Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico

Background: Mexican botanists were not involved in bryophyte research fifty years ago; only four small floristic contributions were published between 1942-1958. Questions: What has been learned in the last fifty years? How many bryophytes are there in Mexico? What are the contributions by Mexica...

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Main Author: Claudio Delgadillo-Moya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedad Botánica de México, A. C. 2021-12-01
Series:Botan‪ical Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/2887
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author Claudio Delgadillo-Moya
author_facet Claudio Delgadillo-Moya
author_sort Claudio Delgadillo-Moya
collection DOAJ
description Background: Mexican botanists were not involved in bryophyte research fifty years ago; only four small floristic contributions were published between 1942-1958. Questions: What has been learned in the last fifty years? How many bryophytes are there in Mexico? What are the contributions by Mexican scientists? Studied species: Bryophyte flora. Study site and dates: Mexico, between 1942-2021. Methods:  Bibliographic compilations were used to revise the status of bryophyte research in Mexico. Data for the last fifty years cited there and in an updated version of Latmoss served to determine the current knowledge of Mexican bryophytes as contributed by Mexican scientists. No thesis research was considered unless published in a scientific journal. Results: There are 16 species of Anthocerotophyta, ca. 600 of Marchantiophyta, and 997 Bryophyta in Mexico. At least seven phytogeographic elements are represented: Northern, Meso-American, Caribbean, Southern, Wide distribution, and Endemic. Highlights of Mexican research include the discovery of Hypnodontopsis sp., a Miocene amber fossil from Chiapas, identification of heavy metals deposits in urban mosses in Mexico City and Toluca, determination of chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of Pseudocrossidium replicatum, and the potential use of recombinant proteins from Physcomitrella patens. Conclusions: Taxonomic and floristic studies should be continued along with the bryological exploration of the country. Conservation is urgent, but studies of drought tolerance, air pollution, climate change, and potential uses in medicine require support and collaboration from other scientists.
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spelling doaj.art-49f509e31e254ed38c1323a2a380a0952022-12-22T03:41:51ZengSociedad Botánica de México, A. C.Botan‪ical Sciences2007-42982007-44762021-12-01100210.17129/botsci.2887Fifty years of Bryology in MexicoClaudio Delgadillo-Moya0Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Biología, Ciudad de México Background: Mexican botanists were not involved in bryophyte research fifty years ago; only four small floristic contributions were published between 1942-1958. Questions: What has been learned in the last fifty years? How many bryophytes are there in Mexico? What are the contributions by Mexican scientists? Studied species: Bryophyte flora. Study site and dates: Mexico, between 1942-2021. Methods:  Bibliographic compilations were used to revise the status of bryophyte research in Mexico. Data for the last fifty years cited there and in an updated version of Latmoss served to determine the current knowledge of Mexican bryophytes as contributed by Mexican scientists. No thesis research was considered unless published in a scientific journal. Results: There are 16 species of Anthocerotophyta, ca. 600 of Marchantiophyta, and 997 Bryophyta in Mexico. At least seven phytogeographic elements are represented: Northern, Meso-American, Caribbean, Southern, Wide distribution, and Endemic. Highlights of Mexican research include the discovery of Hypnodontopsis sp., a Miocene amber fossil from Chiapas, identification of heavy metals deposits in urban mosses in Mexico City and Toluca, determination of chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of Pseudocrossidium replicatum, and the potential use of recombinant proteins from Physcomitrella patens. Conclusions: Taxonomic and floristic studies should be continued along with the bryological exploration of the country. Conservation is urgent, but studies of drought tolerance, air pollution, climate change, and potential uses in medicine require support and collaboration from other scientists. https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/2887Amber bryophytesMexican floraphytogeographic elementsrecombinant proteinsuses
spellingShingle Claudio Delgadillo-Moya
Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico
Botan‪ical Sciences
Amber bryophytes
Mexican flora
phytogeographic elements
recombinant proteins
uses
title Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico
title_full Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico
title_fullStr Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico
title_short Fifty years of Bryology in Mexico
title_sort fifty years of bryology in mexico
topic Amber bryophytes
Mexican flora
phytogeographic elements
recombinant proteins
uses
url https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/2887
work_keys_str_mv AT claudiodelgadillomoya fiftyyearsofbryologyinmexico