XVI International Botanical Congess

This research has two objectives: Firstly, to employ molecular systematics to clarify species delimitations in Antarctic Bryum species and secondly, to develop a set of microsatellite markers in two Antarctic moss species. Antarctic Bryum species are difficult to classify using traditional taxonomic methods based on morphology due to the phenotypic variation induced by the environment. Systematic relationships are being estimated from ITS sequences and species groupings assessed from these data. Understanding the biodiversity in Antarctic bryophytes is essential to future conservation efforts. Microsatellite markers generated in this research will be used in future research to study dynamics in Antarctic moss populations.