Cryptogamy

We are one of only a few cryptogamic botany (i.e., moss, lichens, ferns, fungi) labs in Canada. Much of our research focuses on bryology in relation to molecular and taxonomic diversity in the context of conservation biology. We are investigating molecular variation within and among populations and species in relation to each species' biology and ecology. This research builds on our previous research concerning patterns of habitat specificity in relation to the conservation of locally endemic species. Several new projects include barcoding lichens, ferns and fungi (mycorrhiza) using quantitative PCR techniques.