Mosses, Liverworts and Lichens are the botanical underdogs in the tree of life and are often neglected due to their cryptic nature and taxonomic difficulty. Despite their small size and challenges, these plants and fungi thrive on Cortes Island but are relatively understudied in comparison to other islands in the Salish Sea.
Sphagnum is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as “peat moss.”
During The Moss Walk, Kw’as Park, Saturday, November 13, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dan Tucker identified and interpreted the mosses, liverworts, and common lichens of Cortes Island. Dan also provided a demonstration of bryophyte specimen collection and curation for research. The walk, in Kw’as Park entry at the marsh, was a great event. Thank you, Dan!
At The Moss Talk, Mansons Hall, Sunday, December 12, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Dan will talk about app-based citizen science programs such as iNaturalist that are effective tools to enhance awareness of biodiversity, address gaps in floristic data, and monitor rare plant populations. In this presentation, Dan Tucker will describe the use of the app iNaturalist for moss, liverwort, and lichen surveys, and discuss the potential for citizen science engagement in these apps on Cortes Island. For more information about this event check the Cortes Museum website, cortesmuseum.com,
Proof of vaccination and masks are required for this event.
These two events are free but donations are gratefully accepted.
Homalothecium
Dan Tucker is a recently graduated botanist from the University of Alberta with a BSc in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Dan works on various projects rooted mainly in bryophyte conservation, plant community ecology, and taxonomy. Dan is currently a researcher in residence at the EcoLab on Linnaea farm in partnership with Wild Cortes, Cortes Island Museum and FOCI. Dan is also a new(ish) Cortes Island resident.
Dan Tucker
