An Introduction to Sphagnum

Location:
The Gateway, Chester Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1NB
Starts:
Wednesday 8 November 2017, 10:00
Ends:
Wednesday 8 November 2017, 16:00

A day course on identifying the bog-mosses for the beginner with Martin Godfrey.

Sphagnum is traditionally seen as a difficult genus of moss to identify as species can look quite similar and be rather plastic in colour and morphology.  They are abundant in many wet habitats, where they can be dominant, and are excellent ecological indicators. This makes it important to identify them to species, especially as many of them are rare or scarce and several species form important community constants in the National Vegetation Classification.

When well-grown, many species of Sphagnum can be identified in the field with a lens, and this one-day workshop will provide an introduction to the group based on the field characters of species found in lowland Britain.  We will examine a variety of fresh material to illustrate the different types and structures and will highlight common pitfalls where species need to be taken back to the lab for microscopic confirmation.

At the end of the session, you should be familiar with the main features of Sphagnum and the structures used to separate out the species.  You will also have an opportunity to dissect and examine specimens under the compound microscope.

Read more information and download the booking form

Location
The Gateway, Chester Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1NB

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