BIOR73 Bryophyte Morphology and Identification 5 ECTS credits
Schedule and course introduction autumn semester 2016
version 2016-06-03
Welcome to BIOR73 Bryophyte Morphology and identification!
The course is part of the main field of study in Biology at the Faculty of Science, Lund
University. The course is also a part of a Nordic Masters programme in Biodiversity and
Systematics (Nordic Academy of Biodiversity and Systematics Studies – NABIS).
Course structure. The first part of the course is net-based and the second part is located to a
field station – Stensoffa – close to Lund. The course is run at full time during the period 19
September–09 October. The net-based studies are divided into two Workpackages (WPs),
each consisting of introduction, specific pages to be read in the textbook, and assignments to
full-fill such as questions to be answered and/or exercises to be worked through etc. The
assignments are compulsory and will be corrected and graded. Beside the textbook (see
below) we use teaching material and resources available via Internet. As active student you
have access through ”Student in Lund” (STiL) to the on-line library resources of Lund
University.
Web-based teaching platform. During the net-based part of the course you perform most of
the work from home using computerized communication to keep contact with teachers and
other students. The teaching platform is called LUVIT, and it allows communication, such as
presentation of texts and other media, downloading of exercises, chats etc. through a coursespecific website. You need to have a net-connected computer. You reach the start page via
http://luvit.ced.lu.se/LuvitPortal
For logging in, you use your email address as ”user name” and a password that you get
through ”Student in Lund” (STiL) at the start of the course. At the start page you can find out
if you already use a recommended web-browser or if you have to get updated.
Field excursion. The field excursion is compulsory. It is scheduled to the period 2016-10-01--2016-10-07. We have arranged lodging at the Stensoffa Ecological Station, 20 km east of
Lund. We are going to visit a number of excursion sites in Scania, the southernmost province
of Sweden. You will also get lectures about systematics and idenfication of major groups.
You will practice species identification using microscopes and advanced literature.
There are beds for about 20 persons at the station. You need to bring your own bed linen and
towels. Alternatively, it is possible to stay overnight in Lund for those who prefer to arrange
your own lodging. The course will pay for the accommodation at Stensoffa and transports
during excursions.
The participants will have to organize food at self-cost. There are two kitchens at Stensoffa.
You will bring a lunch-pack for excursions. The day schedules will start by 8.30 and we will
work until about 22.00 in the evenings with microscopic studies and species determinations.
The first day we will start by 10.00 and the final day we will end by 17.00.
Literature. We use the following textbooks:
• Introduction to Bryophytes. A. Vanderpoorten & G. Goffinet. Cambridge University Press
2009. ISBN: 9780511537202
The Biological Library at Lund University has recently bought a campus license for the
electronic version of this book. This means that you can read it or download the pdf's from the
following link:
http://ludwig.lub.lu.se/login?url=http://ebooks.cambridge.org/ebook.jsf?bid=CBO978051162
6838
However, there are three limitations:
1. You must have "Student-in-Lund" = StiL-identity, which you get as soon as you are registered on a course at
Lund University. When you try to access the above-mentioned link you are requested to type your StiL identity
and password before you can reach the eBook.
2. It is only possible for six users to access the book from the link simultaneously. You should therefore avoid
reading the book directly from the homepage and rather download the pdfs for chapters of the book you are
going to study and the then leave the homepage.
3. You are not aloud to download all the chapters of the book from the same computer (this is determined by the
IP-number of your computer).
• Mosses and liverworts of Britain and Ireland – a field guide. British Bryological Society.
2010. ISBN: 9780956131010. This book can be ordered directly from the British Bryological
Society:
http://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/
• Bryophyte Ecology. J. Glime 2007--- [Several volumes]. Ebook sponsored by Michigan
Technological University and the International Association of Bryologists (Open Acess).
http://www.bryoecol.mtu.edu/
• You will also need a hand-lens with 20x magnification. This is necessary to observe minor
morphological details that are critical for identification of bryophytes.
We also recommend the following literature (which is not compulsory; these books will be
available during the microscopic exercises):
• Illustrated Flora of the Nordic Liverworts and Hornworts. K. Damsholt. Nordic
Bryological Society. [Can be ordered from http://lindbergia.nu/ see webshop]
Three books from the Encyclopedia of the Swedish Flora and Fauna. Swedish text, but keys
also in English. Can be ordered from
http://www.nationalnyckeln.se/sv/bestall_bocker/
• Bladmossor: kompaktmossor–kapmossor. [Bryophyta: Anoectangium–
Orthodontium.] T. Hallingbäck, N. Lönnel, H. Weibull. 2008. ISBN: 978-91-88506-64-1
• Bladmossor: sköldmossor–blåmossor. [Bryophyta: Buxbaumia-Leucobryum.] T.
Hallingbäck, N. Lönnel, H. Weibull, L. Hedenäs. 2005. ISBN: 978-91-88506-55-9
• Bladmossor: Skirmossor –baronmossor [Bryophyta: Hookeria–Anomodon]. L
Hedenäs, T. Hallinbäck. 2014. ISBN: 9789188506849.
Work load. The course is given at full time. You should plan to spend some 40 hours per
week for reading and exercises. Since the course is carried out in interaction with other
participants and the teachers, you have to take active part in the course throughout the whole
period.
Examination. Two compulsory assignments are to be delivered during the net-based part of
the course. To receive a high pass you are advised to deliver the assignments according to
schedule. Therefore, you need to inform the course leaders if you get sick or for some other
reason need to postpone an assignment. You will also undertake a final test by the end of the
field course which composed of two parts: (1) Identification of a limited number of species
and (2) detailed description of a sub-selection of the identified species using appropriate
terminology. The project work during day 6 is also a part of the examination.
Teachers are:
Nils Cronberg, senior lecturer in Botany
Torbjörn Tyler, curator Lund Botanical Museum
Johan Rydlöv, specialist in liverworts
Course assistant:
Staffan Nilsson
[email protected]
046-222 89 74, 070-369 10 63
Adress: Biological department, Ecology building, 223 62 Lund.
Overview of the course This overview is preliminary. It displays only the textbook curriculum, several other learning
activities will take place… You will find reading instructions and further information in the
netlearning platform LUVIT.
Workpackage 1 (first week):
Workpackage 2 (second week):
Liverworts, Hornworts
Mosses
Tentative schedule for the field excursion 2016-10-01---2016-10-07 (third week):
Day 1/ 1 October: Initial excursion – repetition common species
Day 2/ 2 October: Longer excursion – Sphagnaceae, Polytrichaceae and
Andreaeaceae
Day 3/ 3 October: Liverworts
Day 4/ 4 October: Pleurocarpous mosses
Day 5/ 5 October: Acrocarpous mosses
Day 6/ 6 October: Project
Day 7/ 7 October: Examination