On the structures of moss colony in the Yukidori Valley, Langhovde, East Antarctica

• Main Authors: Hiroshi Kanda, Satoshi Imura, Takeshi Ueno
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research/National Institute of Polar Research/Department of Polar Science, the Graduate University for Advanced Studies 2004
• Subjects: moss; rhizoids; cyanobacteria; Yukidori Valley; herbarium specimens; East Antarctica; Langhovde; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar bioscience
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=6217; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00006217/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=6217&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

The moss vegetation developing in the Yukidori Valley, Langhovde, East Antarctica, was investigated as based on the samples in the vertical cross-section housed as the herbarium specimens to categorize the structure of the moss colony and to determine the specific composition. The vegetation consists of pure colonies of one species, and mixed colonies composed of two or rarely three moss species. Each colony was classified by species composition and degree of unevenness. The active zone, decomposed zone which were seen in the vertical cross-section, and epiphytic condition on the surface such as cyanobacteria and imperfect lichens, and rhizoidal layers in the inside of colony were determined and measured. Furthermore, the relationship between epiphytic condition and the thickness of the pure and mixed colonies was discussed taking account of ecological significances of these structural features.