**7. Discussions**

Acurio [11] carried out an exhaustive study of the diversity of mosses in the Wiñay Wayna – Machupicchu area – Peru, finding a total of 129 species of mosses in 72

**Figure 11.** *Box and whisker plot for species richness per plot of each estate of the tree.*

genera and 29 families. Making a comparison with the present study we have that: Acurio collected mosses in an altitude range of 2500 to 3100 m, on the other hand, this study was carried out in an altitude range of 4300 to 4800 m, and in investigations carried out by Churchill et al. [3], it was found that the elevation zone with the highest number of moss species is between 2000 and 3000 m. Lithophytic, epiphytic, and terrestrial mosses were evaluated; however, in the present study, only epiphytic mosses were taken, and according to Churchill et al. [3], the most common substrate among mosses is soil, followed by rocks and finally epiphytes. Therefore, the ecological conditions for Wiñay Wayna seem to be much more favorable, which allows the existence of a greater diversity of species. Despite the differences regarding the study area, it is necessary to highlight that, of the 129 species cited by Acurio, three of these species were also reported for this study: *Zygodon reinwardtii* (Hornsch.) A. Braum, *Thuidium peruvianum* Mitt., and *Sematophyllum swartzii* (Schwägr.) W.H. Welch & H.A. Crum.

Fuentes & Churchill [17] found, in the Madidi region (Bolivia), a total of 369 species in 168 genera and 54 families, of which seven species are shared with the present study: *Bartramia potosica* Mont., *Chorisodontium mittenii* (Müll. Hal.) Broth., *Braunia cirrhifolia* (Mitt.) A. Jaeger, *Orthotrichum elongatum* Taylor, *Z. reinwardtii* (Hornsch.) A. Braum, *Leptodontium tricolor* (R.S. Williams) R.H. Zander,*Thuidium peruvianum* Mitt. To understand the proportion of the number of species that were obtained in this study, it is necessary to highlight that the studied area comprises approximately 30,000 km2 , likewise, the climate is varied and includes mountain ranges that reach 6000 m, low mountain ranges, wide and narrow valleys, and plains above 200 m. Gradstein et al. [16] stated that in the neotropics, the diversity of mosses depends on the heterogeneity of the habitats, together with the vegetation zoning provided by the topographic relief. Likewise, Churchill et al. [18] discovered that, if the topographic relief is poor, the diversity of mosses is low. Starting from this premise, we can infer that the richness of the bryoflora in the study area is due to the geographical and ecological conditions that the study area presents (topographical relief, edaphology, climate, vegetation, etc.)

*Diversity of Epiphytic Mosses (Bryophyta) in Forests of* Polylepis *(Rosaceae) in the Urubamba… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108284*

For its part, Carhuapoma [13] carried out the study of mosses of the Historical Sanctuary of the Pampa de Ayacucho in an altitude range of 3350 to 4100 m.a.s.l., registering the Pottiaceae as the most representative family with 10 species, followed by Orthotrichaceae, Brachytheciaceae, and Bartramiaceae with six species, which shows that the results are similar to those reported in the present investigation.

It was believed that the adaptation of *Polylepi*s did not allow the development of epiphytes on trunks (bolus, low canopy) and branches because the bark is constantly being renewed [19], but despite this difficult condition, lichens colonize and settle on branches and trunks of *Polylepis* trees, to later allow the development of mosses, liverworts and other vascular plants by ecological succession.
