Course: Introduction to Bryophyte Identification

This beginner to intermediate 2-day course is a great opportunity to learn more about mosses and liverworts.

Despite their small size, mosses and liverworts are beautiful, often structurally complex organisms, which reveal their secrets when looked at under a hand lens or microscope. Bryophytes play a critical role in many of our most important ecosystems, particularly peatlands and temperate rainforests, and yet they are often overlooked. This course is suitable for beginners but will also appeal to those who have a basic knowledge of bryophytes and wish to learn more about their identification, both in the field and under the microscope.

What will be covered in the course?

• Introduction to bryophyte features in the field
• Identification skills in the lab
• Using field identification keys and microscopic keys

By the end of the course:

• You will learn about the morphology of bryophytes and the main differences between mosses and liverworts.
• You will become familiar with the vocabulary used to describe diagnostic features of mosses and liverworts.
• You will learn the diagnostic characters of different species in the field, then observe them in detail under the microscope to consolidate your leaning.
• You will learn how to dissect mosses and liverworts and prepare slides to use for microscopic identification.
• You will use field keys which will allow you to identify many species from characters visible under a hand lens, as well as microscopic keys for identification of more cryptic species.
• You will learn about the ecology of mosses and liverworts, including what habitat you can expect to find them in and what conditions they thrive in.

This is a non-residential course.

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use the discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.