Lichen, Moss and Algae and Their Important Role in the Subarctic

Larger, showier plants tend to get all the attention, but these nonvascular species play a crucial role in subarctic ecosystems—and Churchill-based Expedition Leader Eleanor Edye will tell you all about them in this fascinating webinar. Eleanor begins with an elementary botany lesson to remind us what lichens and mosses are, and how we can tell them apart from one another and from higher plant forms. We’ll look at algae, too, and how it compares. She’ll then give us an overview of the subarctic terrain around Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, with its tundra and taiga landscapes, revealing why these nonvascular plants are such an important part of this ecosystem. Get to know a few particular species as Eleanor shows us why they are notable. You’ll come away with a greater appreciation for little plants, often overlooked but at least as intriguing (if not more so!) than the more prominent species that overshadow them. Eleanor is a northern plant expert, working as a consulting botanist to government and industry in Canada for more than 15 years.


Originally presented December 6, 2021

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