Do Bryophyte Elemental Concentrations Explain Their Morphological Traits?

Significance of moss pretreatments in active biomonitoring surveys

The present study examines the impact of pretreatment procedures on the metal concentrations in bags that are to be exposed. We examine Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb amounts in Sphagnum fallax and Dicranum polysetum mosses using atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration of Hg was also determined using a mercury analyzer. Two sample preparation ways were tested (with and without rinsing) and their influence was evaluated by determining the coefficient of variation (CV). Chlorophyll content was also determined in mosses collected from three habitats (deep woodland, forest road, and wood lot). The results indicate, that the concentration of elements deposited in mosses depends on the species and the habitat where they were collected (ANOVA, p < 0.001). Rinsing of mosses reduces the CV for Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn and uniform the material prior to exposure (CV for the majority of metals <10%). Selected correlations were found for element concentrations with chlorophyll content. Photosynthetic activity of mosses decreased by about 80% during their one-month storage in the laboratory. Due to the varying concentration of metals in the collected samples, proper, and standardized preparation of mosses before exposure, they can be effectively used in active biomonitoring.

Evaluating the effect of moss functional traits and sampling on elemental concentrations in Pleurozium schreberi and Ptilium crista-castrensis in Eastern Canada (Québec) black spruce forest

Characterizing atmospheric depositions allows evaluating the impact of air pollution on ecosystems, human health, and the economy. It also informs decision-makers about the implementation of regulations improving environmental quality. Biomonitoring uses organisms, such as mosses, as proxies to assess the presence of atmospheric contaminants (e.g., metals). This approach is cost-efficient and does not require complicated infrastructure or scientific skills, making it suitable for large-scale monitoring initiatives and citizen-based campaigns. Therefore, precise sampling protocols are needed to limit bias. Biomonitoring data remains scarce in North America, compared to e.g., Europe, and there is a need to develop large-scale and long-term biomonitoring initiatives to record current and future atmospheric depositions. As there is no standardized international sampling protocol, this study assessed the impact of parameters known to affect the elemental concentration of mosses, using samples collected along a 1000-km transect in Eastern Canada (Quebec) from 2016 to 2022. We specifically examined the effects of species, stem color, canopy opening, time of sampling, and stem length on 18 elements. Non-parametric statistical tests indicate that these factors have significant effects on some metals, but differences are generally low (<30 %), except for stem length. These results suggest that sampling protocols can be flexible in terms of species, canopy opening, time of sampling, and stem color. However, normalizing the length of the stems analyzed is required to account for differences in growth rates between sites. Moreover, since no large-scale biomonitoring campaign using mosses has been conducted in Eastern Canada, this paper also provides the first elemental baseline for moss in the region.

From atoms to ecosystems: elementome diversity meets ecosystem functioning

The elemental composition of plants (the elementome) is a reliable indicator of their functional traits and the ecological strategies that they follow, and thus represents a good predictor of how ecosystems work. Biodiversity and, especially, functional diversity are also widely recognized as important drivers of ecosystem functioning, mainly because of niche partitioning amongst different species. Here, I review evidence indicating that plant elementomes relate to their ecological niches and how plant elemental concentrations may shift in response to abiotic and biotic drivers. I propose the use of ecosystem elementome diversity as a universal metric to compare ecosystems and investigate diversity-ecosystem functioning relationships. Future research using this promising novel approach will bring together elementomes, diversity, and ecosystem functioning.