Diversidad de briófitos en fragmentos de bosque seco tropical, Montes de María, Sucre, Colombia

In the tropical dry forests of the Colombian Caribbean bryophyte diversity is little known although this area presents the best preserved forest fragments. In this study, we analyzed bryophyte diversity in the “Montes de María”, Sucre, Colombia. Bryophytes were identified and quantified in 6 localities, on the basis of this information the taxonomic (Δ+ and Λ+) and biological (α and β) diversity were calculated. A total of 1,125 individuals belonging to 63 species, 42 genera and 23 families, were registered. Species-rich families were: Neckeraceae, Pottiaceae, Sematophyllaceae, Lejeuneaceae and Plagiochilaceae; while the genera: Fissidens, Neckeropsis, Sematophyllum, Lejeunea and Plagiochila, were important. Colosó and Morroa are the most diverse localities and San Onofre has the least diversity of all, because of forest fragmentation and destruction. This study constitutes the first contribution on the diversity patterns of bryophytes of this region of the country; as well as their implications for the structure of the assemblages in dry tropical ecosystems.