February 2025, a short visit to Teijo National Park. The park, located in Southwest Finland, showcases a variety of landscapes shaped by glacial history. Notably, the ancient shorelines, lichen-dominated forests, and the bogs surrounding Matildanjärvi show a variety of higly interesting habitats for mosses and lichens :)
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| Bog at the edge of Matildanjärvi, dominated by Sphagnum papillosum |
The ancient shorelines are evident through stone ridges and sandy soils, remnants of post-glacial rebound. These raised beach ridges now support interesting lichen flora and Cladonia spp. from extensive carpets beneath sparse canopies of Pinus sylvestris and occasional Betula pendula. In small depressions on open granite rock where rainwater accumulates, Cladonia strepsilis forms exentsive hills together with Pycnothelia papillaria.
From the bryologist point of View, the Racomitrium species are very prominent and form large, round patches on the granite rock. Lake Matildanjärvi interrupts the dry forests, bordered by bogs and moist spruce forest. Here, Sphagnum species, including Sphagnum medium, fuscum, papilliousm, angustifolium, centrale, fimbriatum dominate. Along the hiking trail, Drosera rotundifolia, Eriophorum vaginatum and Andromeda polifolia are common at bog edges.
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| Ancient shoreline at Teijo |
Ptilium crista castrensis, Cladonia rangiferina and Pycnothelia papillaria
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| Cladonia stellaris |
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| Cladonia strepsilis |
Finnish Parks & Wildlife Service. (n.d.). Teijo National Park - Matildanjärvi. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://classic.nationalparks.fi/en-US/teijo/services/matildanjarvi
Finland Naturally. (n.d.). This is the most enchanting route in Teijo National Park: Matildanjärvi loop trail. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://finlandnaturally.com/nature-sites/this-is-the-most-enchanting-route-in-teijo-national-park-matildanjarvi-loop-trail
PeakVisor. (n.d.). Teijo National Park. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://peakvisor.com/park/teijo-national-park.html