544 Vizintin et al.vp CODEN: ABCRA 25 ISSN 0365–0588 eISSN 1847-8476 Short communication Distribution of Buxbaumia viridis (Moug. ex Lam. et DC.) Brid. ex Moug. et Nestl. (Bryophyta) in Montenegro SNE@ANA DRAGI]EVI]1*, BEÁTA PAPP2, PETER ERZBERGER3 1 Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Trg Vojvode Be}ir Bega Osmanagi}a 16, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro 2 Hungarian Natural History Museum, Botanical Department, Budapest, Pf 222. H-1476, Hungary 3 Belziger Str. 37, D-10823 Berlin, Germany Abstract – The present paper is a contribution to the knowledge of the distribution of the moss species Buxbaumia viridis in Montenegro. The records are from 14 known sites at elevations over 1300 m a.s.l. in the northern and north-eastern parts of the country. Popu- lation size is remarkable in Durmitor National Park at Crno jezero lake, where sporophytes can be found on ca 50 tree trunks. Keywords: moss, Buxbaumia viridis, distribution, Montenegro Introduction The genus Buxbaumia Hedw. is represented by two species in Europe: Buxbaumia aphylla Hedw. and Buxbaumia viridis (Moug. ex Lam. et DC.) Brid. ex Moug. et Nestl. (HILL et al. 2006), both of which occur in Montenegro. According to SABOVLJEVI] and STEVANOVI] (2000), Buxbaumia aphylla Hedw. was recorded in 1998 at two localities within the Durmitor National Park, while Buxbaumia viridis was found much earlier in the same area by MARTIN^I^ (1964). Buxbaumia viridis is a boreal-montane species (DÜLL 1984). It is sparsely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from Europe to southwest Asia and China to western North America (SMITH 2004). It has been recorded from all Southeast European countries except the European part of Turkey (SABOVLJEVI] et al. 2008). Buxbaumia viridis is found growing on well-decayed wood in constantly humid forests, sheltered or shaded places, rarely on humus-rich acidic soil. During most of the year it lives as protonema in the substrate and can usually be recognized only, when sporophytes are ACTA BOT. CROAT. 71 (2), 2012 365 * Corresponding author, e-mail: sneza.dragicevic@t-com.me Copyright® 2012 by Acta Botanica Croatica, the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. All rights reserved. Acta Bot. Croat. 71 (2), 365–370, 2012 produced. These can be found singly or in small groups on the surface of decaying trunks. The sporophyte is of remarkable size; the seta (5–10 mm long) supports a large asym- metrical capsule, which when mature bears an »indusium«, (a characteristic feature of this species, expressed in its synonym Buxbaumia indusiata). The indusium is formed by the cuticle of the capsule when it splits longitudinally and peels back, persisting in large, ragged pieces (SMITH 2004). The species is endangered by forestry practices, especially by clear-cutting huge areas of forest, and other forms of commercial exploitation that have reduced the extent of old- -growth forests, the number of well-decayed logs, and changes in the microclimate. Buxbaumia viridis appears on the Red List of most countries where it occurs. The European Committee for the Conservation of Bryophytes rates Buxbaumia viridis as Vulnerable in Europe (STEWART 1995). The species is listed in Annex II of the EC Habitats and Species Directive and in Appendix I of the Council of Europe Bern Convention. It is treated as Critically Endangered in the Bryophyte Red List of Serbia and Montenegro (SABOVLJEVI] et al. 2004). The moss is protected by law in Montenegro, but seems to be at extremely high risk of extinction owing to its fragmented distribution, and small total number of plants. Study area The study area is located in the northern and north-eastern parts of Montenegro. It includes 8 mountainous regions: the Bjelasica Mts, Durmitor Mts, Hajla Mts, Komovi Mts, Ljubi{nja Mts, Prokletije Mts, Sinjajevina Mts and Visitor