae, Thuidiaceae, Bryaceae, Hypnaceae, Mniaceae, Entodontaceae, and Lichenaceae. The dominant species were Thuidium kanedae, Pseudosymblepharis angustata, Trichostomum involutum, Racopilum cuspidigerum, Brachythecium helminthocladum, Eurohypnum leptothallum, Hyophila involuta, Anomodon rugelii, Taxiphyllum taxirameum, and Bryohaplocladium angustifolium. Epilithic mosses in karst habitats have five life forms: turf, weft, cushion, slanting, and pendant. The main life forms we observed were turf and weft. Conclusions The distribution of the epilithic moss communities is closely related to their habitats. The diversity of bryophytes in areas with high forest coverage, high humidity, and abundant water and heat conditions is higher than that of bryophytes in rocky desertification habitats.