Some Bryophytes from the grounds of an abandoned sand/aggregate quarry on Vancouver Island

On this part of Vancouver Island, there are lots of glacial sand, clay, till and gravel deposits. I guess when developers or regional districts are looking for cheap materials for roadbeds, driveways, drainage & foundations, they can often just dig around nearby and save money on transportation and material sourcing. Whatever the case, many of these sand and aggregate quarries seem to fall into quick disuse, only to be given new life by dogwalkers, ATVers and illegal dumpers. Whatever the case, it works out well so far as bryophyte habitat goes. The combination of open exposure, frequent disturbance, pooling water and mineral soils of all particle sizes seems to provide a seed bed of sorts for bryophytes, many of which behave as annuals.

Below is an assortment of them from today, with one observation of Scotch Broom to show the landscape. Species present seems to vary by season, but this seems to be one of the better times of the year for yee olde gametophytes. If you have some old quarry grounds nearby (Coquitlam, Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo, Campbell River, Abbotsford et al.) looks for the pools and tire tracks.

Posted on February 17, 2024 11:33 PM by rambryum