Spruce's Bristle-moss
CR

Spruce's Bristle-moss

Orthotrichum sprucei

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by Jonathan Hughes

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Spruce's Bristle-moss faces severe threats from habitat degradation and loss due to air pollution, particularly acid rain and nitrogen deposition, which alter the chemistry of its bark substrates. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and temperature regimes that affect the delicate moisture balance required for this epiphytic moss. The species' extremely limited distribution and small population sizes make it highly vulnerable to local extinctions from environmental disturbances.

Threat summary

Habitat

This epiphytic moss grows exclusively on the bark of deciduous trees, particularly in humid woodland environments and along stream valleys in temperate regions. It requires specific microclimate conditions with consistent moisture levels and clean air quality to survive on its tree host substrates.

Other threatened species in Orthotrichaceae

EN

Slender Bristle-moss

Orthotrichum tenellum

Unknown
VU

Macromitrium tocaremae

Unknown
VU

Macromitrium attenuatum

Unknown
VU

Orthotric de Roger

Orthotrichum rogeri

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Spruce's Bristle-moss classified as Critically Endangered?
Spruce's Bristle-moss is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Spruce's Bristle-moss faces severe threats from habitat degradation and loss due to air pollution, particularly acid rain and nitrogen deposition, which alter the chemistry of its bark substrates. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and temperature regimes that affect the delicate moisture balance required for this epiphytic moss. The species' extremely limited distribution and small population sizes make it highly vulnerable to local extinctions from environmental disturbances.
Where does Spruce's Bristle-moss live?
Spruce's Bristle-moss occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Spruce's Bristle-moss?
The main threats to Spruce's Bristle-moss are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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