serhardt25's Journal

Arrived at the Glacial heritage preserve near Littlerock at approximately 1130 hrs. Air temperature was 35 degrees Fahrenheit and partly cloudy with a NNW wind. This ecosystem is a Glacial outwash prairie. I set out on a hike looking for certain moss species and I observed and collected Niphotrichum canscens and Polytrichum juniperinium. I then walked down to the Garry oaks and collected Homalothecium fulgescens, either bryum or mnium, and Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus.
I also observed some other moss species such as Kindbergia oregana and Kindbergia prolaenga. Although I have these species in my collection, I wanted to observe them in a different type of ecosystem and notice any correlations they may have to the area. Overall, the trip out there was very productive and I added more species to my growing collection. I definitely was not disappointed.

Drove to Mossyrock early this morning and found several different species of bryophytes. The latitude of this area is 46 31' 46.50" N. and the longitude is -122 28' 03.67" W. It was overcast with occasional showers with an air temperature of 37 degrees Fahrenheit. Elevation is 900 feet above sea level. This site is in a mixed conifer hardwood stand, a humus-litter like soil and is on a northerly aspect. I observed Plagiothecium undulatum, Kindbergia oregana and Climacium. I took samples of all three of these species for further analysis and taxonomic identification, I took pictures of them, and recorded these species in my field notebook noting the location and substrate these species were collected in.

I also observed at least two species of liverworts in the area and they seemed to be the dominant bryophyte on the tree trunks and on the branches. Overall bryophyte species richness in the area was highly diverse and from what I could observe at the time, this site also supported several other species of bryophytes such as Hpynum circinale, Brachythecium frigidum, and Neckera douglasii. Overall, I found that in all the areas I visited these sites supported various species of bryophyte life forms and I am amazed at the species richness, I have observed so far.

Drove over to the Blue Creek public access trail at 0800 hrs to go on a fishing trip for bryophytes this time. The air temperature was 43 degrees Fahrenheit and the latitude is 46 30' 32.91" N. and the longitude is -122 40' 46.81" W. This riparian ecosystem revealed that bryophytye, liverwort, lichen and higher plant and tree biodiversity was rich in this biome. The liverwort genus that was collected from a tree base appears to be Herbertus aduncus and another specimen such as Climacium dendroides was collected from a tree branch. I also observed several other species of moss such as Neckera douglasii and brachythecium frigidum.

I observed that open areas along this trail tended to harbor fewer bryophyte species, but when I went back into areas with dense over story cover, bryophytes generally became more diverse. It is clearly understood that the majority of bryophytes (Not all of them) are shade and moisture loving. This was especially the case with the liverwort species in this ecosystem. Overall, this ecosystem supports a wide variety of other life species such as Ravens, Stellar Jays and waterfowl. The Cowlitz River ecosystem also supports several species of salmonids such as winter run steel head, summer run steel head, spring and fall run Chinook salmon and various species of trout.

The soil was was variable at this site, which ranged from sandy clay, humus to moist organic soil. These soil types clearly supports a wide variety of plant species, thus the wide assortment of bryophyte life forms. I also noted two species of lichens in this area and these species are known as, Lobaria pulmonaria and Evernia prunastri. Therefore, this ecosystem supports diverse forms of lower and higher plant life. Next trip will be in or around the Mossyrock area and should reveal yet more bryophyte biodiversity.

1030 hours from the Blue Creek parking lot to the Cowlitz River Salkum, Washington, Lewis County. Coordinates on my GPS were 46 15' 33.41" N 122 54' 01.51" W. The weather was partly to mostly cloudy with passing rain showers and a air temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Today was supposed to be a take it easy day, but I noticed a lot of Brachythecium frigidum at the bases of the maple trees on the access trail I was walking on. The Brachythecium I collected for further examination was pale to whitish green in color and was identified as an acrocarp. As I hiked further up the trail it started to get wetter and much damper. I noticed there was some Scapania bolanderi and some Porella navicularis on logs and on some stumps. Although I do have several for my collection, I took a tiny sample of both of these liverworts for further practice identifying bryophyte species(I do need it!).
This area around the Cowlitz river is a mixed stand forest such as conifer, doug fir, and hardwoods. I plan to go back there over the weekend for a collecting foray instead of a fishing one. I should then collect different species of liverworts and mosses for my overall collection. For those that are wondering, I caught only one steel head trout and lost two others in three hours time. That is another way I enjoy and examine other species that live in this ecosystem