Investigation on flora and vegetation of epiphytic bryophytes of Abant Mountains

In this study, the bryophyte flora and epiphytic bryophyte vegetation of Abant Mountains which is one of 122 important plant area in Turkey were investigated. As a result of the evaluation of 1279 epiphytic bryophytes samples collected in the study area; 9 families from Marchantiophyta section and 17 taxa related to 11 genera and 17 families from Bryophyta section and 62 taxa related to 31 genera, which is totally 79 specific and infraspecific taxa were determined. Of these taxa, Cephalozia lunulifolia (Dumort) Dumort. is recorded for the second time from Turkey. Epiphytic bryophyte vegetation of Abant Mountains was phytosociologically analysed with 194 releves which were taken from different localities and habitats. As a result of this analysis, 8 epiphytic bryophyte associations and 1 subassociations were determined. Of these determined syntaxaDicranetum taurici, Pterygnandretum filiformisand Orthotricho straminei - Pterigynandretum filiformis associations are recorded for the first time from Turkey as Orthotrichetum affinis association is new for science world.Additionally, in this study, Homalothecio sericei-Porelletum platyphyllae association and -leucodontetosum sciuroidis subassociation and Pterigynandro filiformis-Orthotrichetum speciosi association are recorded for the second time from Turkey. The epiphytic bryophyte vegetation of study area was analyzed by using both the Braun-Blanquet approach and Multivariate analysis methods such as TWINSPAN and DECORANA.