Kozhin M.N.1,2, Belkina O.A.3, Likhachev A.Yu.3, Ignatova E.A.1 2016. Moss flora of the Ainov Islands, Barents Sea // Arctoa. Vol. 25: 408–419 [in English].
1 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Biological Faculty, Geobotany Dept., Leninskie Gory Str. 1-12, Moscow 119234 Russia; e-mails: mnk_umba@mail.ru, arctoa@list.ru
2 Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve, Lineynaya str. 35, Kandalaksha, Murmansk Province, 184042 Russia
3 Polar Alpine Botanical Garden annd Institute of the Kola Science Center of RAS, Kirovsk, Murmansk Province, 184256, Russia; e-mail: belkina_07@list.ru
KEYWORDS: bryophyte flora, island biogeography, bird influence, ornithogenic vegetation, Larus argentatus, Larus marinus, Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve, Kola Subarctic, Murmansk Province
ABSTRACT. The bryoflora of the Ainov Islands is characterized as poor and incomplete; in total 66 species with 3 infraspecific taxa were found here. It is the lowest number of species known from island floras of the European Subarctic due to the small area, low habitat diversity and vast bird rookeries. In 1960–1980s huge colonies of Larus argentatus and Larus marinus populated the Islands thus provoking the process of ecosystem organic enrichment. As a result, Pleurozium schreberi, Paludella squarrosa and Plagiomnium elatum disappeared, Dicranum scoparium, Hylocomium splendens, Helodium blandowii, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus declined in occurrence in tundra-like communities and swamps, epilithic mosses became very rare and low-numbered. All the evidence taken into account, low resistance of mosses to intense bird-influenced eutrophication was observed.
doi 10.15298/arctoa.25.33