Welcome to

"The Forest Under Your Feet" 

The forest referenced above is the miniature world of mosses, liverworts, hornworts (collectively known as bryophytes) and those often very colorful lichens.  As casual observers of the natural world, or as trained botanists, we often focus on the more visible components of the landscape: trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses, wildflowers, etc.  This “botanical bias” if you will, is understandable since these growth forms are easy to pick out of the landscape, morphological characters are usually observable to the naked eye (or with a slight magnification), and in many cases they are just attractive.  

However, it could be argued that tremendous beauty is also present in many of the less conspicuous components of the landscape - you just need to look a little harder.  Although their abundance and diversity differ from one region to the next, bryophytes and lichens are present in most, if not all, habitats across the globe.  These organisms are often the dominant plants in many regions, and in sites such as Antarctica, they are virtually the only vegetation found on the landscape.  In other locations from temperate to tropical forests and the tundra they are very abundant components along with the vascular plants.  Bryophytes and lichens are even found inhabiting the world's deserts, albeit in lower abundance, but with an amazing diversity for such an unforgiving environment.

Borrowing from my friend and colleague Bob Thomas' perspective "nature is found in layers, as we peel back one layer to try and understand it a bit better, we find there is another layer beneath, and another, and another."  This can be said of bryophytes and lichens as well.  When we look at any given ecosystem, what we often see first is the most obvious layer - the trees, the forbs, etc.  This then coincides with the perspective in the introductory paragraph.  The next layer might be the bryophytes and lichens.  This can then be followed by the insects and then a multitude of invertebrates (rotifers, tardigrades, etc.) living among this FOREST OF BRYOPHYTES.

Bryophytes and lichens along with other similar organisms usually grow in close association, often literally layered on top of each other in their habitats and specifically on any given substrate where they may reside.  These layers of nature do not exist independent of each other, this is the substance of ecology as a discipline.  So, what about these layers and their entangled inter-relationships.  In essence what we are talking about is the concept of a community of organisms - or who lives with whom, and furthermore, why.  This is the stuff that makes me wish I had started this bryophyte adventure long ago, but better late than never!  There are still many, many layers to be peeled back.  So for your own sake, get started immediately.

if your interest is Piqued

Below are the basic goals of this website

Foster an appreciation of the diversity and complexity that resides in these unique components of the landscape.

Inform the reader about the past and present contributions, and status, of bryology as part of the Texas flora.

Disseminate information about the systematics, morphology, ecology, and biogeography of bryophytes in Texas.

Promote participation in field projects throughout the state and beyond!

Walk softly upon the earth. May its beauty forever surround you, its wonders forever astound you, may its wisdom delight you, its music invite you to dance and to play and to sing. (Alfred V. Fedak)