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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 22, 2025

Relating Stomatal Conductance to Leaf Functional Traits

Relating Stomatal Conductance to Leaf Functional Traits

Published on: October 12, 2015

Do Bryophyte Elemental Concentrations Explain Their Morphological Traits?

Marcos Fernández-Martínez^1,2, Jordi Corbera², Oriol Cano-Rocabayera^2,3

¹Research Group PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.

Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

|August 28, 2021

Summary

Moss elemental composition, including micronutrients, predicts plant morphology and growth forms. This study highlights the importance of trace elements beyond macronutrients for understanding moss traits in Mediterranean springs.

Keywords:

cell elemental composition morphology moss stoichiometry traits

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Last Updated: Oct 22, 2025

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Published on: October 12, 2015

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Published on: March 25, 2019

Area of Science:

Plant Ecology
Biogeochemistry
Bryology

Background:

Plant elemental composition (C, N, P) relates to nutritional status, morphology, and function.
Relationships between micronutrients/trace elements and plant morphology are less studied.
Research on elemental composition and traits in bryophytes, especially mosses, is scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the link between elemental concentrations and morphological traits in aquatic/semi-aquatic mosses.
Determine if macroscopic or microscopic traits are more strongly related to elemental composition.
Assess the role of both macronutrients and micronutrients/trace elements in predicting moss traits and growth forms.

Main Methods:

Analysis of 80 samples from 29 aquatic and hygrophytic moss species.
Measurement of elemental concentrations (macronutrients, micronutrients, trace elements).
Correlation analysis between elemental data and micro/macroscopic morphological traits and growth forms.

Main Results:

Elemental concentration in mosses showed a stronger link to macroscopic traits than microscopic ones.
Moss growth forms were successfully predicted by elemental concentrations.
Micronutrients and trace elements, alongside macronutrients and their ratios (C:N, C:P, N:P), were significant predictors of moss traits.

Conclusions:

Moss elemental composition can be used to infer morphological traits.
Elements beyond macronutrients are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of moss morphology and function.
Microscopic traits were found to be well correlated with macroscopic traits in the studied mosses.