Diversity of epiphytic mosses in the metropolitan area of the Toluca Valley, Mexico

The richness and abundance of bryophytes in urban areas may be an indicator of environmental quality. In Mexico studies about moss diversity in urban areas and their use in environmental monitoring are scarce. This study identified the richness of epiphytic mosses of the metropolitan area of the Toluca Valley from the collection of all species present. Additionally, colonies of mosses were sampled plot method to determine the variations of their diversity in 16 parks. Floristic richness comprised 41 species and varieties included in 16 families among wich the Pottiaceae was the most numerous and frequent family. Sixty-five percent of the species have a wide geographic distribution. The Jacknife 1 and bootstrap estimators indicate that the inventory has between 71 and 85% of expected taxa. The epiphytic moss colonies tend to be diverse (H=2.3) and are represented, in order of importance by Syntrichia amphidiacea, Leskea angustata, S. fragilis, S. pagorum and F. ciliaris that were those with high ecological weight. The green areas analyzed have low average similarity (ISj=0.30) potentially associated with their microclimatic conditions and their proximity to urban centers.