How mosses survive and thrive in the desert

Abstract

While the thought of mosses may conjure up a scene of a damp, dark forest, mosses are actually common in deserts. We’ll explore some of the genetic, physiological, and ecological adaptations that mosses in the family Pottiaceae have developed to survive the challenges of high light and low water habitats.

Jenna Ekwealor

Biodiversity Genomics Postdoctoral Researcher

I am a Biodiversity Genomics Postdoctoral Fellow studying evolutionary eco-physiology of stress tolerance in plants with the Smithsonian Institution Data Science Lab.