The MOVECLIM – AZORES project: Bryophytes from Santa Maria Island (2019)

Purpose

Santa Maria Island is one of the least studied islands of the Azores archipelago regarding cryptogamic flora. A survey of bryophytes was conducted in 2019, taking advantage of the MOVECLIM-AZO project expedition to the island and from additional non-systematic collections. The standardised collection follows the GIMS protocol for bryophytes across three altitudinal levels (16, 200, and 400 m a.s.l), while other specimens were collected opportunistically to improve the known dataset of bryophyte occurrences in Santa Maria. For the GIMS protocol, two 10 m × 10 m sampling plots were established, spaced 10–30 m apart. Within each plot, three 2 m × 2 m quadrats were randomly selected and exhaustively sampled, collecting bryophytes on 10 cm × 5 cm microplots. In each quadrat, three microplots were collected from five substrates: rock, soil, organic matter, living bark at three heights from the soil, and leaves and fronds. Although sought after, no bryophytes were collected from humus. Opportunistic sampling was carried out guided by taxonomic expertise, while visiting different locations between 31 and 464 m a.s.l., and exploring diverse substrates. The survey resulted in the collection of 85 species and 810 specimens (occurrence records), obtained from 264 events. This research presents a data set that expands current knowledge about bryophytes' diversity on Santa Maria Island and supports future studies on biodiversity and conservation.