Threatened bryophytes in Europe

Abstract

THE BRYOPHYTES OF EUROPE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST WELL-STUDIED IN THE WORLD BECOUSE OF THE CONCENTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR BRYOLOGISTS LIVING THERE AND THE LONG HISTORIAL TRADITION OF STUDY, GOING BACK TO LINNAEUS AND HEDWIG. THEY ARE ALSO VERY DIVERSE AND VERY THREATENED. EUROPE IS THE MOST DEVELOPED CONTINENT THE WORLD AND HAS A HIGH POPULATION DENSITY. PERHAPS OTHER AREAS IN THE WORLD CAN LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES (AND SEUCCESSES). EUROPE IS EXTREMELY VARIED AND CONTAINS A WIDE RANGE OF BIODIVERSITY. MOST TEMPERATE HABITAT ARE REPRESENTED. OUT OF A TOTAL OF 1687 SPECIES, 406 (24.1%) ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THREATENED. THE LEVEL OF ENDEMISM IS APPARENTLY LOW, BUT WHETHER IT IS LOWER THAN OF OTHER, LESSER KNOWN, REGION IS DIFFICULT TO SAY.