A Large Scale Study Characterizing the Diversity, Abundance and Depth of Deep-Water Mosses in Northern Wisconsin

Abstract

In a small number of freshwater lakes around the world, bryophytes have been documented in deep-waters well below the depths of other plant life. However, because of their isolation, very little is known about their ecology, especially in Wisconsin where the first record of deepwater bryophytes was reported in the early 1930s. The purpose of this study was to complete an extensive survey of deepwater mosses from lakes in northern Wisconsin. Our survey had two principal objectives: (1) characterize the distribution, abundance and diversity of the deep-water mosses collected from these lakes and (2) identify environmental factors that influence these patterns. Our study represents the first large scale intensive examination of the deep-water mosses in Wisconsin. It is a necessary first step towards answering questions about how mosses colonize lakes and what role they may play in freshwater ecology.