The BBS Bryophyte Ecology Group (or BRECOG) exists to promote study of the ecology of the mosses, liverworts and hornworts of Britain and Ireland. Having a detailed knowledge of their ecology will be absolutely fundamental for effective conservation of our bryophytes in the future. The group seeks to bring together those with practical involvement in conservation and land management, academics and amateur bryologists to develop a core of knowledge about the ecologies of the common and not-so-common species of these islands. To be added to the membership list and receive future e-mailed circulars please send your details to Jeff Bates: j.bates@imperial.ac.uk.
BRECOG was established as a specialist group of the British Bryological Society at a workshop in 2006. It is directed by a Steering Committee and aims to meet annually through a weekend workshop held at a different location early each spring. At the Preston Montford workshop in March 2007 the group launched a major project, the Bryophyte Habitats Survey. This involves the collection of data on the percentage cover of bryophytes from typical bryophyte habitats within selected 10 x 10 km grid squares, plus the scoring of a number of simple environmental factors (e.g. shade, slope, soil or water depth) at the quadrat sites and simple-to-record measures of fertility (e.g. presence of capsules, their stage of development). It is anticipated that many BBS members will wish to contribute information from their own ‘patch’. To do so, please download the instructions and recording form and /or attend one of the group’s workshops.
In the longer term members of BRECOG plan to compile an ‘Ecological Compendium’ for the common and characteristic species of the British and Irish flora. This will summarise the field data forthcoming from the survey of habitats and fertility and combine this with information from related laboratory studies of physiology and other data available in the literature. This is an ambitious project but it is achievable with good will and would represent a major step forward in our understanding of a significant part of our native Flora.
Jeff Bates (Steering Committee Chair)
Steering Committee Membership
Jeff Bates (Chair)
Jeff Duckett
Martin Godfrey
Royce Longton
John O’Reilly
Michael Proctor
Mike Walton
The following resources are available:
(NB People wishing to send soil samples to John O'Reilly should use his correct address: 3 Railway Cottages, Lambley, Northumberland, CA8 7LL)
See also the meeting reports for the 2006 and 2007 meetings.
