Survey of mosses (Bryophyta) along visitor trails in the Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Espírito Santo State, Brazil

Thamara Arão  Feletti; Denilson Fernandes  Peralta; Juliana Rosa do Pará Marques de  Oliveira

doi:10.1590/2236-8906-94/2020

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Thamara Arão Feletti Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida Transnordestina s/n, Novo Horizonte, 44036-900 Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7333-9457
Denilson Fernandes Peralta Instituto de Botânica, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Briologia, Avenida Miguel Estefno, 3687, Água Funda, 04301-902 São Paulo, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4304-7258
Juliana Rosa do Pará Marques de Oliveira Hundsmühler Straße 30, 26131, Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Deutschland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-8906-94/2020

Keywords:

Atlantic Forest, bryophytes, cloud forest, high fields, Ombrophilous Forest

Abstract

Bryophyta, the mosses, are an abundant plant group in humid environments. In the Atlantic Coastal Forest of Southeastern Brazil, they are found in great richness and diversity, especially in the montane regions. In this context, the Parque Nacional do Caparaó, where our study was conducted, is known for its mountain environment and high altitude. Although a considerable number of moss collections from the western part of the park is already deposited in herbaria, the eastern side belonging to the state of Espírito Santo State had been undersampled until now. For this pioneering work, we covered the park's main visitation trails during three intensive days of collections. We found 59 species of mosses, belonging to 38 genera and 22 families. Nine species are new occurrences for the state and 14 are Brazilian endemics. Most species were found growing on soil. We found more species at altitudes above 1,500 m a.s.l. Sematophyllaceae was the richest moss family.