Bryophyte and vascular plant species richness in boreo-nemoral moist forests and mires

We compare species richness of bryophytes and vascular plants in Estonian m oist forests and mires. The material was collected from two wetland nature reserves. Bryophyte and vascular plant species were recorded in 338 homogen eous stands of approximately 1 ha in nine forest and two mire types. Region al species pools for bryophytes and vascular plants were significantly corr elated. The correlations between the species richnesses of bryophytes and v ascular plants per stand were positive in all community types. The relative richnesses (local richness divided by the regional species pool size) were similar for bryophyte species and for vascular plant species. This shows t hat on larger scales, conservation of the communities rich in species of on e taxonomic plant group, maintains also the species richness of the other. The minimum number of stands needed for the maintenance of the regional spe cies pool of typical species for the every community type was calculated us ing the species richness accumulation curves. Less stands are needed to mai ntain the bryophyte species pools (300-5300 for bryophytes and 400-35 000 f or vascular plants).