FEATURES OF LIPID COMPOSITION OF SPHAGNUM AND TRUE MOSSES FROM VARIOUS NATURAL CLI-MATIC ZONES

Abstract

A composition of 16 lipid samples of sphagnum and true mosses (Bryales) growing at an average annual temperature ranging from -9.1 °C to 1.5 °C is investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The individual composition and content of n-alkanes, fatty n-acids and their esters, n-alkane-2-ones, aldehydes, farnesylfuranes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), tocopherols, squalene, steroids, sesqui-, di- and triterpenoids of these mosses are determined. True mosses differ from sphagnum mosses in their lower content of n-alkanes, n-alkan-2-ones, n-aldehydes, tocopherols and cyclic terpenoids, and a higher content of PAHs. Campesterol prevails among steroids of true mosses, while stigmasterol and sitosterol dominate in sphagnum mosses. Sitosterol prevails in sphagnum mosses growing in areas with a negative average annual temperature. An increase in the temperature of the habitat results in a decrease in the relative content of n-alkanes with odd number of carbon atoms in the molecule in true mosses, and a slight decrease in their average chain length in sphagnum mosses. It is shown that terpenoids are the most dependent on natural habitat conditions of mosses. This is indicated by the content of squalene, sesqui- and diterpenoids, the ratio of hydrocarbons to oxygen-containing structures of cyclic triterpenoids, and that of compounds from series of perhydropicene and cyclopentapeperhydrochryzene. The increased humidity of habitat of a moss eliminates the effect of temperature. The stability of composition of n-alkanes and n-alkan-2-ones of sphagnum mosses developing under various conditions makes it possible to consider these compounds as potential chemotaxonomic markers of sphagnum mosses in peat deposits.