Evaluating moss diversity and biomass for sustainable harvesting methods in semi-arid forests of Turkey.

ABSTRACT: In Turkey, it is legal to harvest moss from designated areas; however, the lack of comprehensive inventory studies in these harvested zones poses a significant threat to moss species. Harvesting without proper inventories can negatively impact rare, sensitive, and even endemic species in the region. Furthermore, research on the sustainable amount of moss harvestable per hectare in forested areas is severely lacking. The goal of this study, which covered 4,200 hectares on Eldivan Mountain, was to close the significant gap in moss inventory and sustainable harvesting methods. Sampling was conducted every 300-meters, measuring mosses in four m² ground plots and 50 m² tree plots. The total area covered by the identified moss species was approximately 97,216,557 m²

SUBMITTER: Ursavas S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11910958 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature