pH in Sphagnum communities as a parameter affects algal distribution.

Abstract

Algal distribution is affected by many different parameters in the environment. Many different sorts of algae live attached to mosses, especially those growing in moist habitat, such as Sphagnum. In addition to its ability to soak up large amounts of water, Sphagnum can create an acid habitat by exchange of hydrogen ions for other cations in solution, for example, calcium and magnesium. Different species of Sphagnum have different niches and ecological roles in the bogs, thus they provide diverse pH to the environment where algae exist. A variety of primarily algal epiphytes and endophytes were reported to live with quite a few species of Sphagnum. In this project, algal distribution in three different pH of three species of Sphagnum communities were investigated. The purpose of this study is to look into the diversity of algal species in such habitats.