MSc Internship on how mosses control moisture

MSc Internship on how mosses control moisture

Nadia Soudzilovskaia and Hans Cornelissen

Systems Ecology, Dept. of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam

Soil moisture content is a very important factor for plant growth. It affects all stages of plant development, from seed germination to (successful) reproduction and therefore may play a crucial role in plant competition and vegetation succession. In boreal and sub-arctic areas substantial areas are covered by a discontinuous cover of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts). Preliminary research shows that these plants can greatly affect soil moisture under their cushions, keeping soil wetter as well as drier (depending on the species) than the bare soil would do. Climate models indicate that predicted climate change might lead to a reduction of bryophyte cover in temperate and polar zones as bryophytes would be replaced by vascular plants. How will this change affect soil moisture in these regions? The answer depends on the ability of different bryophytes to alter the soil moisture. But this is not known yet! Moreover it is not known what traits (features) make certain bryophyte species better or worse at altering soil moisture. Would you like to be the one to take on the challenge to answer these questions? The internship will include development of new measurement methods as well as development of a theoretical background concerning soil moisture fluctuations. Of course, you would also get acquainted with many interesting bryophyte species. We are planning to run pilot tests in Holland, while the actual field work will probably take place in the beautiful sub-arctic region of Abisko, North Sweden.

If you are interested, please contact Nadia Soudzilovskaia (post-doc in Systems Ecology Dept., room A-167, email: nadia.soudzilovskaia@ecology.falw.vu.nl )
or Hans Cornelissen (Systems Ecology Dept., room A162, Email:  hans.cornelissen@falw.vu.nl)

Added January 5th 2010