Contribution to the bryophyte flora of Antarctica: The James Ross Island moss inventory and the new records

Abstract

The interest in distribution of bryophytes in Antarctica has increased in view of global climate warming and its effects in Antarctica. The moss flora of Antarctica is relatively rich, since only a small area (up to 1%) of this continent is not covered by ice. An immense space remains completely bryologically under-recorded. In this paper, we present a comprehensive moss list of James Ross Island (37 moss species). Two newly-recorded species are reported in our study: Bryum dichotomum and B. pallescens.