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Impacts of Industrial Polluters on Bryophytes: a Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

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Abstract

Identifying the factors responsible for the diversity of responses of biota to industrial pollution is crucial for predicting the fates of polluted ecosystems. A meta-analysis based on 49 field studies conducted around 47 point polluters demonstrated that the individual (growth and reproduction) and community (abundance and species richness) characteristics of bryophytes in polluted habitats are reduced to about a half of the values observed in unpolluted sites. Non-ferrous smelters cause a stronger reduction in species richness and larger changes in species composition than other types of polluters. The magnitudes of the effects of pollution on the abundances of individual bryophyte species are not linked with their taxonomic position, life form or Ellenberg indicator values for light, moisture and nitrogen. The variation in species’ responses to pollution is mostly explained by differences in their reproductive characteristics; bryophyte species that possess special forms of vegetative reproduction and those that produce abundant sporophytes are more successful in polluted habitats. Ranking of bryophyte species according to their sensitivity to pollution is independent of the type of the polluter. Changes in bryophyte cover follow changes in tree cover, but not changes in the cover of the vascular field layer in the same pollution gradients. Pollution impacts cause stronger adverse effects on bryophytes in warmer climates.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support was provided by the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation, the Turku University Foundation and the Academy of Finland (project numbers 122133, 124152, 209219, 211734 and 215598). We give special thanks to Dr. Allan Fife for the permission to use his unpublished thesis, to Dr. Mark O. Hill for the additional information concerning the BRYOATT database, to Dr. Heinjo During for the fruitful discussion and to anonymous reviewer for the inspiring criticism of an earlier version of the manuscript.

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  1. Section of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland

    Elena L. Zvereva & Mikhail V. Kozlov

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Correspondence to Elena L. Zvereva.

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Characteristics of the polluters considered in the meta-analysis (DOC 160 KB)

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Summary of the database used in the meta-analysis (DOC 134 KB)

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List of bryophyte species used in meta-analysis (DOC 33.0 KB)

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Zvereva, E.L., Kozlov, M.V. Impacts of Industrial Polluters on Bryophytes: a Meta-analysis of Observational Studies. Water Air Soil Pollut 218, 573–586 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0669-5

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