Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are key components of gypsum ecosystems and, within them, lichens and cyanobacteria play a prominent role. This course will introduce the means to recognize BSCs in the field using a functional group approach. Participants will learn about the relevance of biocrust microbial communities for gypsum ecosystem functioning, with focus on lichen and cyanobacteria dominated communities. A practical session will include basic aspects of lichen and cyanobacterial biology. The study of lichens will include a theoretical basis of lichen ecology and adaptations. We will provide basic tools and general keys for lichen identification, including the study of morphology and anatomy of common gypsum lichen species. We will work on the preparation of lichens for observation of their structures with dissecting and compound microscopes. Further, during the practical session, participants will explore the biodiversity of gypsum cyanobacteria and familiarize themselves with diagnostic morphological features informative for family and genus identification. Participants will also learn key difference for differentiation cyanobacteria from eukaryotic algae.
Dr. Maria Prieto (King Juan Carlos University (URJC), ES) is a lichenologist with a broad experience in the study of lichens from different perspectives (ecology, evolution and taxonomy) and from different environments. The basis of these studies is the identification of lichen species. She has been focused on the study of several groups like Caliciales, Lichinales and Verrucariales; including the two latter, typical species from Biological Soil Crusts (e.g. Placidium, Endocarpon). She has also been involved in numerous projects about the lichen biota in different environments as tropical and temperate forests, and arid places, including gypsiferous soils.
The course will provide a broad introduction to key aspects and methods of trait-based ecology. Lectures (1 full day) will particularly focus on analysis of traits at the community levels, including a guideline on how to choose indices of functional diversity and how to apply them to assess trait variations across environmental gradients, drivers of species coexistence and biodiversity effects on ecosystem services. An overview of existing methods, including recent developments authored by the lecturer, will be provided during the course with the corresponding theoretical background. Participants will learn how to apply different indices of functional diversity directly using R (note: students without a previous knowledge of R can still participate to the course). Specifically, time will be provided during the course for students to apply these tools either on their own data or using data provided by the lecturer. The aim of the course is for participants to develop a solid basis of existing concepts, tools and trends in functional ecology and guide them to apply this approach to their own field of interest.
Dr. Rebecca E. Drenovsky (John Carroll University, USA) is Professor of Biology and Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Programs at John Carroll University. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of California, Davis and a B.S. in Biology from Aquinas College. Her research program focuses on plant-soil interactions, specifically how differences in soil resource availability influences ecological processes. She is particularly interested in the functioning of aridland systems, such as chaparral and deserts, and she has field sites in the California Coast Range, the Sierra Nevada Foothills, and the Chihuahuan Desert. Closer to home, she has studied populations of invasive roses in the deciduous forests of Ohio. She also is interested in the adaptations plants have to survive in unique soil types, such as gypsum, serpentine, and saline soils. Her interest in plant functional traits stems from her training in physiological ecology, which seeks to understand the mechanisms underlying plant performance.
Dr. Pablo Tejero (Spanish National Research Council, SPAIN) is a Curator of Herbarium JACA at the Spanish National Research Council. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology. His professional background is in the field of genetics and previously he has investigated RNAi-mediated silencing in fission yeast and the genetic variation of Silene acaulis and Arabis alpine in European mountains. His scientific motivation applies to the alpine vegetation in a broad sense. His interest in scientific areas like botany, ecology, conservation, and evolution has encouraged him to develop his knowledge in those fields too. Integration of different disciplines is essential for a better understanding of Nature.
