Evaluation of the water retention in mosses of paramo

of Siachoque, Toca and Fisheries (Boyaca)

JULIA B. MERCHN-GAITN 1 GIOVANNI JAVIER ALVAREZHERRERA 1.3, MIRYAM V. DELGADO-MERCHN 2
Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Group, University of Pedagogy and
Technology of Colombia, Tunja (Colombia).
2
Faculty of Basic Sciences, School of Biology, University of Pedagogy and Technology
of Colombia, Tunja (Colombia).
3
Corresponding author. jgalvarezh@gmail.com
1

Date Received: 26-05-2011 Approved for publication: 21-11-2011

ABSTRACT
Mosses have an important role in the ecosystem due to their morphological structure
to retain significant amounts of water and improve the moisture contents in the
soil. However, the high impact of man on the moors significantly decreases the
population of mosses and conservation of water resources. Water capacity of samples
collected in the moors of the municipalities of Fisheries, Siachoque and Touch (Boyac)
on different substrates (rock, soil and bark or epiphytes) was evaluated. A design was
completely random and water capacity dry and cool was determined. We found that
family with the highest number of samples collected was Sphagnaceae on the moors of
the municipalities of Fisheries and Siachoque. Mosses collected samples with highest
water content were found in the wasteland of the municipality of Fisheries, while
samples collected in the municipality of Toca showed a variety of families of
mosses (Leucomiaceae, Dicranaceae, Orthortrichaceae, Bartramyaceae) in smaller
population and a lower water content. In addition there was a higher water content in
soil samples collected from the substrate in the collected rock and epiphytes, hence
the importance of the climatic conditions of each of the zones in the different
municipalities studied, affecting retention water by mosses.

Additional key words: bryophytes, humidity, substrate, improving ecosystem.

RESUMEN
Los musgos cumplen un papel importante en el ecosistema debido a su estructura
morfolgica para retener cantidades considerables de agua y mejorar los contenidos de
humedad en el suelo. Sin embargo, el alto impacto del hombre en los pramos disminuye
notablemente la poblacin de los musgos y la conservacin del recurso agua. Se evalu la
capacidad hdrica de muestras colectadas en los pramos de los municipios de Pesca,
Siachoque y Toca (Boyac) en diferentes sustratos (roca, suelo y corteza de rbol o
epifitas). Se realiz un diseo completamente al azar y se determin la capacidad hdrica
en seco y en fresco. Se encontr que la familia con mayor nmero de muestras colectadas
fue la Sphagnaceae en los pramos de los municipios de Pesca y Siachoque. Las muestras
de musgos colectadas que poseen el mayor contenido de agua fueron las encontradas en el
pramo del municipio de Pesca, mientras que las muestras colectadas en el municipio de
Toca mostraron una gran variedad de familias de musgos
(Leucomiaceae, Dicranaceae, Orthortrichaceae, Bartramyaceae) en menor poblacin y con
un menor contenido de agua. Adems se present un mayor contenido de agua en las
muestras colectadas del sustrato suelo que en las colectadas en roca y en epifitas, de ah la
importancia de las condiciones climticas de cada una de las zonas en los diferentes
municipios estudiados, pues afectan la retencin de agua por parte de los musgos.
Palabras clave adicionales: briofitas, humedad, sustratos, mejoramiento, ecosistema.

INTRODUCTION
The abundance of water in
environments where the moss is well
known. This is usually visible on the soil
surface due to high moisture retention
capacity possessing different plant
species present (vascular and
nonvascular).Mosses are water
reservoirs whose importance in the
regulation of runoff is related to the
ratio of the areas covered in the context
of a watershed, these accumulations of
water are attributable to the physical
properties of Sphagnum (Tomotsugu et
al., 2006 ).
The genus Sphagnum moss species
comprises
numerous Sphagnaceae predominant in
most moors or swamps (Torres and
Esquivel, 1998). Owe their ability to
absorb large amounts of water to the

composition and structure of their cell

tissues. The cortical tissue of the stem
is formed by large cells and hydrophilic,
and interconnected with the external
environment through pores (Reese,
1978).
Leaves no moss gametophytes
mesophyll tissue, stomata, or related
veins like the leaves of plants complex
Stern (2003), therefore do not possess
parenchyma. The very small leaves, are
formed by a single layer of cells, also
large. Much of the leaf cells, blank
plasma, are not chlorophyll, and have
the function of storing water available
in the external environment (Bernal et
al., 2006).
Consequently, these hydrophilic mosses
tissues experience very significant year
along the cell volume variation
according to evapotranspiration rate

