REVSYS: Systematics and Evolution of the "Pacific Rim Clade" of Sphagnum section Subsecunda

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal funds research on the taxonomy and diversification of the moss genus Sphagnum, also known as peat mosses. The research focuses on a lineage of peat mosses that occur primarily in the "Pacific Rim" region from California north to Alaska and south to Japan and China, and includes about 15-20 species. The work uses data from DNA sequences and highly variable microsatellite genes to determine how many species there are and how to tell them apart. A series of hypotheses are to be addressed, clarifying exactly where individual species grow, how the plants reproduce, and the frequency and efficacy of sexual and asexual reproduction. One outcome will be a thorough taxonomic treatment for the Pacific Rim species of Sphagnum, with illustrations and other resources to permit accurate identifications of species. The proposal also funds workshops on identification of Sphagnum species, targeting wetland ecologists doing vegetation surveys and amateur scientists, many of whom work for environmental NGOs. Sphagnum-dominated peatlands have profound effects on global climate, regional hydrology, and the occurrence of many other organisms, plant, animal, and microbial. Ecosystem function (productivity, decomposition, movement of minerals and nutrients) is determined by the suite of species that occur there, and recent biogeochemical studies indicate that different Sphagnum species have significantly different chemistries and other properties that affect peatland function. For that reason, clear species circumscriptions are critical to understanding their ecological impacts. This research uses modern molecular approaches, coupled with field and specimen-based research, to provide a sound taxonomic treatment essential for evaluating the role of peat mosses in the global biosphere.