Characterizing and Quantifying Water Content in 14 Species of Bryophytes Present in Azorean Native Vegetation

Bryophytes are an important component of plant diversity, may be found from sea level to mountaintops, and particularly conspicuous on the Azores islands. These plants rely environmental water, which acquires intercepting rain dew (liquid water) uses fog (water vapor), transports both externally, by capillary forces, internally, in different cells (specialized or not). This study characterizes quantifies ability six liverworts eight mosses retain through pathways, lose water evaporation. Twelve replicates each species were collected Azorean native vegetation during summer 2016. The absolute content (AWC) was obtained measurements specimens saturated, without free completely dry. Most 14-target showed ectohydric behavior pattern retaining more than 60% gametophyte surface. AWC value ranged 646% Polytrichum commune 5584% Sphagnum subnitens. loss direct evaporation showed, for most species, exponential decay curve along time. Understanding how much bryophytes, acquire, store, release into system contributes not only knowledge resilience but also potential impacts availability quality water—a major ecosystem service performed bryophytes.