News
VIII International Meeting of Sphagnum Biology in Trondheim/Norway, September 2024
We spent an exciting week with lots of insights in the latest developments in Sphagnum genetics, propagation methods and habitat restoration techniques. During 4 days of field excursions accompanied by the leading Sphagnum and peatlands experts Kjell Ivar Flatberg, Håkan Rydin, Anna Laine, Kristian Hassel, Magni Olsen Kyrkjeeide and Fia Bengtsson, we were able to discover the beautiful mires of Trøndelag with 46 Sphagnum species, which is more than double the number of the species of the genus occurring in Luxembourg!
Collaboration with the MNHN
A very rare Sphaerocarpos liverwort species, which was recently discovered near Kehlen, could be identified as Sphaerocarpos europeus thanks to the technical support by the National Museum of Natural History. With the help of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it was possible to clearly recognise the characteristics of the moss’ spores that are crucial for its identification.
Bryophytes of Luxembourg
We have added a new page to provide an overview of the most relevant observations in Luxembourg since 2017.
Seeking the identity of an enigmatic moss by embracing phylogenomics
ATEMO managing partner Florian Hans collaborated on an international study aiming to “apply next‐generation sequencing to identify samples that cannot be assigned to a taxon by morphological analysis or by Sanger sequencing methods. […]
This approach provided the necessary resolution to confidently identify these challenging samples and may be a powerful tool for similar cases, especially in bryophytes.”
Report on sphagnum moss reintroduction in Luxembourg
A first progress report about the in-situ reintroduction and the ex-situ cultivation of sphagnum mosses in Luxembourg has been published in Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, a journal for applied ecology.
Would you like to know more about the collaboration between ATEMO and SICONA on this project? Here you can find the link to the abstract. For further information please contact us via [email protected].
Mosses vs. Sponheim Saxifrage
The Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History commissioned ATEMO to survey 20 locations with naturally occurring and introduced Saxifraga sponhemica in order to record all present moss species. In addition to the species mapping, a bryological site characterisation and an assessment of the competition between mosses and Saxifraga have been carried out.
Mapping of the Reichling Squares (2023)
IIn the summer of 2023, ATEMO conducted the mapping of the second lot of the so-called Reichling squares in the Upper Sûre nature park as part of a joint project between the three Luxembourgish nature parks and the Museum of Natural History.
Leopold Reichling (1921-2009), a prominent Luxembourgish botanist, had divided Luxembourg into squares of 1 km x 1 km in order to provide a relatively accurate indication of the location of his botanical observations.
PC21: Mapping of mosses and ferns
In preparation of the rock consolidation measures along the new Clervaux-Maulusmühle cycle path, ATEMO was commissioned with the mapping of the rock faces' moss and fern flora. (Assigned by BEST Ingénieurs Conseils, Project by Ponts & Chaussées)
Mapping in the Halerbaach
On behalf of the ANF, ATEMO has been mapping the rocks on the southern slope of the Halerbaach over the last few months. We have recorded epilithic mosses and ferns, specifically gametophyte of the Killarney fern (Trichomanes speciosum).
Leopold Reichling study
As part of the large-scale project D'NATURPARKEN ZU LËTZEBUERG – (EEN) INSEKTERÄICH, the Luxembourgish nature parks are reconducting the mapping that was carried out by Luxembourgish naturalist Leopold Reichling 50 years ago. In the summer of 2022, ATEMO took on the mapping in the Uewersauer nature park.
Biotope cadastre monitoring
Every year, the Nature and Forest Agency commissions ecological mappings as part of the monitoring for the biotope cadastre of open landscapes. The experts from ATEMO were entrusted with the monitoring of relevant sites in the municipalities of Steinfort, Vichten, and Wahl.
Pilot project Phase II
Towards the end of December 2021, a third test site was introduced in the “Haarzebruch” test area. The goal is to reintroduce the ombrotraphent sphagnum moss Sphagnum rubellum, which has been cultivated ex-situ.
Dicranum viride
As part of our mapping mission, we were able to expand the previously known distribution area of this FFH Annex II species considerably to the west.
Rediscovery!
During ATEMO's sphagnum moss monitoring in the Conzefenn, the extremely rare bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) was rediscovered.
Sphagnum moss mapping
ATEMO was carrying out a sphagnum moss mapping in the slope bogs near Morbach in the Hunsrück range on behalf of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district administration.
Transplantation of Dicranum viride
Dicranum viride, which was threatened by an emergency clearing, was transplanted to a suitable location as part of a pilot project by the COPIL Natura 2000 Mullerthal.
Sphagnum moss cultivation
As part of the pilot project “Kultivierung von seltenen Torfmoosarten zwecks Wiederansiedlung” (“Cultivation of rare sphagnum moss species for reintroduction”), the Sphagnum rubellum, which is quite rare in Luxembourg, is grown ex-situ on cultivation tables.
Pilot project
In collaboration with SICONA, we are preparing the reintroduction of sphagnum mosses (Sphagnum sp.) on two test sites in a fen. We hope to see first results within 6 months.