|
Nabarralde | Nabarra Papers
New
Species of Mosses Found in Araba
By Mila Parot
Zubimendi.
A new species
of mosses has been found in the banks of the Bayas River, in
Zuia and Kuartango, Araba - one of the four Basque provinces
in Spain. The new species, found by botanists from the Museum
of Natural Sciences of Araba and from the Autonomous University
of Madrid, was named Orthotrichum casasianum in honor
of Creu Casas i Sicart, a professor at the Autonomous University
of Barcelona, and a pioneer in bryology since more than 40 years
ago.
Photo courtesy of Alan Hale |
Mosses (along
with the liverworts) belong to a group of plants known as the
Bryophytes. They come in a wide variety of forms, but all are
based on a stem and leaf structure. The stem may be branched
to a greater or lesser degree.
Compared with
for example the flowering plants, lower plants such as mosses
and liverworts are particularly susceptible to air pollution.
This is clear if you compare trees in urban situations with
those in the countryside. In the Basque countryside trees generally
have a number of mosses and liverworts growing on their trunks
and branches. In towns, especially near main roads or factories,
but even often in parks, you will see very few mosses or liverworts
on trees. You may see a green "slime" which is a pollution-resistant
alga.
The Orthotrichum
casasianum, which measures no more than 2 cm, is already
in the list of threatened species. Since this species is found
only in the Bayas river, if the habitat is modified the species
would be subject to destruction. Thus, the protection of the
habitat is critical to the survival of this bryophyte.
Pollutants
dumped into the Basque rivers from industrial, agricultural,
and municipal sources have dramatically affected the ecosystems
fuctions, processes that are necessary for the self-maintenance
of an ecosystem such as primary production, nutrient cycling,
decomposition.
On the other
hand, cleaning the beds of rivers has affected the riverbank
vegetation. Vegetation on the banks of rivers is of particular
importance. The roots of the reeds, sedges, trees, shrubs and
grasses growing next to rivers bind the soil of the riverbank
and prevent erosion while cleaning the water and regulating
its flow.
Photo courtesy of Alan Hale |
The Bayas river
still preserves its riverbank vegetation which must not be disturbed.
But cleaning-up the riverbed would destroy the Orthotrichum
casasianum.
But the Orthotrichum
casasianum is facing multiple threats. The regional government
of Baskongadak plans to build several dams in Araba. The dams
would have a severe, irreversible effect on the Orthotrichum
casasianum population. Dams dry up river beds and degrade
aquatic habitat and riverbank vegetation.
"It makes no
sense to protect the new species without protecting the habitat,"
said Patxi Heras, a botanist at the Museum of Natural Sciences
of Araba.
January 2000
Translation
by Gigi Bidarte
Mila Parot
Zubimendi is a law student and an environment activist.
She's currently living in Miarritze.
|
