Student Major

Biology

Presentation Abstract or Description

Mosses are ubiquitous yet understudied components of Pacific Northwest ecosystems; they play a role in the nitrogen cycle by housing nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, insulating against temperature and humidity fluctuations, and are a perfect habitat for a wide array of invertebrates. While previous studies have identified heavy metal hotspots in moss tissue collected from the Duwamish Valley, little research has compared biodiversity across moss communities. This study aimed to characterize the macrofaunal and microfaunal biodiversity in the moss species, Orthotrichium lyelli, across multiple sites in South Seattle. Specifically, we compared mosses from high-pollutant urban sites in the Duwamish Valley to mosses from Seattle Parks. Moss samples were collected from 30 sites in South Seattle, comprising 15 urban and 15 park samples. Invertebrates were extracted from the moss using Baermann and Berlese funnels, then identified via DNA sequencing or morphospecies assignment. Heavy metal concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our findings reveal notable differences in heavy metal concentrations and invertebrate community composition in moss samples from urban vs. park sites. Microinvertebrate communities in urban sites with low heavy metal levels resemble those in parks more closely than other urban sites. Park sites exhibited higher invertebrate abundance and richness compared to urban sites. These metrics could serve as critical biological indicators of ecosystem health, warranting further investigation into potential human health implications, particularly for low-income communities.

Presentation Format

Poster

Conference Name

Northwest Scientific Association 94th Annual Meeting

Conference Date(s) and Location

May 20-23, 2024 in Spokane, WA

Faculty Mentor

Kristin Hultgren

Quarter Award Was Given

Spring 2024

Document Type

Article

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