and the availability of water, mainly

from local precipitation in the case of
peat bogs (ecosystems wetland that
accumulates peat depth) high; most of
the mosses use water as a means to be
able to play (Iturraspe and Roig, 2000).
The huge water holding capacity of the
peat bogs is due to the absorbent
properties of Sphagnum moss. The
importance of these peat bogs in areas
located at high altitude above sea level
transcends its own
dimension.Therefore, if these are
destroyed peat bogs, local disturbance
can be catastrophic hydrological
(Correa, 1987).Also, their ecological
role is significant for ecosystem
functioning as active agents in water
retention and soil stabilizers
colonizers. According Avendao and
Torres (2007) Peat consists of plant
remains mainly Sphagnummosses and
some grasses, accumulated and
compressed. White
peat (Sphagnum moss) is mainly used
as fuel and soil additive (Steubing et
al., 2001).
The Sphagnum moss has been
effectively used as an agent for
filtration and treatment of sewage and
industrial effluents with acidic and toxic
discharges with high content of heavy
metals and organic, such as oils,
detergents or tinctures (Matteri, 1998)
substances.
The structure of soil microorganisms
can also change with the change of
temperature and humidity in mosses,
which may facilitate long-term climate
change on the decomposition of peat
evaluation of the effect (Nakatsuboet
al., 1997) .
The aim of this study was to determine
the moisture content of mosses
collected in three municipalities of
Boyac, especially Sphagnum peat
bogs, in order to meet its potential as
Tender Accessories water.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Location
This research was conducted in three
locations which have the following
conditions: the first sampling site is
located in the desert of Siachoque, in
the municipality of the same name, at
an altitude of 4,100 m with an average
temperature of 6 C, has a high
minimum relative humidity of 38% and
70%, this municipality has an area of
125 km and is crossed by
Cormechoque, Tocavita and Turga
rivers (Correa, 1987). Touch Township
in the village of La Chorrera situated at
an altitude 2,950 meters, has a
minimum relative humidity of 37% and
a maximum of 63% and its average
temperature is 13 C. Fishing Township
is located in the eastern range, at an
altitude of 3,910 meters, has a
minimum of 37% and maximum of
78% relative humidity, the average
temperature is 7 C, has strategic
ecosystems such as the moor and
forests, complemented with agricultural
production activities in the village of
Paso Grande (Correa, 1987).
Experimental design and methods
A completely randomized design,
treatments correspond to the three
municipalities (Siachoque, Fisheries and
Touch) and 12 samples per treatment,
equivalent to repetitions, taking
transects 2 m wide was used for the
collection of mosses in the three moors
10 m long, evaluating a total of 36
experimental units. The variable
measured was the water content (CH),
calculated from the amount of water
retained mosses depending on its mass
on different substrates, collecting
samples at each site between 8am and
10am on the months of March and April
no rain. The samples were collected
with a garden spade measuring 10 x 5
cm long on different substrates (rock,
soil and bark), the collected samples

were weighed fresh in the same place,

with an electronic balance 612 Acculab
VIC 0.01 g precision, then placed in
plastic bags and then in paper bags to
be transported to the laboratory, the
collected material was dried at 75 C
for 48 h in a muffle furnace. After the
samples were dried, a weigh was
continued again, the weight of mosses
fresh subtracted the weight of the dried
moss and the result of this difference is
the moisture content which possess
different families of mosses collected in
Touch moors, Siachoque and Fisheries,
recommended by Steubing et
al methodology. (2001).Then he
proceeded to the identification of
samples in the laboratory of Botany
UPTC with the help of a stereoscope,
optical microscope and key mosses,
suggested by Churchill and Linares
(1995). Copies rest in the herbarium of
the UPTC properly identified and listed.

The Ditrichaceae, gender Ditrichum wit

h simple erect stems, repeatedly
branched, tight to distant leaves,
medial cells irregularly family
subcuadradas to short-rectangular,

Information analysis
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were
performed to determine the existence
of statistical differences between the
various zones and evaluated substrates,
also by Tukey comparison test 0.05%
treatments were compared, for which
was used v SAS software. 8.1e (Cary,
NC).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Families of mosses and Description
As a result of the samplings found that
the larger sample belongs
to Sphagnaceae, genus Sphagnum fami
ly with a total of 25 specimens ( Figure
1 ), these represent 67% of the
collected plants, followed
by Ditrichaceaefamily ,
gender Ditrichum 14%.

smooth or papillose to mamilosas,

lower oblong-rectangular cells, usually
smooth (Churchill and Linares basal,
1995).

