THE DYNAMICS OF MOSS ESTABLISHMENT - TEMPORAL RESPONSES TO NUTRIENT GRADIENTS

The regenerative abilities, establishment rates, and responses of esta blishment to nitrogen and phosphorus gradients differ appreciably when compared experimentally among five species of peatland mosses. Aulaco mnium palustre exhibited the highest regenerative ability and continue d to exhibit high presence throughout the experiment due to continuous development of propagules and wide tolerance range to nutrients. Drep anocladus aduncus established relatively quickly but declined in respo nse to increases in other species. Sphagnum angustifolium and Polytric hum strictum exhibited low establishment rates but increased in freque ncy throughout the experiment. Sphagnum magellanicum regenerated poorl y. Nitrogen inputs had greater effects than did phosphorus and strongl y inhibited regeneration and establishment of all species except A. pa lustre. Phosphorus inputs had positive effects on D. aduncus and S. an gustifolium but no effects on A. palustre and P. strictum. The differe nt abilities to utilize nutrient resources over a temporal scale may h elp determine the mature vegetation patterns in peatlands. Nutrient gr adients, especially nitrogen, during the establishment phase of these mosses may be a critical attribute in determining the distribution of these and other peatland species.