On the
basis of historical data and field studies conducted in 2003 and 2005, the
bryopyte flora of Volzhsko-Kamskiy Nature Reserve presently includes 162
mosses, 44 liverworts, and 1 hornwort. Twenty doubtful records of previous
authors are excluded. Raifa, one of two territories of the reserve, is known
for its old-growth spruce forests and as the SW limit of Abies sibirica in
Europe. This territory has relatively
complete historical data on hepatics from the 1880s and mosses since the 1920s.
A comparison of the bryoflora found in our recent study with that documented
earlier reveals changes in the bryoflora, particularly in representation of
certain species. The maximal decreases are in epixylic species, associated with
spruce and fir forests, and also in mire species. At the same time a relatively
eutrophic epigeic forest species seems increase their abundance.