Mts (Fig. 1). Some characteris- tics about the regions investigated are given in table 1. Materials and methods Our investigations were carried out mainly in the high mountain regions of Montenegro between 2004–2009. In each locality, in order to detect the presence of the species, we searched for large, well-decayed trunks in old-growth conifer, beech or deciduous (mixed) forests. The specimens collected are deposited in the Herbarium of the Natural History Museum of Montenegro, the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest (BP) and in the Herbarium of Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem (B). In order to estimate the threat status according to the new IUCN categories (IUCN 1994, 2001) the following criteria should be taken into consideration (HALLINGBÄCK et al. 1998): A. Large decline (Major population decline observed, estimated, inferred or suspected in the last 10 years or 3 generations, whichever is the longer) B. Restricted area of occupancy, few localities, decline C. Small population and decline, and D. Very small or restricted populations For the estimation of population size of Buxbaumia viridis the trees colonized can be counted as individuals, because the destruction of the substrate will affect all plants growing on it (HALLINGBÄCK et al. 1998). In the field we counted the number of trees on which sporophytes of the species were detected. 366 ACTA BOT. CROAT. 71 (2), 2012 DRAGI]EVI] S., PAPP B., ERZBERGER P. Results and discussion During our fieldwork in Montenegro, more than 40 years after the first record of Bux- baumia viridis for the country, we found populations on Mt Durmitor as well as in several other mountain areas. The species was collected at 14 localities in on eight mountains in the northern part of the country. The sites were situated at high elevations, over 1300 m a.s.l., usually in boreal types of forests. ACTA BOT. CROAT. 71 (2), 2012 367 DISTRIBUTION OF BUXBAUMIA VIRIDIS BRID. EX MOUG. ET NESTL. IN MONTENEGRO Fig. 1. The distribution of known localities of Buxbaumia viridis in Montenegro (1-Bjelasica Mts; 2-Durmitor Mts; 3-Hajla Mts; 4-Komovi Mts; 5-Ljubi{nja Mts; 6-Prokletije Mts; 7-Visitor Mts; 8-Sinjajevina Mts). 368 A C T A B O T .C R O A T .71 (2),2012 D R A G I] E V I] S .,P A P P B .,E R Z B E R G E R P . Tab. 1. Some characteristics about investigated regions. No in Fig. 1 Geographical name Maximum hight (m asl.) Bedrock Climate Conservational status Flora, Vegetation 1 Bjelasica Mts 2137 m (Crna glava) Silicate, volcanic cliffs Alpine, moderate- continental-meditter-ranean – rich endemic vascular flora 2 Durmitor Mts 2523 m (Bobotov Kuk) carbonate, clastic and siliceous rocks (mostly Triassic) Alpine, moderate-mediter-ranean National Park, IPA rich vascular flora 3 Hajla Mts 2280 m (Dermandoski greben) limestone and volcanic cliffs Alpine, moderate-mediter-ranean IPA oak and beech forests, spruce or spruce and Macedonian pine forests 4 Komovi Mts 2484 m (Ku~ki Kom) limestone Alpine, moderate-mediter-ranean IPA extensive scree 5 Ljubi{nja Mts 2238 m (Dernja~i{ta) Limestone and silicate Alpine IPA spruce forest, pastures 6 Prokletije Mts 2528 m (Maja Kolata) limestone Alpine, moderate-mediter-ranean National Park rich endemic and relict vascular flora 7 Sinjajevina Mts 2277 m (Babji zub or Torna) carbonate Mediter-ranean and continental IPA rich flora 8 Visitor Mts 2211 m (Plana) limestone Alpine, moderate-mediter-ranean IPA proposed mixed thermophi-lous forests, beach, beach-silver fir and Macedonian pine forests; mountain meadows, cliffs and screes The localities were as follows: Bjelasica Mountain, at Svinja~a stream near Jezerine at Kola{in, 42°49'49,5'', 19°37'06,7'' E, ca 1360 m, conifer and deciduous (mixed) forest, on decaying wood, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 18.07.2007. Durmitor Mountain, Durmitor National