EMPACTS Project Fall 2013 Bryophytes & Liverworts

26 Pages·2013·5.13 MB·English

by  Phillips, Dianne

EMPACTS Project
Fall 2013
Bryophytes & Liverworts
PLANT BIOLOGY FALL 2013
INSTRUCTOR: KURTIS CECIL
Group Members / Labor
Andy Warren Jon Jacobs Brian Stine
• Research • Research • Research
• Field Work • Field Work • Slide preparation
• Field Photography • Field Photography • Slide photography
• Slide preparation • Slide preparation • GIS/Google
Mapping
• Slide photography • GIS/Google
Mapping
• Power point
design
• Benton County
Liverwort
Database
Project Introduction
The importance of this project
is to begin the location,
education and identification
process of Bryophytes and
Liverworts in the NWACC
Nature Area Living Laboratory.
Project Overview
Educate on Locate samples Map the
what a in the NWACC specimen with
Taxonomy
Bryophyte and Living GIS/Google
Liverwort is Laboratory Earth
Project Goals
Our goals with this project is to learn more about
the taxonomy and ecology of mosses and liverworts
through research in the field as well as
documentation. We would like to see future
students build on what we have started through
continued research and identification.
Technology Used
 Leica ICC50 HD Microscope

 Garmin Handheld GPS unit

 Google Mapping

 Digital Camera

 Dissecting Scope

 Computer Software
― Word, Excel, Power point & Las EZ software for taking
micro slide pictures.
Educate
What a Bryophyte is NOT! What a Bryophyte IS!
• Pioneering plant
• Spanish moss – produces
flowers and seeds • Non vascular plants
• Reindeer moss – lichen • Small herbaceous plants
lacking leafy structure and
• Photosynthetic phase life cycle
color
is the haploid, gametophyte
• Irish moss – purplish generation.
seaweed known as carrageen
• Slow growth period
• Grow closely packed together
– Mats closely together
Educate
What a liverwort is:
• Two distinct forms:
• Leafy – Similar to mosses
Easly distingused from mosses by their leaf
arrangements. 2 – 3 rows while leaves in
moss are spirally arranged.

• Thalloid – Do not have leaves, instead the
main body is flat. Easiest to identify.
• Some Liverworts produce asexually.
Educate
Uses of Mosses:

 Bio indicators of air pollution
― Good indicators of acid rains to an
ecosystem
 Erosion Control agents
― Moisture control
― Stability to soil
 Provides Nitrogen fixation in Sub Artic and
Artic ecosystems
 Aesthetic purposes
Educate
Structures of Bryophytes