An Insight into the Biology of the Rare and Peculiar Moss Pterygoneurum sibiricum (Pottiaceae): A Conservation Physiology Approach

Abstract

The biological features of the recently described peculiar and rare pottioid moss species Pterygoneurum sibiricum have been studied. A conservation physiology approach through in vitro axenic establishment and laboratory-controlled tests was applied to learn more about its development, physiology, and ecology. Additionally, ex situ collection for this species was established, and a micropropagation methodology was developed. The results obtained clearly document its reaction to salt stress in contrast to its sibling bryo-halophyte species P. kozlovii. The reaction to exogenously applied plant growth regulators, auxin and cytokinin, can be used in the different moss propagation phases of this species or for target structure production and development. Inference to the poorly known ecology of this species should also help in recent species records, and thus improve knowledge about its distribution and conservation.

Keywords: Pterygoneurum; bryophyte; eco-physiology; functional features; in vitro; protection.

Figure 1

The index of multiplication (A) and secondary protonemal patch diameter (B) of Pterygoneurum sibiricum on different nutrient media in Experiment type I. The box ranges from the first (Q1) to the third (Q3) quartile, with the black horizontal line representing the median. The black dots represent individual observations, while the red dots represent the mean. The whiskers extend to the 1.5 × IQR (interquartile range) from the edge of the box. Comparisons were made with the KNOP growth media as the reference group using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test * p ≤ 0.05; *** p ≤ 0.001; **** p ≤ 0.0001; ns—nonsignificant.

Figure 2

The appearance of Pterygoneurum sibiricum explants grown on different sugar-free nutrient media (A–C) and supplemented with sucrose (D–F) and fructose (G–I) in Experiment type (I). The bars represent size ((A–E,H,I) 4 mm; (F,G) 2 mm).

Figure 3

The index of multiplication (A) and secondary protonemal patch diameter (B) of Pterygoneurum sibiricum on the KNOP nutrient media supplemented with growth regulators in Experiment type II. The box ranges from the first (Q1) to the third (Q3) quartile, with the black horizontal line representing the median. The black dots represent individual observations, while the red dots represent the mean. The whiskers extend to the 1.5 × IQR (interquartile range) from the edge of the box. The letters above the boxplots indicate the statistically significant differences among the experimental groups (p < 0.05 after Dunn’s multiple comparisons test).

Figure 4

The appearance of Pterygoneurum sibiricum explants grown on KNOP nutrient medium supplemented with IBA and BAP in Experiment type II: (A) PGR-free; (B) 0.1 µM IBA; (C) 0.1 µM BAP; (D) 0.03 µM IBA + 0.1 µM BAP; (E) 0.1 µM IBA + 0.1 µM BAP; (F) 0.3 µM IBA + 0.1 µM BAP. The bars represent size ((A–F) 4 mm).

Figure 5

The index of multiplication (A) and secondary protonemal patch diameter (B) of Pterygoneurum sibiricum on KNOP nutrient media supplemented with different NaCl concentrations in Experiment type III. The box ranges from the first (Q1) to the third (Q3) quartile, with the black horizontal line representing the median. The black dots represent individual observations, while the red dots represent the mean. The whiskers extend to the 1.5 × IQR (interquartile range) from the edge of the box. The letters above the boxplots indicate statistically significant differences among the experimental groups (p < 0.05 after Dunn’s multiple comparisons test).

Figure 6

The appearance of Pterygoneurum sibiricum explants grown on KNOP nutrient medium supplemented with different NaCl concentrations: (A) control; (B) 10 mM NaCl; (C) 50 mM NaCl; (D) 100 mM NaCl; (E) 250 mM NaCl; (F) 500 mM NaCl. The bars represent size ((A–F) 4 mm).

Figure 7

The formation of brachycytes in Pterygoneurum sibiricum explants grown on KNOP nutrient medium supplemented with different NaCl concentrations: (A) 50 mM NaCl; (B) 100 mM NaCl; (C) 250 mM NaCl.