Premise: In dioicous mosses, sex is determined by a single U (female, โ) or V (male, โ) chromosome. Although a 1 : 1 sex ratio is expected following meiosis, phenotypic sex ratios based on the production of gametangia are often female-biased. The โฆ
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a major environmental stressor for terrestrial plants. Here we investigated genetic responses to acute broadband UVR exposure inthe highly desiccation-tolerant mosses *Syntrichia caninervis* and *Syntrichia ruralis*, โฆ
Plants in dryland ecosystems experience extreme daily and seasonal fluctuations in light, temperature, and water availability. We used an *in situ* field experiment to uncover the effects of natural and reduced levels of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on โฆ
With global climate change, water scarcity threatens whole agro/ecosystems. The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis, an extremophile, offers novel insights into surviving desiccation and heat. The sequenced Syntrichia caninervis genome consists of 13 โฆ
Several species of dryland cyanobacteria are known to occur as hypoliths under semi-translucent rocks. In the Mojave Desert, these organisms find refuge from intense solar radiation under milky quartz where moisture persists for a longer period of โฆ
PREMISE OF RESEARCH: Natural populations of many mosses appear highly female-biased based on the presence of reproductive structures. This bias could be caused by increased male mortality, lower male growth rate, or a higher threshold for achieving โฆ
Mosses and other biocrust organisms have evolved vegetative desiccation toleranceโthe ability to equilibrate to dry air, pausing all metabolic activity until rehydrationโmaking them an excellent model system for studying adaptation to the desiccating and irradiating conditions of terrestrial life.