title: [Research advances on interactions among bryophytes].
abstract: This paper summarized the present research status and advances on the intra- and interspecific positive interaction, intra- and inter-specific competition, niche, and coexistence of bryophytes. Bryophytes are generally the dominant plants in harsh environments, and there is a trade-off between their water retention and light and nutrient resource availability. Because of the lesser importance of competition in harsh environments, the positive interaction among bryophytes is common, but the intra- and inter-specific competition among bryophytes and the competition between bryophytes and vascular plants are not rare. Competition hierarchy may exist among some bryophytes, but often changes with environments. In the process of bryophyte community formation, the random process, nature of colonization, and difference in regeneration strategy can result in the niche overlap and coexistence of bryophytes, and the niche differentiation resulted from competition is also one of the mechanisms for bryophytes coexistence. Bryophytes should not be simply classified as stress tolerated-ruderal life history strategists, and competition is still one of important factors for constructing some bryophyte communities and vegetations co-existed by bryophytes and vascular plants.
authors.affiliation: State Environmental Protection Administration Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China. buzhaojun@nenu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Zhao-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hong-Kai
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D044002:Bryophyta / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D011156:Population Density; D011157:Population Dynamics