Relationship of Terrestrial Mosses to Forested Flood Plains in Southeastern Ohio

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Abstract
Eurhynchium hians (Hedw.) Sande-Lac. was the dominant of 6 spp. of mosses [E. hians, Brachythecium oxycladon, B. rivulare, Leptodictyum trichopodium, Mnium cuspidatum, Fissidens taxifolius] found within 3 forested flood plain stands along the Hocking River near Athens, Ohio [USA]. Low light levels (< 10% full sunlight) during the summer, caused by a dense cover of vegetation and occasional flooding enhances protonemal growth. Regeneration of these mosses from fragments of leafy gametophytes was tested in the laboratory. Regrowth from buried plants and fragments of plants emerged through deposits of alluvium up to 10 cm thick. Regeneration and emergence from burial by alluvium seem to be important modes of establishment of terrestrial mosses on flood plains.