MEET THE MOSSES (ZOOM PRESENTATION)

IN THE PLANT WORLD, MOSSES ARE “STRONG, SENSITIVE” TYPES.  THEY COVER ENORMOUS AREAS, ARE TOUGH ENOUGH TO GROW WITHOUT SOIL OR ROOTS AND CAN SURVIVE LONG DROUGHTS AND WINTER (HECK EVEN GLACIATION).  YET, THEY’RE ALSO INDIVIDUALLY TINY AND DELICATE ENOUGH TO SIGNAL EARLY WARNINGS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.  IN THE URBAN AND NATURAL SPACES WE KNOW AND LOVE, MOSSES MAKE THEMSELVES AT HOME ON SOIL, WOOD, ROCK AND A HUGE ARRAY OF HUMAN-MADE STAND-INS.  IT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO LEARN ABOUT THEM  IN STANDARD FIELD GUIDES, THOUGH!  JENNIFER DOUBT, CURATOR OF BOTANY AT THE CANADIAN MUSEUM OF NATURE, WILL PROVIDE US WITH A GUIDED OPPORTUNITY TO COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH SOME OF THE MOST FASCINATING PLANTS ON THE PLANET. 

AS CURATOR OF BOTANY AT THE MUSEUM, JENNIFER DOUBT LOOKS AFTER A GROWING ARCHIVE OF OVER ONE MILLION SPECIMENS OF CANADIAN WILD PLANTS.  FIRST AND FOREMOST, JENNIFER MANAGES THE BOTANICAL COLLECTIONS - THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM OF CANADA AT THE CANADIAN MUSEUM OF NATURE.  THAT MEANS SHE WORKS TO BUILD, DOCUMENT AND SAFEGUARD A PUBLIC ARCHIVE OF OVER ONE MILLION SPECIMENS OF CANADIAN WILD PLANTS.  TO IMPROVE ITS IMPACT IN THE WORLD SHE ALSO WORKS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THIS VAST RESOURCE FOR CANADIAN AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS AND ENTHUSIASTS WHO CAN PUT IT TO GOOD USE.  A HERBARIUM BUSY WITH BOTANISTS, COLLECTION EXPERTS, VOLUNTEERS, VISITORS AND STUDENTS, IT IS ONE OF HER "HAPPY PLACES".  OTHERWISE, LOOK FOR HER OUTSIDE, IN NATURE" JENNIFER IS AN EXPERT ON CANADIAN MOSSES AND THEIR PLANT RELATIVES.  MOSSES BLANKET MUCH OF CANADA - ESPECIALLY IN THE ARCTIC AND BOREAL REGIONS - AND MAKE LIFE POSSIBLE FOR THOUUSANDS OF ANIMAL AND PLANTS SPECIES BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL FOOD, HABITAT AND OTHER SERVICES.  JENNIFER WORKS IN THE FIELD AND IN THE LAB TO DOCUMENT AND PROTECT CANADA'S MOSSES THROUGH RESEARCH AND OTHER COLLABORATIONS AND BY SHARING HER KNOWLEDGE WHERE IT CAN BE HELPFUL.