Park, around Crno jezero lake at @abljak, 43°08'52,0'' N, 19°05'48,0'' E, ca 1400 m, conifer forest, on decaying trunk, leg. B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 05.10.2004. (PAPP and ERZBERGER 2010) and leg. S. Dragi}evi} 10.07.2007.; by military resort, ca 1400 m, on decaying trunk, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 10.07.2007.; along Mlinski potok, 43°08'58,2'' N, 19°05'23,8'' E, ca 1400 m, leg. A. Martin~i~ (MARTIN^I^ 1964) and leg. B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 07.10.2004. (PAPP and ERZBERGER 2010); around Barno jezero lake, 43°09'19,6'' N, 19°05'25,8'' E, ca 1500 m, conifer forest, on decaying trunk, leg. B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 10.10.2004. (PAPP and ERZBERGER 2010) and leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 12.07.2007. Hajla Mountain, forest track towards Band`ov, 42°47,430' N, 20°07,602' E, ca 1336 m, conifer forest (Picea abies), on decaying trunk, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 28.07.2009. Komovi Mountain, valley of the Ljuba{tica, 42°41'44,3'' N, 19°33'43,5'' E, ca 1770 m, beech forest, on decaying trunk, leg. B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 28.07.2008. Ljubi{nja Mountain, near Pljevlja, ca 1650 m, conifer forest (Picea abies), on decaying trunk, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 26.08.2007.; Kosanica, near Pljevlja, 43°10'39,6'' N, 19°18'13,5'' E, ca 1301 m, conifer and deciduous (mixed) forest, on decaying trunk, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 07.07.2011. Prokletije Mountains, along the road from Zastan koliba to Maja Jezerce, 42°29'21,1'' N, 19°48'56,7'' E, ca 1500 m, on decaying trunk, leg. B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 11.10.2006.; Tre}a livada in Grebaje valley at Gusinje, 42°30'41,6'' N, 19°46'40,9'' E, ca 1220 m, beech forest, on decaying trunk, leg. B. Papp, 12.10.2006. Visitor Mountain, along the road to Visitorsko jezero lake, 42°38'07,7'' N, 19°53'28,3'' E, ca 1600 m, leg. B. Papp and P. Erzberger, 09.10.2006. Sinjajevina Mountain, region [aranci, along the road to Kr{ village, 43°7'16,9'' N, 19°15'39,4'' E, ca 1410 m, conifer forest, on decaying trunk, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 28.06.2007. and 07.07.2011.; Zmini~ko jezero lake, 43°06' N, 19°05' E, ca 1285 m, conifer and deci- duous (mixed) forest, on decaying trunk, leg. S. Dragi}evi}, 29.06.2007. Owing to the threat status of the species, criterion A cannot be applied to the species in Montenegro, as there is insufficient information about earlier occurrences; most of the available data are less than five years old. The species falls into criterion B, the Vulnerable category, as it was recently recorded in five to ten 10 km X 10 km squares and found in five to ten localities with most of the populations severely fragmented and in decline. However, applying criteria C and D places the species in the Critically Endangered category (CR), since the population sizes are small, even the largest population in Durmitor National Park at Crno jezero lake consists of not more than 50 colonized trunks. In the other sites, only a few sporophytes could be found on a small number of trunks. As the highest IUCN category has to be taken into consideration, we can conclude that, in spite of the new records, Buxbaumia viridis must be treated as a Critically Endangered (CR) species in Montenegro. ACTA BOT. CROAT. 71 (2), 2012 369 DISTRIBUTION OF BUXBAUMIA VIRIDIS BRID. EX MOUG. ET NESTL. IN MONTENEGRO Acknowledgements We wish to thank Dr. Vicente Mazimpaka and Dr. Marko Karaman for helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. References DÜLL, R., 1984: Distribution of the European and Macaronesian mosses (Bryophytina) I. Bryologische Beitraege 4, 1–109. 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