2026/05/19 by Isyaku Abubakar, Jasmina Šinžar-Sekulić, Marko Sabovljevic +1 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Bryophyte Studies and Records #Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies #Species Distribution and Climate Change
paper · pdf · doi:10.3897/bdj.14.e177294
openalex publication_date 2026/05/19 · openalex created_date 2026/05/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Campylopus introflexus is a suboceanic temperate moss species native to the Southern Hemisphere. It was unintentionally introduced to north-western Europe in the first half of the previous century and it has become invasive. The species continues to expand its European range, spreading eastwards, yet its potential distribution is still poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to identify suitable areas for the potential further spread of this neophytic invasive species across Europe and to assess the impact of climate change on its spread, in order to be considered in flora conservation, protection and management strategies for local bryophytes as well as other low-competitive plant species. We used various species distribution models in two climatic scenarios. These models predicted the current, potential and future ranges of C. introflexus in Europe. Based on these models, we identified the main environmental factors affecting its distribution and analysed the changes in suitable habitats under future climatic conditions. Temperature seasonality proved to be the most important environmental factor influencing the distribution of this species. In general, the results suggest that, under the influence of climate change and rising global temperatures, this species will decrease its range size, while the most suitable habitats are expected to shift towards higher latitudes and/or altitudes in the future. These findings support climate as the limiting factor in species expansion, providing a basis for targeted monitoring of the species and key areas in the future.