Liverworts occuring in the snowbeds of the tatra Mountains (Western Carpathians): list, distribution and threats

This article presents the characteristics of liverworts of snowbeds of the entire Tatra Mountains (Western Carpathians) area based upon studies conducted during 2002-2014. The studies concerned four groups of snowbeds (located on covering and rock slopes) distinguished by geomorphologic criteria. The list of liverworts is composed of 38 species of various degrees of linkage to the studied habitats. The species exclusive to the Tatra Mts snowbeds (i.e., not growing in other habitats) include Marsupella condensata, M. apiculata, and Nardia breidleri. The most frequent and most abundant include Anthelia juratzkana, Fuscocephaloziopsis (= Pleurocladula) albescens, and Pseudolophozia (= Lophozia) sudetica. Based upon all available data published from 1814-2014 as well as personal studies (more than 18000 records), the degree of endangerment of snowbed liverworts in the Tatra Mts was determined according to IUCN criteria. New localities are presented for snowbed liverworts thus far considered very rare and previously reported in the Tatra Mts in few localities only (e.g., Marsupella condensata, M. boeckii, Nardia breidleri, and Moerckia blyttii), which significantly changes the view of their rarity in the Tatra Mts.