Life Strategy of A Hygrophytic Moss: Orthotrichum sprucei Mont

A population of hygrophytic moss Orthotrichum sprucei Mont. were investigated in situ in one of two distribution areas in Turkey. The target species was observed for about 15 months to determine the population dynamics in Çine River Valley which was first recorded locality. This hygrophytic species has developed adaptation mechanism to regenerate and expand population on Liquidambar orientalis Mill. and Platanus orientalis L. trunks which exposed to repetetive floods. To describe the biological adaptations which relies the fact of decrease and increase of the population size, in vitro / ex situ experiments were carried and gemmae production ability that were not known before was observed. Propagation by means of fragmentation that is common among mosses was also observed in the species. The present study is very important being the first study on the biology of Turkish bryophytes.