The post-fire successional ecology of mosses in boreal white spruce (Picea glauca) forests in north-central Alberta, Canada

The research described in this thesis examined aspects of the post-fire successional ecology of early and late successional mosses in the context of the 2001 Chisholm Fire in north-central Alberta, Canada. One year after fire the bryophyte community consisted mostly of ruderal species. In unburned stands outside the fire boundary the dominant bryophytes were Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens, Ptilium crista-castrensis and Plagiomnium spp. Total bryophyte cover and species in burned sites two years after the fire were positively correlated with GSM. Bryophyte cover was negatively correlated with litter cover. Data collected in two study sites over the first three years since fire suggested that acrocarpous mosses can be suppressed by Marchantia polymorpha.;Ash was apparently toxic to fragments of Pleurozium schreberi and Ptilium crista-castrensis. Fragment size also affected the survival and growth of fragments. Large, branched fragments were significantly more successful than small fragments (unbranched side-shoots) or miniature fragments (shredded pieces of leaf and stem). Small and miniature fragments of Ptilium were particularly poor propagules.;This thesis also describes a study into the potential for burned feather moss carpets to influence the establishment of white spruce, tamarack ( Larix laricina), blue flax (Linum lewisii) and palmate-leaved coltsfoot (Petasites palmatus). Survival of tamarack seedlings was significantly reduced on burned feather moss.