Epiphytic bryophyte vegetation of the Samanli Mountains (Sakarya-Kocaeli-Yalova-Bursa) in Northwest Turkey

In the present study, epiphytic bryophyte vegetation of the Samanli Mountains (northwest Turkey) was investigated on the basis of 191 releves taken from the trunks of trees by the Braun-Blanquet method between 2015 and 2016. Nine epiphytic bryophyte associations and three subassociations were determined as a result of this investigation. Among them, two associations and two subassociations, viz., Neckero - Anomodontetum viticulosi, Neckero - Anomodontetum viticulosi - anomodontetosum viticulosi, Syntrichietum laevipilae, and Syntrichietum laevipilae - orthotrichetosum lyellii, were recorded for the first time in Turkey. In addition, epiphytic bryophyte vegetation was classified and ordinated using multivariate analysis techniques such as two-way indicator species analysis and detrended correspondence analysis. Besides that, the life form and life strategies of the species within syntaxa were analysed. As a result, it is established that while perennial stayers with a high sexual reproductive effort were dominant within the epiphytic bryophyte vegetation comparatively, the most abundant life form was the mat rough type.