Warnstorfia exannulata, an aquatic moss in the Arctic: seasonal growth responses

• Published in: Climatic Change
• Main Authors: Guo, Cai-Qing, Ochyra, Ryszard, Wu, Peng-Cheng, Seppelt, Rodney D., Yao, Yi-Feng, Bian, Lin-Gen, Li, Su-Ping, Li, Cheng-Sen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SPRINGER 2013
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences; LAKE; TEMPERATURE; MORPHOLOGY; SVALBARD; BRANCH; PLANTS; TUNDRA; MUSCI; AIR; Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED); Arctic; Svalbard; Tundra
• Online Access: http://ir.ibcas.ac.cn/handle/2S10CLM1/28012; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0724-5

The moss, Warnstorfia exannulata (Schimp.) Loeske, was first reported forming a carpet beside a water pool in Ny-Alesund (78 degrees 56'N), Svalbard in 1959. Fifty years later, in 2008, it was found growing as an aquatic in a pool. The moss is sensitive to seasonal changes and exhibits a pattern of seasonal growth: summer stems with densely arranged leaves and lateral branches, and winter growth with short-leaved stems and no lateral branch. The mean daily increase in stem length is 0.68 mm in summer and 0.07 mm in winter. The longest specimens were up to 8 years old. The growth of the moss reflects closely seasonal temperature and growth conditions. World distribution is discussed and global distribution mapped.