Biological soil crust science forum, August 6, Kanab, Utah

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement on their grazing plan. Previously there was a scoping period in which members of the public were invited to submit comments. A major theme in the comments was biocrusts. In response to this, the Monument is organizing a moderated public forum in which a panel will answer questions submitted by the general public. The event will be at the Kanab, Utah city library (9:00 am - 4:00 pm Mountain Standard Time), and will also be broadcast live online. I have agreed to join the panel, as have Jayne Belnap, Janis Boettinger, Fee Busby and Kim Anderson.

Official News Release
Lake Powell News Article (this link loads faster)
Agenda
Watch Live online here

The influence of environmental factors on biological soil crust: from a community perspective to a species level approach ConcostrinaZubiri 2013 Journal of Vegetation Science Wiley Online Library

The influence of environmental factors on biological soil crust: from a community perspective to a species level approach ConcostrinaZubiri 2013 Journal of Vegetation Science Wiley Online Library

Biocrusts of Northern Arizona National Monuments, Post 2: Moss key

This is my second post on biocrusts of National Monuments of Northern Arizona. See yesterdays post for a lichen key, here's a moss key. Liverworts were not observed by surveyors, but they are likely out there. The keys apply to Wupatki, Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater, Montezuma Castle (& Well), and Tuzigoot National Monuments.

Field-based key to common biocrust mosses of National Monuments of the southern Colorado Plateau and Colorado Plateau-Sonoran Desert ecotone

1a) Upper leaves or entire plant white or silvery due to lack of chlorophyll; plants usually small (0.5 mm tall)................Bryum argenteum complex (may include B. argenteum, B. lanatum)

1b) Plants not whitish or silvery; plant sizes various............. 2

2a) Plants light green to yellowish, stems up to several cm long, frequently branched with a creeping growth form ……Brachythecium spp.

2b) Plants various colors, stems usually less than 1 cm, not branched or only sparingly branched and.….3

                        3a) Plants lacks awns (hair points on leaf tips), light green to black...4

4a) Plant light green, large (>1mm common) tongue shaped leaves (may be contorted when dry) with mucro at apex, Almost always bearing straight, erect sporophytes (~1-2.5 cm tall); older sporophytes exhibit cylindrical capsules topped with a characteristic white column ....................................Tortula inermis          

4b) Plant forest green above and reddish brown below when dry, shorter plants with linear-lanceolate leaves (sometimes contorted, sometimes ~ imbricate); if present mature sporophytes red with inclined capsule .............................................Ceratodon purpureus

                        3b) Plants with awns (usually whitish and toothed); colors various..5

5a) White awns longer than plant height; often giving appearance of white fuzzy tuft because plant is buried or inconspicuous ............Pterygoneurum spp. (Almost always P. ovatum but can’t be keyed in field without sporophyte)**

5b)White or yellowish awn length less than plant height; plants are generally above ground and easy to see .....6

6a) Awn is a yellowish extension of an acuminate leaf tip, wider at base; plant yellowish green or golden, mostly < 1mm tall .......................7

7a) Plant yellowish green, rarely in dense cushions; arid regions....Bryum kunzei 
7b) Plant golden yellow with a magenta colored stem (view wet), frequently in dense cushions; prefers shrub canopies in higher elevation areas.....Bryum caespiticium

6b) Awn is white and ~ same width along its entire length, plants light green, or darker (not yellow).....8

8a) Plants tall, often > 3mm height; plants lime green-dark green at top, reddish at base; leaves slightly twisted around stem when dry squarrose-recurved (curling back > 90º back from stem) when wet, costa frequently red …………...Syntrichia ruralis

8b) Plants small-med, usually less than 3mm tall: plants dark green-blackish at top, brown at base; leaves not twisted around stem when dry, patent (not curling back > 90º), costa never red…....Syntrichia caninervis

** If sporophyte is present:

5aa) Due to a short seta, the sporophyte capsule is immersed in leaves or barely sticking out, calyptra splits in 2 or more places, plants about 1mm high and green......Pterygoneurum subsessile
5bb) Seta a few mm long, sporophyte capsule exerted, calyptra splits along a single seam, plants very small and awns are much more more visible...............................Pterygoneurum ovatum