This photo-based field guide to the more common or distinctive bryophytes of northeastern North America gives beginners the tools they need to identify most specimens without using a compound microscope.

Bryophytes are of great importance in their ecosystems and for human well-being. They stabilize soil crust through colonization of bare grounds and rocks; they are essential in nutrient recycling, biomass production, and carbon fixing; they control water through an effective retention mechanism; and they have economic value as peat for fuel, horticulture, oil absorption, and as sources of a wide variety of chemical compounds. Bryophytes have long been used for medicinal purposes and provide a food source for reindeer, geese, ducks, sheep, musk-ox, lemmings, and other rodents. Threats include deforestation, cultivation of forests, reclamation of land, urbanization, roads, dam-building, mining, drainage of wetlands and over-grazing. This plan reviews the situation worldwide and proposes a variety of initiatives. It is aimed at those who work with and care about nature conservation, including governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as politicians and the general interested public.

This is the first book to cover England's rare and threatened mosses and liverworts, collectively known as bryophytes. As a group, they are the most ancient land plants and occupy a unique position in the colonization of the Earth by plant life. However, many are at risk from habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and other factors. Britain is one of the world's best bryologically recorded areas, yet its mosses and liverworts are not well known outside a small band of experts. This has meant that conservation action has tended to lag behind that of more charismatic groups such as birds and mammals. Of the 916 different types of bryophyte in England, 87 are on the British Red List and are regarded as threatened under the strict criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This book aims to raise awareness by providing stunning photographs--many never before published--of each threatened species, as well as up-to-date profiles of 84 of them, including status, distribution, history, and conservation measures. The book looks at what bryophytes are, why they are important and useful, and what makes them rare; it also examines threats, extinctions, ex situ conservation techniques, legislation, and the impact of the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity. Provides the first treatment of England's rare and threatened mosses and liverworts Features stunning photographs--many never before published--of each species and many of their habitats Treats each species in a handy and attractive double-page layout Includes up-to-date profiles of 84 species, including status, distribution, history, and conservation measures Presents the first overview of English bryophyte conservation Offers invaluable guidance to people working in conservation in England, the British Isles, Europe, and beyond

This entirely new English edition, comprehensively revised and edited by T.L. Blockeel, has been translated from German, with some additional text, by the authors. In a single volume, this work provides users with the means of making at least a preliminary identification of any bryophyte or fern which they might encounter in Europe or Macaronesia.

The new, enlarged and revised flora replaces the former flora "The Liverworts, Mosses and Hornworts of Southwest Asia (Marchantiophyta, Bryophyta, Anthocerotophyta)" (2011) which was the first comprehensive bryophyte flora and wellstructured synthesis of the current knowledge available on the liverworts, mosses and hornworts of Southwest Asia (Near and Middle East). As the former flora, this enlarged and revised new edition covers Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sinai Peninsula, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (incl. the Socotra Archipelago), summarized to a great extend as "Asia 5" in the "Index Muscorum". Since the first publication in 2011, scientific interest in bryophytes drastically increases, resulting in more than 70 additional species, formerly unknown to the area and the first moss records to Qatar Peninsula. In total, nearly 1400 taxa (255 liverworts, 1128 mosses, 5 hornworts) and nearly 2300 names and synonyms were treated. The dichotomous keys provide families, genera and species, including annotations to distribution and to critical, doubtful or erroneously recorded species. The flora includes all bryophyte taxa known to date within this large and varied climatological and geomorphological area. It responds to the tools of the Conservation on Biological Diversity and the Target 1 of the updated Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Main goal beside identification is to achieve a checklist of all known plants of this often neglected and/or overlooked group of organisms. It is a further step to integrate Southwest Asia (Near and Middle East) into the Global Network of floristic knowledge. As many of the species are important initial colonizers of bare rocks, crusts and soil surfaces in steppe and desert regions of the area and are forerunners in vascular plant colonization and succession, their knowledge is of fundamental importance for understanding phytodiversity and ecosystems and provides access to taxonomic information, important for nature conservation. It enables us to give a more precise answer to the question how many plant species occur in the area and it is a step to enhanced education and scientific understanding on the wealth of plant diversity. The book is recommended to all botanists and ecologists, interested in bryophyte flora and vegetation, biodiversity and nature conservation and may stimulate and promote greater interest in bryophytes. We hope, it is also in future a mandatory reference for students, experts and researchers.

A comprehensive guide to the mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians This is the first book to help general readers recognize 200 common mosses of the Northeast and the Appalachian Mountains. With just this field guide, a hand lens, and a spray bottle—no microscopes necessary—readers will be able to identify and name many of the common species of mosses growing in the region's backyards, parks, forests, wetlands, and mountains. At the heart of this guide is an innovative, color-tabbed system that helps readers pick out small groups of similar species. Illustrated identification keys, colorful habitat and leaf photos, more than 600 detailed line drawings, and written descriptions help differentiate the species. This accessible book allows all nature enthusiasts to make accurate identifications and gain access to the enchanting world of mosses. 200 species included More than 600 detailed line drawings More than 400 color photographs Innovative color-tabbed system for species identification Illustrated species identification keys Helpful tips for moss collecting