Bryophyte flora of the Significant Landscape “Lower Kamenjak and Medulin Archipelago”(Istria, Croatia) with new and noteworthy national records

Abstract

Bryophyte flora of the Significant Landscape Lower ”Kamenjak and Medulin Archipelago” in Istria (western Croatia) was studied from 2019 to 2021. The study resulted in a list of 14 liverwort and 60 moss taxa. Tortula pallida, Bryum gemmilucens, Microbryum davallianum var. conicum and Microbryum muticum are new national records. The prevalence of Mediterranean-Atlantic, temperate and southern-temperate chorotypes corresponds well with the biogeographical characteristics of the studied area. The turf life-form and colonist life strategy, predominantly represented by small Pottiaceae species, prevailed within the study. They mostly inhabited periodically moist soil of open habitats in olive groves, maquis and garrigues. This study aimed to address the significant lack of current data on bryophytes in coastal parts of Croatia.