The Cape Horn Archipelago in southernmost Chile is poorly known biologically because of its inaccessibility. Mosses, liverworts and hornworts (i.e., bryophytes), although small plants, comprise the majority of plant biodiversity in this remote region. This project proposes to inventory the bryophytes of the area and prepare a manual for their identification. Exploration will be carried out through the use of a rented ship to take the organizers, W. R. Buck and J. J. Engel, and their collaborators from island to island to collect. The data will also be used to collaborate on conservation of the region.
Many of the bryophytes of the Cape Horn Archipelago are otherwise only found in distant regions, especially New Zealand and northern North America. This study will allow better understanding of the distribution of these plants and how they have come to grow where they are. A local project, ?Ecotourism with a Hand-Lens,? teaches students and tour-operators to include bryophytes in tourism, thereby using these plants to assist the local economy. The information on diversity and distribution of bryophytes will be useful in determining which areas deserve protection and which can be developed. The project collaborates closely with outreach programs at the Field Museum and will contribute to improving science instruction and student learning at a major urban school system.