The remaining 29% of samples found

belongs to
families de Leucomiaceae (Leucomium),
Dicranaceae(Campylopus), Orthortrich
aceae (Macromitrium), Bartramyaceae (
Bartramia) family and Lepidoziaceae
(lepidozia) belonging to the liver, which
are often mistaken for moss because
possess caulidio (axis) also fixed to the
substrate by rhizoids also along the
caulidio possess small leaves or filidios
( Delgadillo and Cardenas, 1990). This
difference in number is given because
the samples were collected in high
humidity and parts of greater height,
which are the sites where
the Sphagnaceae develop better.
The Leucomiaceae, gender Leucomium
pleurocrpicas plant family contains 7
cm long, pale green to golden yellow,
irregularly pinnately prostrate stems
Frahm (1991), ovadolanceoladas leaves
3 mm long; falcado-secundas and
concave; cetacean apex, finely serrated
margin entire distally, without expense
(Sastre et al.1986); smooth cells, longspindle and medial basal broadly
fusiform, habitat and distribution:
database grows on trees and decaying
wood as smooth mat within forest
partially dark, moist environments
between 3,100 and 3,200 meters
(Alvaro et al., 2006).
Dicranaceae the family,
genus Campylopus especially presents
large variation in size, but other similar
stores genres in terms of the
morphology of the leaves; for example,
all have a great
coast Campylopus occupying more than
half of the entire sheet, this makes it
easy to recognize (Churchill and
Linares, 1995).
The Orthotrichaceae, gender Macromitri
um family with erect or creeping stems
primary with secondary stems and
branches erect or rarely subpndulas
little by highly branched; commonly

clenched, lineo-lanceolate to oblonglanceolate, smooth occasionally rough,

folded, apex acute to acuminate
leaves. Blade cells with thick walls,
superior and medial cells isodiametric
to elongate, smooth, mamilosas or
papillose, elongated basal cells
(Churchill and Linares, 1995).
The Bartramyaceae, gender Bartramia f
amily with erect stems 2-7 cm long,
little by outbreaks of highly branched
innovation; conspicuously leaves

arranged in 5 rows or more commonly

in a spiral; subcuadradas superior and
medial cells (Churchill and Linares,
1995).
As the water content retained mosses,
more meaningful content was observed
in the samples collected in Fishing (164
g), followed by those of Siachoque (156
g) as indicated by Figure 2 . This is
because such municipalities collections
were taken from the substrate
(ground), which has a larger amount of
water available for the development of
mosses compared to the other
substrates tested. Mosses are able to
live successfully in xerophytic areas
thanks to its adaptation to hold and
retain moisture, this means that in
times of drought remain moist and
prolonged droughts remain in a
dormant period so that when the rains
come again according green again as
indicated by Correa (1987).
In the municipality of Toca more
mosses were collected soil substrate
that substrates of rock and bark
( Figure 3 ); these substrates have
lower water availability, so the moss
will have a lower moisture accumulation
as it can not capture good amounts of
water from the surrounding medium
(Equihua et al., 2001).

Family higher water content found in

this study is the Sphagnaceae
sphagnum ( Figure 4 ), this is due to
the easy withdrawal of water from the
plant, their morphology and cell
structure large and hydrophilic, which

makes absorbent (Takeshi and Hiroshi,

2006). With regard to the functional
properties of Sphagnum in studies in
other ecosystems, they showed the
best results from absorption and water
retention (Villarroel et al., 2003).

The Sphagnaceae plants are robust in

various colors, with greater presence of
dark green and sometimes brighter
than others; heads with thick, blunt and
escuarrosos filidios branches. Yema
visible but not conspicuous
terminal. Fascicles formed by two
thinner without escuarrosos filidios
divergent branches long, winding and
two pendulous. Hialocistos membrane
towards the apex usually reabsorbed
into both sides. The base hialocistos
have pores that can be very large and
take the form of gaps
membrane. Generally narrow edge
(Munin and Strong, 2001). In terms of
ecology ( Figure 5 ), they tend to form
more or less extensive lawns, forming

mats bright colors usually abundant

water logging in exposed
areas. According Munin and Strong
(2001), regarding the hydromorphism
the substrate has a wide range of
possibilities for the presence of rivers
and streams (Frahm and Newton,
2005). It may occur in conjunction with
a deep peat roughly
compactasoportando certain superficial
drought and mineral water mobility
contributions, or shallow but very very
exposed areas waterlogged soil. For
other families, much lower content of
water not exceeding 25 ml per sample,
which may be caused by a smaller and
less hydrophilic cell structure
(Narvaez et al., 2002) are presente

A greater number of soil samples in the

municipalities of Fisheries and
Siachoque (was collected Figure 4 ) due
to the limited presence of rock, being
an open field a few trees, while in the

town of Toca, is lush forest and rocky,

therefore more corticolous samples
(growing on the bark of trees) and rock
(that breed in rock) (Marsh and
Koerner, 1972) were collected

CONCLUSIONS
The largest number of samples collected belongs to the family Sphagnaceae. The
family of mosses that more water content presented is the Sphagnaceae. The
municipality where the greatest diversity of mosses found is to Toca. Mosses of higher
water content present in the municipality of Fisheries. In general, the soil is more
hosts substrate Sphagnaceae sphagnum moss.

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