March 2025, a visit to Lenholmen Nature Reserve,
Lenholmen Nature Reserve in south-western Finland is a small conservation area with a mosaic of coastal meadows, old-growth oak forests and rich bryophyte communities. Among the small but fascinating mosses found in the area is Acaulon muticum, a tiny moss that thrives in open and periodically disturbed habitats.
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| Acaulon muticum |
In Finland, Acaulon muticum is a rare species and is critically endangered by changes in land use, especially the intensification of arable land but also the abandonement and subsequent overgrowing of meadows (Laji.fi, n.d.). Unlike larger moss species that dominate stable environments, Acaulon muticum takes advantage of transient ecological windows, appearing in favourable seasons before disappearing when competition increases (Smith, 2004).
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| Old growth coastal oak forest on Lenholmen |
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| Acaulon muticum |
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| Habitat of Acaulon muticum on Lenhomen |
Inaturalist Observation Acaulon muticum on Lenholmen
References
Laji.fi. (n.d.). Acaulon muticum in Finland. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from https://laji.fi
Smith, A. J. E. (2004). The moss flora of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press.