Moss diversity of Saxicolous mosses of Lonavala and their role in conservation of Ecosystems
Gauri Soman
Departnent of Botany Maharshi Dayanand College, Parel, Mumbai - 400012 India email- drgssoman@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
Mosses are highly developed groups of bryophytes having a unique position between lower cryptogams and vascular plants prefering marshy swamps or wetland habitats for their abundant growth.They play a important role in conservation of buffer zones or edges between wetland and forest ecosystems habitats. Lonavala is a beautiful hill station in the Western Sahayadri ranges about 102 km from Mumbai. It is surrounded by hills, valleys,wetlands and dense green forest. Mosses grow their abundantly. The present paper highlights diversity of saxicolous mosses growing in around Lonavala, with their ecological habitats and growth forms.