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Canon, USA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) supplied funds to conduct an inventory of cryptogams in Olympic National Park. Researchers Martin Hutten, Karen Hutten, Andrea Woodward, and Ed Schreiner lead this project.
Based at Oregon State University since its inception in 1995, the Northwest Alliance for Computational Science and Engineering (NACSE) is an interdisciplinary research coalition that works to make large scientific databases accessible to different user audiences.
Cryptogams of the Olympic National Park
Rain Forest Olympic National Park [Photo: NPS]
In 1999, Olympic National Park (ONP) received funds from Canon-USA and US Geological Survey (USGS) to create a photographic field guide to the mosses, lichens and liverworts of ONP, verify herbarium specimens, and begin an inventory. Among other things, this effort resulted in the discovery of at least 4 nationally rare species and the addition of almost 150 new species to the herbarium, of which 25 were previously unknown on the Olympic Peninsula.
In 2000, USGS awarded a Parks Oriented Research grant to Andrea Woodward and Ed Schreiner to continue the inventory in a more systematic way. Martin and Karen Hutten provided the technical expertise, fieldwork, sample identification and archiving, and data summary. They are helped by James Walton, members of the ONP vegetation crew, and many greatly appreciated volunteers.
As a result of this effort, a database containing hundreds of rows of data recording location, species names, ecological parameters, and other information is now available on-line. Hundreds of images are linked to the lichens, mosses, and liverworts recorded for this project and those images are also available through the database query web site.
To read more about this project and to use the database, click on the link below.
Citation: Stemming from this research was the publication of a new field guide entitled, 101 Common Mosses, Liverworts, and Lichens of the Olympic Peninsula, through a cooperative effort between the USGS, Canon USA, Inc., National Park Foundation, Olympic National Park, and the Northwest Interpretive Association. The booklet was authored by Martin Hutten, Karen Hutten, and USGS scientist, Andrea Woodward.
Species Spotlight
[Photograph: Martin Hutton]
Menzies' tree moss Leucolepis acanthoneuron
Description:Up close, this tiny moss looks like a miniature palm tree, 4-8 cm tall with leaves 1.5-2 mm long. Individual plants grow closely together in shaded, moist conifer forests. They are found from low to mid elevations, on the forest floor, on decayed logs, and occasionally on tree bases.
