Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) of the thermal springs of Baransky Vulcano (Iturup Island, Kuril Islands, Russia)

For the first time, a complete list of liverworts from the thermal habitats of Baransky Volcano of Iturup Island, South Kurils is compiled and analyzed. Based on investigation of four collecting sites, 37 species of liverworts were found in direct zone of source of exposure. The presented list of species includes distribution of liverworts on thermal springs and their substrata confinement. In addition, the ecology of recorded species in the southern Kuril Islands is discussed. The size of hydrothermal field, diversity of habitats and competition with mosses and vascular plants impact on species diversity of different thermal habitats. The common species in the studied hydrothermal springs are Calypogeia pseudointegristipula, Cephalozia bicuspidata, Marsupella tubulosa, Nardia assamica, N. subclavata and Solenostoma vulcanicola. The originality of the hepatic flora of thermal springs of Baransky Vulcano is in its richness, unique species composition for each partial flora, presence of rare (Asperifolia arguta, Diplophyllum sibiricum, Nardia compressa) and peculiar (Nardia subclavata, Solenostoma vulcanicola) species.