EDP Foz-Tua: Bryophyte flora – Complementary Studies [2011] and Ecological Monitoring Program [2012-2015]

Study Extent

Data were collected from 49 field sampling areas along the Tua lower valley (Northeast Portugal), in the municipalities of Alijó, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Murça, Vila Flor, Mirandela, and two field sampling areas in the Douro sub-basin, in the municipalities of Régua and Sabrosa.

Sampling

Sampling was designed not only to obtain data for Complementary Studies [2011] but also for the Ecological Monitoring Program (2012-2015) which included two general objectives: (1) Evaluation of the direct and indirect impacts of the dam construction on the bryophytic flora and (2) Evaluation of the effect of the implementation of minimization and compensation measures within the scope of the Tua dam construction on the bryophytic flora. Depending on the objectives defined for each of the 54 sampling points one or more techniques of sampling were applied at each location:
a) A prospective area of ​​approximately 2,500 m2 (25 m in all perpendicular directions from the sampling area centroid), whenever possible and in the absence of natural barriers, to (1) explore all bryophyte habitats and obtain the total inventory of Tua’s watershed bryophyte diversity (fieldwork for the Complementary Studies), and (2) to assess the importance of micro-reserves for the conservation of priority conservation taxa and bryophyte target communities; b) Three permanent squares with 50 cm2 were located on homogeneous rock vertical surfaces at each sampling point, to assess the indirect impact of the presence of the dam reservoir on the composition of mesophytic, xerophytic and hyper-xerophytic saxicolous bryophytic habitats; c) Twenty sampling units of size 20 cm2, along 100 meters of the river segment at each sampling point (reference, impact and control), to evaluate the capacity of the reorganization of bryophyte communities in immersed and semi-immersed freshwater habitats subjected to the alteration of the hydrological regime upstream of the dam; d) Ten 50 cm bands (measured from the base of the trunk) covering the entire perimeter of the trunk on ten selected trees at each sampling point, to evaluate the effect of measures for the recovery and planting of native riparian vegetation on bryophyte epiphytic flora. Parameters taken in each sampling procedure include (1) list of taxa, (2) list of priority conservation taxa, (3) percentage cover for each species, and (4) frequency of occurrence of each taxon in each bryophyte community. However, in this dataset, data are presented as presence/absence per sampling plot only.

Quality Control

All taxa were identified by experienced researchers. The herbarium specimens originated during fieldwork are available for consultation at PO Herbarium collection at the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP).

Method steps

1. To be completed

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset spans 1 phylum, 5 classes, 19 orders, 49 famillies, 98 genus and 170 species or infra-specific categories.

1. Bryophyta
   rank: phylum
2. Jungermanniopsida
   rank: class
3. Anthocerotopsida
   rank: class
4. Bryopsida
   rank: class
5. Marchantiopsida
   rank: class
6. Polytrichopsida
   rank: class
7. Porellales
   rank: order
8. Notothyladales
   rank: order
9. Bartramiales
   rank: order
10. Bryales
    rank: order
11. Dicranales
    rank: order
12. Funariales
    rank: order
13. Grimmiales
    rank: order
14. Hedwigiales
    rank: order
15. Hypnales
    rank: order
16. Isobryales
    rank: order
17. Orthotrichales
    rank: order
18. Pottiales
    rank: order
19. Fossombroniales
    rank: order
20. Jungermmaniales
    rank: order
21. Metzgeriales
    rank: order
22. Lunulariales
    rank: order
23. Marchantiales
    rank: order
24. Sphaerocarpales
    rank: order
25. Polytrichales
    rank: order
26. Lejeuneaceae
    rank: family
27. Notothyladaceae
    rank: family
28. Bartramiaceae
    rank: family
29. Bryaceae
    rank: family
30. Mniaceae
    rank: family
31. Dicranaceae
    rank: family
32. Ditrichaceae
    rank: family
33. Fissidentaceae
    rank: family
34. Leucobryaceae
    rank: family
35. Rhabdoweisiaceae
    rank: family
36. Funariaceae
    rank: family
37. Grimmiaceae
    rank: family
38. Hedwigiaceae
    rank: family
39. Cryphaeceae
    rank: family
40. Fontinalaceae
    rank: family
41. Leptodontaceae
    rank: family
42. Leucodontaceae
    rank: family
43. Neckeraceae
    rank: family
44. Amblystegiaceae
    rank: family
45. Brachytheciaceae
    rank: family
46. Fabroniaceae
    rank: family
47. Hypnaceae
    rank: family
48. Lembophyllaceae
    rank: family
49. Leskeaceae
    rank: family
50. Orthotrichaceae
    rank: family
51. Pottiaceae
    rank: family
52. Fissombroniaceae
    rank: family
53. Calypogeiaceae
    rank: family
54. Cephaloziellaceae
    rank: family
55. Gymnomitriaceae
    rank: family
56. Lophocoleaceae
    rank: family
57. Lophoziaceae
58. Plagiochilaceae
    rank: family
59. Scapaniaceae
    rank: family
60. Southbyaceae
    rank: family
61. Aneuraceae
    rank: family
62. Frullaniaceae
    rank: family
63. Porellaceae
    rank: family
64. Radulaceae
    rank: family
65. Lunulariaceae
    rank: family
66. Aytoniaceae
    rank: family
67. Marchantiaceae
    rank: family
68. Oxymitraceae
    rank: family
69. Ricciaceae
    rank: family
70. Targioniaceae
    rank: family
71. Sphaerocarpaceae
    rank: family
72. Conocephalaceae
    rank: family
73. Corsiniaceae
    rank: family
74. Polytrichaceae
    rank: family

Data and specimens were collected along the valley of the River Tua (Northeast Portugal), from the river mouth to about 67 km upstream in the river Tuela and about 68 km upstream in the river Rabaçal, as well as in a Tua tributary (to about 27 km upstream in the Tinhela river), encompassing sampling areas in Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Region (sampling points in the municipality of Alijó, Murça, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Vila Flor and Mirandela). Two additional areas were surveyed in rivers Pinhão and Corgo rivers, located in Sabrosa and Régua municipalities, respectively (Douro river sub-basin).