All Projects

This project investigates cold and freeze tolerance in Syntrichia norvegica, a high-elevation moss potentially capable of photosynthesizing under snow. Students will explore how photosynthetic activity varies with temperature, light quality, and snow cover through lab and/or field experiments.

This interdisciplinary project addresses the environmental justice implications of airborne dust in California’s Central Valley. Students will investigate the biotic and abiotic components of dust, including microbial and fungal content, and link these data to land degradation and health risks in vulnerable communities.

Reproductive biology of cosexual Syntrichia princeps Syntrichia princeps is a cosexual moss species, meaning it produces both male and female reproductive structures on the same individual. This project investigates the genomic basis and reproductive biology of cosexuality, particularly the role of sex chromosomes in development and gene regulation.

San Bruno Mountain presents a rare opportunity to study moss ecology in a coastal environment shaped by fog and non-rainfall water sources. This project explores how fog and dew influence the distribution, morphology, and physiology of epiphytic mosses growing on Baccharis pilularis.

Sex chromosome evolution in mosses This project explores intragenomic conflict, competition between genes within the same genome, in the context of moss reproductive biology and sex chromosome evolution. Mosses offer a unique and powerful model for studying conflict due to their haploid maternal generation and distinct U/V sex chromosomes.

This project investigates microbial communities associated with Syntrichia mosses and their potential functional roles in host physiology. Focusing on groups like Methylobacteria, students will use transcriptomic and metagenomic data to assess microbial gene expression related to plant hormone biosynthesis and stress response.

Comparative and functional microbiomes of biological soil crusts This project compares microbial community composition and function in biological soil crusts across environmental gradients, including arid, temperate, and urban ecosystems. Using existing metagenomic data and new sampling, students will identify microbial taxa and functional pathways involved in nutrient cycling and stress adaptation.

Seasonality of photosynthetic activity in desert Syntrichia caninervis Desert mosses like Syntrichia caninervis experience highly variable environmental conditions throughout the year. This project examines how seasonal changes in precipitation and temperature affect photosynthetic performance and photoprotection, with a focus on NPQ dynamics.

Syntrichia caninervis exhibits highly skewed sex ratios in the wild, often with far more females than males. This project investigates whether physiological or ecological differences between sexes underlie this pattern. Using greenhouse experiments, students will grow male and female genotypes under different climate conditions to test for differential survival or growth.

In arid habitats, Syntrichia caninervis must endure long periods of intense UV radiation while dry and inactive. This project explores the physiological and molecular mechanisms behind UV-induced pigmentation, which may serve as a natural sunscreen.