Briófitos de ríos y bioindicación del cambio climáticoUna experiencia en La Rioja

Abstract

The depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer as a result of anthropogenic activities may increase the ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiance at ground level. This may lead to harmful biological consequences affecting living beings. Higher courses of rivers are a type of ecosystems particularly affected by UV-B increase, and bryophytes play a key ecological role in them. We describe this ecological role and the wide utilization of bryophytes in bioindication processes as preamble to expose the effects of enhanced UV-B on photosynthetic organisms in general and on bryophytes in particular. Starting from this knowledge, we present some results obtained by our group on the effects of UV-B on bryophytes from higher courses of rivers and discuss their suitability for being used as bioindicators of a potential UV-B enhancement. In this sense, the increase in the concentration of UV-absorbing compounds in some species might be a promising variable for bioindication purposes. Nevertheless, the development of a bryophyte-based Bioindication Net of UV-B radiation in mountain ecosystems would require additional work combining laboratory and field experiments in order to select the adequate species, populations and variables. Perspectives on the initiation of this experience are finally discussed