about the ecological significance of pterodophytes

1. By
PARVATHY MOHAN
1st Msc Botany

2. ROLE OF FERNS
• They provide microhabitats as well as shelter and shade for
small animals.
• Provide a source of food and medicine for animals.
• Colonize disturbed sites as one stage succession.
• Evolve to fill unique niches in ecosystem and co- evolve with
other species.
• Pteris vittata shows excellent arscenic hyper accumilation ,it
stores arsenic in their leaves..
• Invasive fern species pose a major threat to native
biodiversity, as thy are known to disrupt local ecosystems.
• Nephrolepis codofolia and Hypolepis muelleri identified as
hytostabilisers of Cu, Pb,zn and Ni.

3. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
• Equisetum arvense and Equisetum plebejum are indicators of
gold rich soil.
• Pteridium sps are indicators of burnt and highly distributed
coniferous forest.
• Pteris aquilinum is well adapted to grow in burnt and highly
disturbed areas as an indicator of fire.
Equisetum arvense Pteridium aquilinum

4. DIVERSITY OF MACRO AND MICRO HABITATS
• Pteridophytes are densely growing plant groups which always need
moisture content . It will provide a cool, shady and better environment and
habitat for organisms like millipedes, arthropods , their larvae and all
microbial organisms like fungi,bacterias,cynobacterias. This will ensure a
macro and microhabitat for these habitats.
• Aquatic pteridophytes like Salvinia ,Azolla provide a good environment for
the laying of eggs of frogs, and fishes which will provide a hiding space for
their young ones also.

5. STABILIZATION OF DISTURBED HABITATS
• 1. Ferns often colonize habitats disturbed by tectonic activity,
wind, water, fire and humans.
• 2. Fern dispersal into disturbed habitats can result from long
distance movement of spores but is usually by short distance
spore dispersal or vegetative expansion of nearby plants.
• 3. Rapid establishment and dense growth can make ferns
competitive with other vascular plants through light reduction
and nutrient uptake or immobilization. Fern thickets can delay
successional transitions but ferns also provide regeneration
sites for other species and stabilize slopes. Fern influences
may vary across environmental resource (e.g., light, water,
nutrients) and topographic gradients.
• Ferns can have important roles in the restoration of disturbed
ecosystems.
• Polystichum montevidense, Pteridium arachnoideum and
Blechnum penna-marina

6. Pteridium arachnoideum Blechnum penna-marina
Polystichum montevidense

7. PREVENTION OF SOILAND NUTRIENT LEACHING
• Leaching is the loss of soil and essential water
soluble nutrients.
• The subterrarian rhizome will prevent soil erosion
and the slow degradation of the gametophytic plant
will prevent the soil from excessive leaching

8. MICRO-HABITATS FOR SEED OR SPORE GERMINATION
• The germination of seeds or spores need a good environmental
conditions with sufficient moisture ,shade and a cool
atmosphere. Pteridophytes abundantly growing region can help
the seeds and spore germinate easily by providing a perfect
environment.
• The shady environment will provide acclimatized conditions for
young seedlings to withstand the natural environment condition.